Health workers open to staggered payment

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE legal counsel of Iloilo Health Workers’ Association (IHWA) in Iloilo province said they are open to a staggered payment scheme of the hazard pay and other benefits of health workers.

Atty. Edwin Catacutan said his clients are willing to talk with the provincial government as regards the P490-million in hazard pay and other benefits being claimed by IHWA members.

IHWA recently notched a victory in their claims after the Iloilo Regional Trial Court ordered the Capitol to pay the health workers’ benefits mandated by the Magna Carta for Health Workers.

Catacutan said Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr. can still appeal the RTC’s decision with the Court of Appeals, resulting in the delay of payment of their claims.

Citing their meeting with IHWA, Catacutan said Iloilo governor-elect Arthur Defensor Sr. is inclined to follow any court ruling as regards the benefits of health workers.

“We don’t want the new administration to suffer financially just because the past administration was remiss of its obligations. IHWA is willing to discuss any payment scheme of their claims,” he added.

Catacutan said they are happy that the RTC heeded their arguments on why the provincial government should give hazard pay and other benefits to health workers.

He said the 48-page decision discussed the legal obligations of the local government unit to health workers.

“We are happy because the court is giving what is due them under the law,” Catacutan said.

The Iloilo Health Workers’ Association, which has 1,003 members, filed the mandamus case in Special Civil Action No. 07-29296 against the provincial government Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. in 2007.

The workers claimed that the Capitol failed to pay their hazard pay, subsistence allowance and other benefits amounting to P55 million yearly since 2004 to 2009.

In sum, the health workers are demanding a total of P490 million from the provincial government.