PGH's health care workers stage noise barrage to seek benefits, allowances


Using spoons and cauldrons, members of All UP Workers Union-Manila in Philippine General Hospital (PGH) staged a noise barrage Thursday to air their grievances about health worker's benefits and allowances.

The group called for the immediate and continuous provision of special risk allowance and active hazard duty pay and COVID-benefits to all health workers, and mass hiring to address understaffing.

The PGH staff also asked the hospital management to give their uniform allowance immediately after not receiving it on April 12.

"Matatandaan na noong Lunes, Abril 12, ang nakatakdang bigayan ng nasabing benepisyo batay sa nadin sa Guidelines mula sa UP System. Sa araw ding iyon, ang mga ibang UP units ay nagbigay na samantalang ang mga kawani ng PGH ay naghintay at umasa ngunit hindi ito dumating (To recall, on Monday, April 12 the said benefit was scheduled to be given based on the guidelines from the UP System. On the same day, other UP units gave that, while the PGH staff waited and hoped but it did not come)," the group said in a statement on Friday (April 16).

After the noise barrage, the staff of PGH also went to the office of the hospital director, Dr. Gerardo "Gap" Legaspi, to raise their concerns.

Legaspi spoke to the group and apologized, and asked for more time to resolve the issue on uniform allowance.

The director was also encouraged to explain the matter to all employees of the hospital.

Legaspi has yet to announce when will the uniform allowance be distributed.