Health workers, patients, seek high court intervention to stop privatization of Orthopedic Hospital

PRESS RELEASE

February 3, 2014

References: Sean Herbert Velchez, RN, NOHWU-AHW President, 0949-9775037

Jossel Ebesate, RN, AHW National President, 0918-9276381      

  

Health workers, patients and people's health advocates from Philippine Orthopedic Center and other hospitals and institutions filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition today in the Supreme Court in a bid to stop the privatization of the only government orthopedic hospital in the country.

"President Benigno Aquino IIII and Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona are deaf to the peoples' clamor to stop privatization. We hope the Supreme Court justices will have the heart and mind to listen and consider the people's health and welfare," said Sean Velchez, president of National Orthopedic Hospital Workers' Union - Alliance of Health Workers (NOHWU-AHW), and one of the petitioners in the case.

The petitioners raised the questions of constitutionality, procedural concerns and negative effects to poor patients and health workers of the privatization of POC.

“This is a fight not only by POC health workers and patients but by the entire Filipino people. This is a fight for our right to health,” said Jossel Ebesate, national president of Alliance of Health Workers and a chief nurse in the Philippine General Hospital.

Atty. Edre Olalia, chief legal counsel for the petitioners and secretary-general of the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) said that it is high time that people's health be taken up as a demandable right in our justice system. The counsels took inspiration from retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno's statement in July that socio-economic rights like housing and health are justiciable rights.

Aside from Velchez and Ebesate, the petitioners also include, among others, patients from POC,  Dr. Amelia Maglacas, former World Health Organization (WHO) nurse-scientist,  Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna PartyList, Representative Terry Ridon of Kabataan PartyList, Dr. Fresco Yapendon of Philippine Association of Medical Specialists, Dr. Joseph Carabeo of Community Medicine Development Foundation, and Eleanor Nolasco of Nars ng Bayan.

The group vowed to continue their protest against the privatization of POC and other public hospitals and health services. #