Philippines: Healthcare workers demand better conditions amid COVID-19 surge

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Health workers took to the streets on a 'national day of protest' after the government failed to pay promised COVID-19 benefits, in Manila on Wednesday.

Protesters marched to the Department of Health (DOH) building wearing masks and protective medical suite.

They demanded the resignation of DOH Secretary Francisco Duque and President Rodrigo Duterte over failing to meet their requests.

Some protesters were holding signs while speakers urged the government to give hazard pay to all medical frontline workers.

"There's 11.9 billion of unused funds for health workers, but Department of Health says they are still looking for funds to allocate the benefits of the health workers. Where are the unused 11.9 Billion pesos now? What's happening Sec. Duque, why do you treat us health workers like that?” said Cristy Donguines, President of one of the unions, in her speech.

With 103 healthcare workers among about 33,400 coronavirus deaths, protesters condemned the handling of the pandemic by the Duterte administration.

"We are here to expose the mismanagement of the Duterte administration and the Department of Health on addressing the pandemic. The Department of Health should be held accountable on how poorly they treated health workers. Our government should take care of the welfare of the health workers during this pandemic," said National President of Alliance of Health Workers Robert Mendoza.

A deadline set by the healthcare workers for the President and the DOH passed the day before without the workers' requests being met.

Many hospitals in the country are currently working at their limits due to the highly transmissible Delta variant.

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SOT Cristy Donguines, President of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union-AHW (Tagalog): "There's 11.9 billion of unused funds for health workers, but the Department of Health says they are still looking for funds to allocate the benefits of the health workers. Where are the unused 11.9 Billion pesos now? What’s happening Secretary Duque, why do you treat us health workers like that? We are now protesting on the streets."

SOT, Robert Mendoza, National President of Alliance of Health Workers (Tagalog): "We are here to expose the mismanagement of the Duterte administration and Department of Health on addressing the pandemic. The Department of Health should be held accountable on how poorly they treated health workers. Our government should take care of the welfare of the health workers during this pandemic."

SOT, Robert Mendoza, National President of Alliance of Health Workers (Tagalog): "We are here to fight for our rights and ask for the just compensations for our health workers. We will continue our fight."

SOT, Jaymmee De Guzman, Spokesperson Filipino Nurses United: "To the extreme position of Filipino Nurses United, DOH has failed yet again to implement the benefits that would augment the financial burden of the nurses amid the pandemic."

SOT, Benjamin Santos, AHW Secretary General (Tagalog): "Billion of pesos go to corruption."

#Philippines #Manila #COVID19 #coronavirus

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