May 7 is ‘Health Workers’ Day’
The significant role and contributions of the country’s health workers in providing health services to the people will be fittingly recognized May 7 of every year.
Last April 6, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed Republic Act 10691 that declares May 7 of each year as Health Workers’ Day, according to a Malacañang report.
Republic Act 100691 enjoined all the heads of government health facilities, offices and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled hospitals and local government health units, and employers in the private sector to give employees sufficient time to celebrate Health Workers’ Day.
Malacañang reported that Republic Act 100691 consolidates Senate Bill 1874 and House Bill 6514, which were individually passed on January 27 and February 1, this year.
The law shall take effect 15 days upon publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation, the report further said.
The law referred to health workers as persons engaged in health and health-related work regardless of their employment status, including medical, allied health professional, administrative and support services personnel, and those employed in hospitals, sanitaria, health infirmaries, health centers, rural health units, barangay health stations and clinics and such other health-related establishments owned and operated by the government or its political subdivisions with original charters or by the private sector. (PIA)
