Health Workers breach Malacanang security, hold protest against low salaries, benefits and privatization

PRESS RELEASE

May 20, 2014

References:

Ely Estropigan, All-UP Workers’ Union-UP-PGH President
Mobile no: 0921-4668183

Robert Mendoza, AHW Secretary-General
Mobile No.  0921-2073631

Around 40 health workers from different hospitals stormed Malacanang today amidst strict security in the vicinity.

Mostly wearing white gowns and hospital uniforms, the protesters composed of nurses, doctors and other health personnel waved banners and placards and chanted calls for salary increase and adequate health budget in front of Vargas Gate.

“We have had enough! Our patience and hopes have run out! The Aquino administration is never a government for the poor! He has done nothing to alleviate our suffering and is doing everything to privatize our hospitals!”said Ely Estropigan, president of All-UP Workers Union-UP-PGH Chapter.

Health workers claimed that President Benigno Aquino III failed the Filipino people by privatizing Philippine Orthopedic Center and other public hospitals, and attacking job security through streamlining, retrenchment and contractualization.

The protesters said that worse than the previous administrations, Aquino administration had not given any salary increase. Instead of providing for mandated Magna Carta benefits, it sowed intrigues and disunity among health workers through controversial Productivity-Based Bonus (PBB) and “high-risk-low risk” classification in hazard pay provision.

Police security officers and non-uniformed men forcibly pushed the protesters towards Chino Roces bridge. Malacanang security PO1 JS Aguilar under the command of P/Supt FM Opellano tried to seize Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) secretary-general Robert Mendoza even if the protesters were already at Mendiola.

A health student who joined the protest, Mark Neri, sustained abrasions in left hand.

“What kind of “protectors” will hurt and try to abduct us health workers who are saving peoples’ lives? What kind of government will hit female health workers with shields when we are just exercising our right to assemble and freedom of expression? They are protecting corrupt officials and Napoles, but not the Filipino people!” cried Mendoza.

The health workers peacefully dispersed after the program in Mendiola. #

Nurses unite! Struggle for rights and people’s right to health!

PRESS STATEMENT

May 12, 2014

Reference: Jossel I Ebesate

AHW National President

Mobile No. 0918 927 6381

Today, on the occasion of International Nurses’ Day, the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) -Philippines express our solidarity with the Filipino nurses and all nurses in the world who continue to offer their skills and knowledge in service of the people and stand up for people’s right to health amidst worsening economic and political crises and attacks on our rights.

As the national organization of health workers in the Philippines, we in AHW share the nurses’ dream of a united nurses and health care workers dedicated to providing services to those who need these most. We are one with the nurses and the people in our vision of a healthy society where the people and health workers are empowered and can contribute to health and development.

But we see that the people’s health situation is worsening as people’s health and interests are sacrificed in the name of profit and business interests.  We witness the suffering and deaths of many people who are impoverished, could not afford the increasing cost of public and private health care, and deprived of basic needs while those in power steal public funds, grab people’s lands and play puppet to foreign dictates. 

At the same time, we ourselves suffer from violation of our rights to jobs, living wage, benefits, and unionize. For instance, our fellow nurses in Tondo Medical Center go on duty for 16-32 hours. Nurses in government hospitals get a pay of P 18,549/month (Salary Grade 11), below the mandated Salary Grade 15 in Nursing Act of 2002 and way below the P30,000/month minimum cost of living in the NCR. Nurses in private hospitals and institutions suffer more with P6,000-P10,000 entry level monthly wages, without hazard pay and no job security. 

We realize that our commitment to serve the people is never easy when the situation that breeds poverty and ill-health continues to exist. We cannot fully save lives when lack of personnel, supplies, equipment and facilities, and poor governance ail our public health care system.   We cannot provide adequate and quality health services when our ranks need deliverance from chronic understaffing, contractualization, low and subhuman wages, poor working conditions, harassments and violation of rights. We cannot dream of better health for the people as long as the government privatizes public hospitals and health care, takes away whatever little free services the poor people receive and threatens to dislocate the poor patients and health workers.

We see that our duty to serve the people goes beyond learning the most advanced technologies and equipment in health care or reaching unreachable health statistics targets. As nurses of the people, we are duty-bound to work with the people, start where they are, uphold their interests alongside with our interests, and stand up for rights and justice.  Our duty brings us on the side of our patients and the people against threats to health and our rights, like privatization, fee for service, contractualization and streamlining, wage freeze, unreasonable power and water rates hike.  Our duty necessitates that we struggle together with our patients and the people for free, affordable, and accessible health care towards a society freed from local and foreign domination, oppression and exploitation.

This day and the days and years to come, we call on all Filipino nurses to serve the people and uphold our rights and people’s right to health, like Florence Nightingale and our own Filipino nurse-heroes like Nazaria Lagos (1851-1945), Minda Luz Quesada (1937-1995), and Mary Vita Jackson, who served the people and fellow health care workers inspite of risks and hardships. Let us stand up, unite with fellow health workers and the Filipino people, and together work for genuine societal change. # 

Mayo 7: Singilin ang Pamahalaang Aquino, Ipagpatuloy ang 30 taong pakikibaka para sa Kalusugan at Karapatan!

Pambansang Araw ng mga Manggagawang Pangkalusugan ngayon. Kasabay ng paggunita sa mga tagumpay at aral sa 30 taong pakikibaka ng Alliance of Health Workers,  papanagutin natin ang Pamahalaang Aquino sa patuloy na pag-abandona sa kalusugan ng mamamayan at karapatan ng manggagawang pangkalusugan!

Itaguyod natin at ipaglaban ang mga tagumpay sa loob ng 30 taong pakikibaka ng AHW mula nang itatag ito noong 1984. Sa pamamagitan ng sama-samang pagkilos, naipagtagumpay natin ang:

Ø  Dagdag na sweldo mula pa 1980’s, ngunit nananatiling kakarampot at di nakabubuhay ang sweldong ibinibigay ng Pamahalaang Aquino;

Ø  Pagsasabatas ng Magna Carta of Public Health Workers (RA 7305) na batayan ng mga benepisyong hazard pay, subsistence allowance, laundry pay, longevity allowance; bagamat paulit-ulit itong binabawi ng pamahalaan, sa pinakahuli sa klasipikasyong high risk-low risk sa pamamagitan ng DBM-DOH Joint Circular No 1; 

Ø  Pagpapatalsik sa kurakot, kontra-manggagawa at kontra-pasyenteng mga hospital direktor noong 1980’s hanggang 1990’s;

Ø  Paglaban sa tanggalan/streamlining – sa dalawang pagkakataon ng reorganissyon/tanggalan, nagawang mapanatili ang ilang daang libong mga posisyon at naisabatas ang RA 6655 na nagseseguro sa security of tenure ng mga kawani sa pamahalaan. Pero tinutuloy ng Pamahalaang Aquino ang streamlining tungo sa kontraktwalisasyon sa pammaagitan ng EO 366 /Rationalization Plan na basehan ng New Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern sa mga pampublikong ospital;

Ø  Paglaban sa pribatisasyon ng mga pampublikong ospital  – tagumpay na napatigil noong 1997 ngunit walang habas na itinutuloy muli ni Panguong Aquino sa PPP ng Philippine Orthopedic Hospital at 72 hospitals sa buong bansa, korporatsoasyon at iba pang porma; at

Ø  Pagtataguyod sa karapatan sa pag-uunyon, Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA), pagpapahayag at paglulunsad ng kilos-protesta.

Walang makabuluhang napagbabago sa kalagayan ng mga manggagagawang pangkalusugan at mamamayan sa ilalim ng Administrasyong Aquino. Nagpapalit-palit ang mga pangulo ngunit kagaya ng mga naunang rehimen, itinutuloy ng Pamahalaang Aquino ang  kontra-mamamayan at kontra-manggagawang polisiyang papaliit na badyet para sa kagalingan ng mamamayan, streamlining at kontraktwalisasyon, pribatisasyon, mababang sahod at kulang na benepisyo.

Pinatunayan ng Pamahalaang Aquino ang pagiging sunud-sunuran sa dikta ng panginoong maylupa, burgesya komprador at monopolyo kapitalistang Estados Unidos. Tanging mga local at dayuhang burgesya at monopolyo kapitalista ang nakikinabang sa programang Kalusugang Pangkalahatan na nakapadron sa Obama Care. Sa Two-tiered Wage System lalong ipapako sa napakababang sahod ang mga manggagawa samantalang wala ni singkong dagadag sa sweldo na ibingay ang administrasyong Aquino sa mga kawani ng pamahalaan at manggagawang pangkalusugan.  Nitong Abril pinagkasunduan ni Pangulong Aquino at US President Barrack Obama ang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) na magbabalik sa base-militar ng Estados Unidos sa bansa, sa kabila ng pagtututol ng mamamayan batay sa unconstitutionality, mapait na mga karanasan ng paglabag sa karapatan ng tropang Amerikano, at pagyurak sa soberanya ng bansa.

Walang ibang pagpipilian ang manggagawang pangkalusugan at mamamayan kundi palakasin ang hanay at ipagpatuloy ang laban para sa ating karapatan bilang manggagawang pangkalusugan at karapatan ng mamamayan sa kalusugan. Tanging sa sama-samang pagkilos lamang natin malalabanan ang kontra-mamamayang polisiya at maitatayo ang isang sistemang pangkalusugang tunay na  magsisilbi sa mamamayan at manggagawang pangkalusugan.

Singilin ang Pamahalaang Aquino sa pag-abandona sa kanyang responsibilidad sa mamamayan at  mga manggagawang pangkalusugan!

Ipagpatuloy  ang 30 taong pakikibaka ng mga manggagawang pangkalusugan para pang-ekonomiya, demokratiko at pampulitikang karapatan at kalusugan ng mamamayan!