Group pushes bill giving P5T/month to health workers

A multi-partisan group of lawmakers yesterday moved to fast track the approval of a bill granting barangay health and day care workers a P5,000 monthly salary.

Rep. Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City south district, one of the authors of the bill, said that aside from the P5,000 monthly pay, health workers will also get hazard and subsistence allowances.

At present, barangay health workers or BHWs are receiving a monthly pay ranging from P500 to P2,500. "Such amount is not compensatory to their expertise and workload and will not be enough to meet their own personal needs," Cuenco said.

BHWs and day care workers will also be granted educational incentives, free legal service and free medical examination in government hospitals.

Under House Bill 5457, the health workers shall receive P5,000 monthly salary, 50 percent of which shall be paid by the barangay, and the remaining 50 percent shall come from the city and municipality concerned.

"It is unfortunate that our so-called partners in educating the young members of our citizenry are risking their own safety and health just to render health services to the people in the rural areas," Cuenco said.

The bill will also cover all persons who have undergone training programs under any accredited government and non-government organizations and who voluntarily render primary health care services in the community.

The measure mandates day care and BHWs to render eight working hours a day or a total of 40 working hours a week.

The bill further provides that a second grade eligibility shall be granted to day care workers who have rendered five years continuous service.

Cuenco said BHWs have taken intensive trainings such as on administering first aid to be able to function as volunteer health workers in far flung areas of the country.

"Considering the lack of professional medical practitioners in the country particularly in the rural areas, their services are very valuable," Cuenco added.

Other authors of the bill are Reps. Raul del Mar (Cebu City north district), Eduardo Gullas (1st district, Cebu), Simeon Kintanar (2nd district, Cebu), Antonio Yapha (3rd district, Cebu), Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (6th district, Cebu), Edgardo Chatto (1st district, Bohol), Roberto Cajes (2nd district, Bohol), Eladio Jala (3rd district, Bohol), Jacinto Paras (1st district, Negros Oriental), Emilio Macias II (2nd district, Negros Oriental), Herminio Teves (3rd district, Negros Oriental), and Orlando Fua, Jr. (Siquijor). - Garry B. Lao