THE Presidential Communications Office (PCO) took the time and effort to greet the nation’s health workers on the occasion of National Health Workers Day last May 7. As expected, the doctors, nurses, medical technicians, hospital utility workers, dentists, surgeons, midwives, etc. were again exalted for their efforts to provide invaluable services to Filipinos in public and private hospitals and clinics where they work.
The PCO wrote: “Today, we celebrate the tireless dedication of our health workers who selflessly serve the Filipino people. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of the nation.”
While the gesture is commendable, the Palace’s appreciation was relayed through social media, specifically in its Facebook page, making it open for comments from health workers and the general public, which were generally unfavorable. News reports said Filipinos online thought the country’s health workers deserve more than just “appreciation.”
Netizen Florence Garcia said health workers “deserve to be well cared for their services” while a Rose Siguenza was more direct as she said, “Thank you for the appreciation but health workers need salary increase.”
It was also an opportunity for Yssajoy Esteban, obviously a government health worker, to air a public complaint that resonates among the groups of nurses and doctors, thus: “National Health Workers Day pero yung OCA/HEA namin wala pa rin po! 2023 na!” (It is already 2023 but our OCA/HEA has yet to be paid.)
‘If these funds were adequately distributed to the beneficiaries, complaints such as those aired by Esteban should not even exist.’
Esteban referred to the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) and health emergency allowance (HEA) which ranges from P3,000 to P9,000 depending on the risk exposure classification of health workers. The OCA was the original COVID-19 response incentive given by government before it was replaced by the HEA under Republic Act 11712, an act granting mandatory continuing benefits and allowances to public and private health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and other future public health emergencies.
Esteban’s complaint should be investigated and processed because the Department of the Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of around P11.5 billion for the payment of OCA/HEA to over 1.6 million beneficiaries in October 2022 yet.
The amount was given to the DOH through a special allotment release order that covers unfunded OCA/HEA claims of healthcare and non-healthcare workers for January to June 2022. In February 2022, the DBM also released about P7.92 billion of the P18.7 billion to cover the payment of 995,671 OCA/HEA claims.
If these funds were adequately distributed to the beneficiaries, complaints such as those aired by Esteban should not even exist.
President Marcos Jr. has just arrived from a trip to London where he attended the coronation of King Charles III, and where he had the opportunity to again extol the services and contributions of Filipino nurses in the United Kingdom, so it should be incumbent upon him to walk the talk and act decisively on the concerns of local health care workers.
Marcos had vowed to improve the working conditions of nurses and other health workers. He also promised to reduce the disparity in salaries between government hospitals with those in the private sector and the uneven distribution of nurses in various areas nationwide by addressing issues about health facilities, benefits and security of tenure.
Let us hold him to these promises.
