Oppose the Privatization of Rizal Medical Center!

PRESS STATEMENT
Alliance of Health Workers

June 18, 2012

References:

Jossel I. Ebesate, AHW National President, Mobile number: 0918-9276381

Robert Mendoza, AHW Secretary General, Mobile number: 0932-4649757

The Alliance of Health Workers strongly opposes the privatization of Rizal Medical Center (RMC) through the Memorandum of Agreement between the RMC management and Department of Health with Makati Medical Center (MMC) Foundation to be signed on June 19.

The entry of MMC Foundation in the guise of training and organizational strengthening is privatization in plain and simple terms. The MOA clearly states the move is part of the Public-Private Partnership  program of the government and is intended to be cascaded to other public hospitals.  The MMC Foundation owned by Manny Pangilinan even though registered as non-profit organization is part of the business conglomerate being built by Pangilinan through his hospital-buying spree. Why would MMC be interested in funding RMC reforms if it does not see any profit or income in its partnership?

The partnership with MMC signals the privatization of RMC and will hit first and foremost the poor patients of RMC. DOH Secretary Enrique Ona himself admitted that cost of health services will increase under PPP and privatization. This is already happening in public hospitals like Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, and Tondo Medical Center where private companies took over radiology and laboratory services. The private University Physicians' Medical Center inside the Philippine General Hospital premises charges more than twice the cost of diagnostic and laboratory procedures in PGH. 

Workers’ job security and rights are continually attacked in privatization. Examples of this include the MWSS privatization where all workers were made to resign and only those younger or highly qualified were rehired. In corporatized GOCC hospitals, inspite of the income generated by the hospitals, health workers' job security and benefits are not ensured. Health workers in Lung Center of the Philippines, for instance, are being disallowed more than P100,000 worth of benefits per employee deducted upon resignation or retirement.

What is happening in RMC is manifestation of the national government’s plan to privatize public hospitals and public health services. The Aquino government is reneging on its responsibility of improving public health facilities and public hospitals by transferring the burden to the private sector.

In line with Aquino's Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, the private sector is being ushered in so that the government will no longer subsidize public hospital and people’s health.  Instead of allotting adequate fund for RMC and other public hospitals, it is reducing subsidy towards eventual removal (MOOE subsidy gone by 2014, Personal  Services subsidy gone by 2020 based on DOH's Health Care Finance Reform Plan 2010-2020) and transforms public hospitals into self-perpetuating income generating corporate hospitals. This is part of the national economic policies of privatization, deregulation and liberalization implemented by previous governments in obedience to local and foreign business dictates.

The deteriorating situation of people's health and health workers' economic conditions prove the futility of privatization, decreasing government subsidy and increased revenue enhancement long implemented by the government under the Health Sector Reform Agenda and Formula One for Health.  The continuing implementation of such anti-people, anti-health worker policies under Kalusugan Pangkalahatan will spell more sickness and deaths contrary to the grandiose claims of DOH and the Aquino government.

We call on the health workers and the Filipino people to oppose the privatization of RMC and all public hospitals. We call on RMC health workers to stand up for people's health and our rights, and unite with patients, other health workers' organizations, and other sectors to effectively oppose the privatization of health services

Let us continue the tradition of militant organized struggle that is instrumental in our victories in the approval of Magna Carta of Health Workers, the fight against the privatization of hospitals since 1997 and the continuing fight for our jobs, rights, salaries, benefits, and people's health.#

Health Workers to DBM: Stop the “Palusot” and Release our Benefits!

PRESS STATEMENT

Alliance of Health Workers

June 15, 2012

References:

Jossel I. Ebesate, AHW President, Mobile number: 0918-9276381

Robert Mendoza, AHW Secretary-General, Mobile number: 0932-4649757

Alliance of Health Workers demands the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to stop all the “palusot” and instead approve the release of savings for Magna Carta benefits.

This is in reply to the DBM press release on June 11 after health workers stormed DBM office in Manila armed with empty pots and pans to demand the release of their benefits.

“DBM Secretary Florencio Abad ‘explanations’ do not justify the suffering and demoralization we have to endure from decreased laundry and subsistence allowances and delays in our hazard pay since January ,” said Jossel Ebesate, national president of AHW. “Despite our position papers, dialogue and follow-ups, the DBM to this date has not approved the release of our hospitals’ savings for benefits.”

 “The Aquino government through the DBM is actually violating the objectives of the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers (Section 2) which states: “To promote and improve the social and economic well-being of the health workers, their living and working conditions and terms of employment”.  By decreasing and delaying our benefits, the government is actually attacking our economic well-being and taking away our victories in our struggle for benefits and economic rights.”

“We have fought long and hard for our Magna Carta benefits. It is the duty of the government to provide what is rightfully and legally due to us as mandated by the Magna Carta of Health Workers (RA 7305). But the government and the DBM refuse to allot adequate fund for Magna Carta benefits in the national budget and made so many hindrances short of actually removing all our benefits,” said Ebesate.

“First the government cuts the allotment for public hospitals. Next the DBM withdraws from the hospitals the traditional sources of savings like the fund for unfilled plantilla positions. Now the government requires DBM approval for agencies to use agency savings for benefits.”

“The Aquino government and DBM Secretary Abad are so insensitive and callous to the plight of health workers and the poor patients we serve by continually dismissing calls to provide adequate allotment to health and public hospitals.”

“If the Aquino government is really recognizing the noble work of health workers, then instead of finding reasons to limit and decrease our benefits, it should direct the the DBM and the Department of Health to adequately fund public hospitals, health workers benefits, and additional and adequate plantilla positions. This will result to better health services for the people,” said Ebesate.#

Proposed 2012 National Health Budget: A perpetuation of government’s neglect on people’s health and welfare of health workers

Press Statement

August 20, 2011

Reference:

MR. JOSSEL I. EBESATE. RN 

National President, Alliance of Health Workers

Mobile Phone: 09189276381

The 2012 proposed budget for health increased by 31.7% from P32.427B in 2011 to P42.693B. However, this deceptive increase is not intended to improve public health services or make public hospitals relevant and accessible to poor patients.

The purported increase goes only on the P12.028B allocation for Philhealth subsidy to the poorest 5.2 million families (20% of the population) and P3B for national government counterpart for public-private partnership (PPP) projects to be implemented on government hospitals starting next year. Minus the P3.5B allocated for Philhealth subsidy for this year (2011), the health budget actually went down by 4% or P1.165B.

The Philhealth subsidy for the lowest 20% of the population negates the fact that 80% of our people relied on public health facilities for their health needs. Thus, leaving the next 60% of our people vulnerable to the increased cost of services that will result in the privatization of health services brought about by the PPP projects in public hospitals.  The supposed “zero balance billing” for the 22 most common ailments that will be started this September, covers only the poorest 20% of our people, leaving even those in the formal labor sector (and supposedly covered by Philhealth) to absorb the increased hospitalization cost, in excess of the Philhealth capitation.  Furthermore, it is a fact that Philhealth capitation covers only about 30% of the total health care costs.

The proposed 2012 national budget further decreased by P3M, the allocation for Magna Carta benefits for public health workers from P714M to P711M; instead of increasing it by P1.5B - to include all public health workers at the DedEd, hospitals under the DOH, and other agencies such as PGH and UP Manila (with P250M shortfall). Ever since the enactment of the law (RA 7305) in 1992, the national government failed to allocate funds for these benefits; thus, hospitals under the DOH have been sourcing their Magna Carta benefits from savings and internally generated funds.

It also failed to provide additional plantilla positions for public health care facilities in spite of admission from the DOH Secretary himself that public hospitals are understaffed by 300% for nurses alone (1:30 nurse-patient ratio in stead of the ideal 1:10 ratio).  The 12,000 nurses for 2012 under the RN HEALS program is only an annual (sic - temporary/contractual) employment opportunity, and a " drop in the bucket" compared to the more than 323,500 unemployed or mis-employed registered nurses.  The RN HEALS program is also a form of exploitation of our health professionals, comparable to the "volunteer with fees" in hospitals, because nurses under the said program only received P8,000.00 as monthly renumeration, compared to the P17,099.00 starting monthly salary for regular government nurses.

Finally, by centralizing the capital outlay of public hospitals under the DOH (through the  Facilities Enhancement Program) (P5.078B) at the DOH Central Office; and all unfilled positions in the government (P23.427B) at the DBM, the Pnoy government only perpetuated the lump-sum appropriations practiced by the previous administration, which have been proven to be the source of large scale corruption.#

State of Mental Hospital Address

Press Statement

July 29, 2011

References:  Romy Valenzuela,  NACEMHEA president

                          Armando Palaganas, NACEMHEA Vice-President
                          Mobile No. 0915-3039612

Mga kapwa ko manggagawang pangkalusugan sa National Center for Mental Health, mga residente ng Welfareville, kay Chief Nurse Lucy Espinosa, Nurse Supervisors, Department Heads, Clinical Instructors, mga estudyante, bantay ng mga pasyente, at iba pang manggagawang pangkalusugan mula sa iba’t ibang ospital sa ilalim ng Alliance of Health Workers, magandang tanghali sa inyo.

Sabi ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III sa kanyang ikalawang State of the Nation’s Address, tayo, mga kababayan, ang “butihing boss” niya. Wala diumanong “maiiwan sa tuwid na landas”. At sabi pa niya “aanhin naman po natin ang mga numerong naghuhudyat ng pag-asenso ng iilan, kung marami pa rin ang napag-iiwanan?”

Ano ang nangyayari sa atin sa Mental Hospital? Tuwid na landas ba ang planong muling pagbebenta sa lupain ng Mental at Welfareville? Tuwid na landas ba ang unahin ang tubo at kita sa pagkomersyalisa at pagpribatisa ng Welfareville na magbubunga sa dislokasyon ng mahigit 4,800 mahihirap na pasyenteng may sakit sa pag-iisip, mahigit 1,000 manggagawang pangkalsugan, at libu-libong residente ng Welfareville?  At saan tayo dadalhin, sa 10 ektaryang lupain sa Inarawan, Antipolo na napakalayo, maputik, di pa developed, at may kaso pa nga.  Panaginip at panlilinlang ni Soliman at ni PNoy, na sabihing walang matatanggal at walang maiiwan, na pasyente, manggagagawang pangkalusugan at residente.

Sabi ni Pangulong Aquino, susugpuin ang Kulturang Wang-wang. Hindi ba panlilinlang at pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan ang ginagawa ng paborito niyang DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman kasama ang mga representante ng DOH, DOJ, DOF, DENR at World Bank na iskreto at hindi kinokonsulta tayong mga taga Mental at Welfareville sa kanilang planong muling pagbebenta ng Welfareville? Para kanino ba ang public-private partnership na ngayon pangunahing programa ni PNoy? Hind ba’t mga malalaking dyuhan at local na negosyo ang makikinabang kapag nabenta ang Mental at Welfareville at naprivatize ang ibat ibang pampublikong ospital? Sino kung gayon ang tunay na boss ni Aquino?

Tama ang sinabi ng babaeng nakausap ni Pangulong Aquino noong nangangampanya siya. Sabi ng babae “Miski sino naman ang manalo, pare-pareho lang ang kahihinatnan.”  Pare-pareho ang ginagawa sa atin ng iba’t ibang presidente- Si Marcos ginawa ang RA5260 at PD 1541 na nagbebenta sa Welfarevile at nagdedesentralisa ng Mental, si Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo gumawa ng mga Executive Orders para madaliin ang bentahan. At ngayon, malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw, ibebebenta pa rin ang Welfareville at Mental. Mayroon bang pagbabago sa administrasyon ni Aquino?

Ang hindi dapat magbago, bagkus pagtibayin, at palakasin - ang ating pagkakaisa at paglaban sa pang-aapi, panlilinlang at pagsasamantala sa atin ng mga ahensya at pinuno ng pamahalaan at dayuhang nais tayong pagkakitaan. Mula noong 1996, nagawa nating pigilan ang pagbebenta, kaya dapat lang at tama na tuluy-tuloy tayong kumilos at lumaban, kasama ang iba pang sector at organisasyon. Kasama natin sa laban ang mga progresibong parylist, kagaya ni Teddy Casino ng Bayan Muna, na ngayon ay gumagawa ng House Bill at Resolusyon para ipatigil ang planong bentahan at ibasura ang RA 5260. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa ating laban!

Mabuhay ang pasyenteng Pilipino, manggagagawang pangkalusugan, at residente ng Welfareville! Magsama-sama at organisadong tayong lumaban para sa ating karapatan at kagalingan. Sumama tayo sa landas ng tunay na pagbabago! 

State of the People’s Health: Pahayag ng Mga Manggagagawang Pangkalusugan

Press Statement

July 28, 2011

References:

• Jossel I. Ebesate: AHW National President, Mobile number: 09189276381
• Robert T. Mendoza: AHW Secretary General,  Mobile number: 09324649757

Nitong Hulyo 25 ikalawang State of the Nation’s Address  ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III, ipagmamalaki nito ang mga “nagawa” ng kanyang administrasyon.

Pero ano ang “ginawa”ni Aquino para sa mga pasyente at manggagawang pangkalusugan? Ito ang state of our public hospitals and public health workers:

·         Sabi ni PNoy- “Ang budget po ang pinakamalinaw na pagsasabuhay ng ating tuwid na landas” PERO, Kinaltasan nito ang badyet para sa Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) ng pampublikong ospital nitong 2011. Kulang na nga, lalo pang nagkulang ang mga gamot, suplay, at gamit. Tumaas ang singil sa Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), at Philippine Heart Center (PHC), Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) at East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC).

·         Sabi ni Pinoy,  “Walang maiiwan sa tuwid na landas” Pero lalo nang di maaabot ng ordinaryong mamamayan ang serbisyong pangkalusugan dahil sa public-private partnership at iba pang porma ng pribatisasyon sa pampublikong ospital. Kumikita at tumutubo ang pribadong sektor sa iba’t ibang ospital gaya ng Himex sa radiology ng Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC), at Carte-blanche sa dietary at Fabricare sa Laundry ng LCP. Ibebenta ang lupa ng National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) at isusubasta ang PHC. Ipapailalim sa Public-Private Partnership ang POC, San Lazaro Hospital (SLH), at Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

·         Binabawi at kulang ang mga benepisyo ng mga manggagawang pangkalusugan. Mahigit  P100,000/empleyado ang disallowances sa LCP, pinababalik ang Loyalty Incentive at itinigil ang Birthday cash gift at work-life balance sa PHC, pinapipili sa longevity pay at step increment sa POC at Tondo Medical Center, at hindi updated ang hazard pay sa NCMH. Walang CNA incentives ilang taon na sa PHC at LCP. Kulang at halos walang benepisyo ang mga health workers sa Local Government Units.

·         Wala ni singkong dagdag sa sweldo! Nilinlang tayo sa diumano pagpapaaga ng implementasyon ng Salary Standardization Law 3 third tranche at mid year bonus, pero sa harap ng matinding krisis, wala pa ring dagdag sa sweldo!

·         Sabi ni PNoy, “Dagdag-trabaho ang unang panata natin sa Pilipino. Ang 8 percent na unemployment rate noong Abril ng nakaraang taon, naibaba na sa 7.2 percent nitong Abril ng 2011.” Pero tanggalan o streamlining sa anyo ng transfer, attrition at early retirement ang nagaganap sa health workers. Walang dagdag na plantilla, habang pinapalaganap ang kontraktwalisasyon, job-order, “volunteerism” at iba pang flexible labor arrangements.

·         Nililinlang, hinahati ang hanay ng manggagawang pangkalusugan at dinudurog ang militanteng union sa pampublikong ospital. Hindi kinikilala at ginigipit ng management ang mga accredited sole bargaining unit sa NCMH, JRRMMC, POC at PCMC.  Itinutulak ng DOH at hospital management sa basbas ng administrasyong Aquino ang pro-management unions gaya ng UKKKS na nag-aalok ng P40,000 incentive kapalit ng karapatan at kalayaan sa pag-uunyon.

Sabi ni PNoy, “Mga minamahal kong kababayan, ang aking butihing mga boss” Pero sino ang tunay na “boss” ni Aquino? Hindi ang mamamayan, hindi ang manggagawang pangkalusugan, kundi mga pulitiko at panginoong may lupa, at  lokal at dayuhang mamumuhunan. Hindi serbisyo, kundi dagdag na kita at tubo ang layon ng mga ginawa ni Aquino. Ibayong pagkakasakit at pagdurusa ang nararanasan natin sa diumano “matwid na landas”. Walang pagbabago sa ilalim ng administrasyong Aquino.

Buksan natin ang ating mga isipan, damhin ang kalam ng sikmura, isigaw ang  tunay nating kalagayan at ipaglaban ang sahod, trabaho, karapatan at serbisyong pangkalusugan. Kumilos at makipagkaisa sa iba pang aping sektor at uri ng lipunan. Organisado nating itulak ang landas ng tunay na pagbabago!