Health workers appeal plight before Capitol SP
Members of the Iloilo Health Workers' Association Inc. (IHWA) are calling for the intervention and action of Vice Governor Rolex Suplico and members of the 9th Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).
The unresolved issue? Millions in benefits yet to be granted under the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers or Republic Act 7305.
In a two-paged letter addressed to the SP through the Vice Governor, IHWA members also updated the SP body of the pending legal battle. Such, as the group decried the delay of the proceedings with the hearing postponed twice already.
Docketed as Special Civil Action No. 07-29296 before Branch 34 of the 6th Regional Trial Court (RTC), a case of Mandamus hangs.
"We believe in your conscientious consideration that we the health workers have already sacrificed the availment of these benefits for sixteen (16) years which we have already considered as injustice when the province have the financial capacity to pay declaring every year gross savings and prioritizing purchase of equipment and other infrastructure projects," the IHWA letter went while highlighting the governor's supposed interest to provide "quality health services."
"...these must be coupled with humanitarian concern for the benefits of his health workers. We have given our best to serve our people and we could do better should we were not demoralized by this dissatisfaction of not enjoying our benefits due for us," the letter continued.
At least 16 top physicians and medical staff of various district hospitals signed the appeal.