Members of the Alliance of Health Workers staged a protest at the DOH Central Office on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. Photo shows protesters holding up letters to spell: OCA HEA IBIGAY (Give us OCA HEA). OCA stands for One COVID Allowance (OCA) and HEA stands for Health Emergency Allowance. (Photo from the Alliance of Health Workers)
MANILA, Philippines — Health workers staged a rally on Tuesday in front of the Department of Health (DOH) Central Office in Manila to protest over their still unreleased COVID-19 benefits and to demand higher salaries and a bigger budget for public hospitals in 2023.
The protesters, who belong to the Alliance of Health Workers, slammed the DOH for its failure to fully release their One COVID Allowance (OCA) and Health Emergency Allowance (HEA).
“It is already BER months, and yet the promised One COVID allowance starting January 2022 –June 2022 is not yet fully released to health workers in the GOCC [government-owned and -controlled corporations) hospitals, PGH [Philippine General Hospital], private and LGUs,” said Sally Ejes, president of the Philippine Heart Center Employees Association-AHW.
“Besides OCA, retroactive payment of HEA covering the period of July-December 2021 is not yet also released. We are also expecting the implementation of HEA starting July 2022 up to the present,” she added.
The health workers also demanded a raise in the rate of Salary Grade 1 to P33,671 per month, especially as the family living wage is pegged at P1,107 due to the economic crisis.
“Two years of pandemic and yet nothing has changed with regards to our appalling condition. The benefits are always delayed and not provided, the salary remains low and far from the living wage we desire, and there is still a lack of quality PPE,” said Robert Mendoza, the AHW national president.
“When we ask for the salary increase, quality protective equipment and benefits, this government will always say they lack funds or no budget at all. Sagad at ubos na ang aming mga pasensya,” they added.
The protesters also demanded a higher budget for public hospitals.
So far, 76 public hospitals and health centers nationwide have been allocated only P190.8 billion — or 3.62 percent of the proposed 2023 national budget.
“Despite the increasing deaths and cases of COVID-19, dengue, measles, and pneumonia this government continues to cut the budget intended for public hospitals. A budget cut is unacceptable,” said Jaymee de Guzman, San Lazaro Hospital Employees Association-AHW president.
“Indigent patients will be shouldering most if not the full cost of hospitalization or they will be pushed to ask good-hearted donors to pay for the hospital bill. The continuing prevalence of diseases of poverty like tuberculosis and pneumonia and rising cost of health services in public hospitals are depressing real-life tragedies indicative of government’s neglect,” he added.
They then challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to increase the health budget to up to 10 percent of the gross domestic product.
“Mr. President, prove to us that you really care for the health workers’ welfare and the people’s health.” De Guzman said.
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