Lawyer claims guv pledged commitment to Magna Carta for Health Workers
And the "hazard pay" saga at the Iloilo Capitol continues.
This time with 'juicier' details courtesy of official exchanges from lawyers of the protaganists, the Iloilo Health Workers Association (IHWA) and the Iloilo Provincial Government (IPG).
On the IHWA's corner is veteran Ilonggo lawyer Edwin Catacutan. His 'opponent,' compañero Salvador Cabaluna III, top Capitol lawyer and aide of Governor Niel Tupas, Sr.
IHWA in response to last week's letter of the governor insisted anew on the group's demand for over P30 million total of hazard pay. Said benefit, the IHWA 'reminded' Cabaluna, is not only mandatory but also subject of the governor's promise made not only once but four times in this year alone.
As such, with Tupas' response that his office is "fully committed" to the implementation of the Magna Carta for the health workers, the statement makes it the fifth promise.
First promise, Catacutan informed Cabaluna was during an IHWA general assembly last March 30, 2006. Second occasion was during the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines convention last April 19, 2006. Third occasion was during the April 22nd hospital awards ceremony and fourth, during the committee hearing of the Committee on Health of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
"Yet to date, no hazard pay benefits had ever been released to them," Catacutan decried while adding rather poetically, "Shakespeare is right, "to say is never as easy as to do."
Further still, Catacutan in his rebuttal to the Capitol's letter disclosed of two demands reportedly made by the Governor at a recent "peace talks."
"..the Hon. Governor in a meeting with the key officers of the IHWA in the afternoon of November 22, 2006 at his conference room (as reported to me by the said IHWA officers), he demanded of them two (2) conditions before he will listen to their demands," the letter went. "These are: (a) Disown the lawyer that he is not authorized to stand for you and (b) dissolve the IHWA."
A total blackmail, an IHWA officer who requested anonymity reacted to The News Today (TNT).
"We cannot believe what we heard from the honorable man that the Governor is. We felt that was just very dishonorable actually," the source shared while adding that Tupas was most clear in saying that if those demands are not met and delivered, then the promised release of P10,000 year-end cash gift and full-laundry subsistence allowance in next year's budget will not happen.
Catacutan went on to decry the governor's demands saying his concern is not for his sake but on the fact that the health workers' freedom to seek counsel is being "interfered with by the party in the other side of the bargaining table."
"To begin with, the hazard pay is an economic obligation created by law, not invented nor concocted by IHWA," the letter added.
As negotiations continue, IHWA for its part requests for creation of a committee which shall be composed by five from said group and five from the IPG.
As of press time, no official word was taken on what Capitol's response would be.
Earlier, Tupas told media interviews that only those personnel occupying high risk hazard shall be given the hazard pay.
He lamented that the so-called hazard pay mandated by Magna Carta for Health Workers should have been answered by the national government as there is lack of local funds.