The Department of Health is investigating the complaint of Sorsogon Gov. Francis Joseph G. Escudero that some nurses deployed in the province have not received their salaries and benefits.
"We’re trying to investigate... We do not take these things lightly,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Gusto natin lahat nabibigyan ng kaukulang bayad at saka ang kanilang benepisyo dahil alam natin na sila ay nagtatrabaho at nagmamalasakit para ating mga kababayan (We all want them to be paid accordingly and give their benefits because we know that they are working and caring for our countrymen),” she added.
Vergeire said that they have called the DoH regional director and finance officers to investigate the matter.
“Tinawagan na nating ang regional director diyan. Tinawagan natin ang ating finance officers para makita kung saan nagkaroon ng ganitong issues so we can address it immediately (We already talked to the regional director and finance officers there to check the matter so we can address the issue immediately),” she said.
Escudero had earlier called out the DoH on the situation of deployed nurses in Sorsogon.
In a Twitter post, Escudero said that the DoH deployed 11 nurses in the province to “augment our hospitals re(garding) COVID-19.”
Escudero said that two nurses “got a salary for 2 mo(nths) after working for 5 mo(nths) and the 9 didn’t get any salary after working for over a month.”
“Only one (1) is left w/ us now! NO ONE GOT ANY BENEFITS in violation of their contract,” he added.