Health workers again call for release of ‘long-delayed’ bonuses

Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Health workers from government hospitals under the Department of Health (DOH) are calling for the immediate release of their long overdue Performance Based Bonuses (PBBs) for the past three years.

Members of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) from different public hospitals organized a “picket rally” in front of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in Manila on Monday to call for their “long-delayed” PBBs for 2021 to 2023.

They were appealing for Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to grant them their PBB, saying the past three years were the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when health workers’ need to extend their shifts from eight to 16 hours to accommodate patients.

READ: Emergency allowance of healthcare workers now 90% paid, says DOH

“We are here today to follow up with Secretary Pangandaman regarding the result of our appeal. The year 2024 is about to end and yet our much-deserved compensation has been forgotten,” said Cristy Donguines, a nurse working at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center and AHW secretary general.

“Despite our tireless dedication and critical role in safeguarding public health during calamities and the pandemic, we have still not received the recognition or compensation we are owed for our exceptional service over the past years. This protest underscores our frustration as health workers, who have worked under immense pressure, often risking our own health and safety, yet have been left waiting for the bonuses we have earned,” she added.

In their previous dialogue in April, the DBM informed the AHW unions that the DOH central office had failed the PBB rating for the fiscal years 2021 and 2022, which was why they would not be able to receive their PBB.

Meanwhile, the assessment for the eligibility of the DOH, its attached agencies, and government health facilities under its supervision for PBB for FY 2023 has yet to be completed.

“Our position here is that public hospitals should not be penalized when the DOH fails to perform their duties; the ratings should be done per hospital, as the hospital and health workers are working hard to provide health services to the patients we serve,” Donguines said.

“Our salaries are barely not enough to live on, and yet you continue to squeeze us with our meager compensation,” she added.

The PBB is a “top-up” annual bonus given to employees based on their performance and contributions to the accomplishment of their department’s overall targets and commitments. Each agency is rated based on four general criteria: performance, process, financial, and citizen or client satisfaction results.