Over 80,000 barangay health workers dismissed after BSKE

More than 80,000 barangay health workers (BHWs) lost their jobs following the recent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, according to a party list representing barangay-level healthcare workers.

In Maki Pulido’s “24 Oras” report on Monday, the BHW Association Inc. said winning candidates in some barangays did not re-appoint BHWs due to politics, which led to employees losing their allowance or honorarium.

“Nagiging personal na dahil hindi kakampi ni kapitan sila po ay hindi muli itinatalaga,” said BHW Association Region 4A President Jamil Mora.

(It becomes personal. Some barangay chairpersons were not reinstating us because we are not political allies.)

Mora said the removal of the BHWs violated a joint memorandum circular of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which states that their non-reappointment should undergo due process.

He also said the dismissal of BHWs had long been a problem in the country, adding that their skills and training were being wasted.

“Sa mga far-flung barangay na talagang walang wala, walang doktor, walang nurse not even a midwife…Paano na po mga barangay kung wala ‘yung experienced barangay health workers natin?” Mora added.

(In far-flung areas, there are no doctors, nurses or midwives. How can the residents seek medical help if there are no BHWs?)

Under the proposed Magna Carta for BHWs, the party list said elected barangay chairpersons who will remove BHWs due to political reasons may be sanctioned. — Sundy Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated News