Monthly pay for barangay health workers pushed

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Loren Legarda has called for an increase in the compensation of barangay health workers from the current honorarium of P1,000 to a pay of P14,641 per month in recognition of the importance of the work they do.

Under Legarda’s proposal contained in her Senate Bill 1384, the compensation of the barangay health workers would be equivalent to what is classified as salary grade 10 in the government and on top of this, they would receive Christmas bonuses and other benefits that other barangay employees receive.

“With the resurgence of different disease outbreaks that most often emerge in the remotest areas in the country or with every calamity that strikes us, our barangay health workers serve as the caretakers of the lowly Filipinos,” Legarda said.

“Their importance in the entire chain of health care delivery is of greater imperative now than ever with the dengue outbreak,” she added.

Legarda lamented that the barangay health workers were being undermined with regard to their honorarium of just P1,000 a month, coupled with their tough working conditions.

“Even with their relentless efforts in providing health care to our barangay folk who could not afford hospital fees, they are underpaid and not even provided with a health insurance program,” she said.

Legarda also filed a separate bill that would grant compulsory coverage to accredited barangay health workers under the National Health Insurance Program.

Under this bill, all barangay health workers and their dependents would be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program and would receive and avail themselves of an adequate package of personal health services, including emergency and transfer services, in-patient hospital care, out-patient care and other supplementary health benefits.

“Our barangay health workers are extremely vulnerable to health risks as they are exposed to diseases they confront every day. It is indeed ironic that the frontliners of Philippine health care do not have enough means to protect their own,” she said.

Legarda said a lot of these health workers have opted to find other jobs or go overseas in order to receive better compensation.

“We lose most of our health workers, which creates a shortage of hands on community health care service. Therefore, it is only just that they be honored fittingly and rightfully and be armed with an adequate health insurance program,” she said.

“Our health workers serve as pillars, holding the nation’s health care delivery system. It will founder and falter at the grassroots without the inspired and dedicated work of our barangay health workers,” she added. –Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star)