Photo from Arnold Quizol/MANILA BULLETIN
Around 50 medical workers staged a rally on Thursday morning, August 3, in front of the Department of Health (DOH) in Sta. Cruz, Manila, calling for more benefits and higher salaries.
They called on the government to release the health workers' health emergency allowance (HEA) and ONE-Covid allowance (OCA).
Photo from Arnold Quizol/MANILA BULLETIN
"Matagal nang dapat ibinigay ang ating OCA at HEA, pero hanggang ngayon wala pa ring pagbabago. Puro kayo pangako! (Our OCA and HEA should have been given a long time ago, but until now there's no change. You just make promises!)", the leader of the group, Ronald Bilano, said.
"OCA, HEA, ibigay na! Serbisyo sa tao, h'wag gawing negosyo! Sahod itaas, presyo ibaba! Manggagawang pangkalusugan naglilingkod sa Bayan, ngayon ay lumalaban! (OCA, HEA, give it to us! Service to people, don't make it a business! Raise wages, lower the prices! Health workers who are serving the people are now fighting!)," the protesters chanted in front of the DOH gate.
They also brought placards bearing messages: "Tama na ang paasa! Benepisyo ibigay na! (Stop giving us false hopes, give us our benefits!)", "Ipamahagi na ang benepisyo sa mga manggagawang pangkalusugan! (Distribute the benefits to health workers!)", and "Ayuda at proteksyon sa health workers (Aid and protection for health workers)."
The Manila Police District (MPD) said the protest started at 9:04 a.m. and ended at 10:25 a.m.
The rallyists are members of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), Calamba Medical Center Employees Union, Manila Doctors Hospital Employee's Association (MDHEA), St. Luke's Medical Center Employees Association, and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union (JRRMMCEU-AHW).