Congress urged to review Magna Carta for Health Workers

An official of the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA) on Friday urged Congress to review the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.

“Dapat po ngayon ay i-ano po, Magna Carta for Health Workers, dapat repasuhin po ‘yan ng Senado at ng ating Kongreso para mabigyang proteksyon pa,” Dr. Benito Atienza said in a public briefing.

(The Magna Carta for Health Workers should be reviewed by the Senate and Congress so that additional protection could be given to the health workers.)

Atienza said the country is experiencing a “brain drain” as nurses, medical technicians, and physical therapists go abroad for higher compensation.

He earlier said bigger compensation should be given to deployed health workers.

“Lalo pa po dapat bigyan ng malaking benepisyo. Lalo na ngayon nag-uumpisa na tayo sa Universal Health Care natin, ‘yung kalusugan para sa lahat, eh kailangan natin maraming doctor at maraming nurses,” he said.

(They should be given more benefits, especially with the implementation of the Universal Health Care law. We need more doctors and nurses.)

Meanwhile, Atienza said some health workers have yet to receive their benefits under Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2.

“‘Yung iba hindi pa rin nakakareceive kasi maraming processes doon at ang maraming hindi nakakareceive ay 'yung nasa private sector na mga doctor, nurses. Kailangan po pag-ibayuhin ang ating kampanya na meron na po ‘yan at sana mapabilis,” he said.

(Many of the doctors and nurses from the private sector have yet to receive theirs because of the long process. We need to intensify our campaign on this and to expedite the process.)

“Ang sinasabi po natin, dapat ang health sector talaga ang binibigyan ng malaking prayoridad ng gobyerno, lalo...hanggang ngayon nasa ano pa rin tayo ng COVID-19,” he added.

(What we’re saying is the health sector should be prioritized by the government, especially since we are still in the middle of the pandemic.)—AOL, GMA News