More BHWs  terminated

CEBU, Philippines —  From an initial 80 barangay health workers (BHWs) who lost their work after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) last Oct. 20, the count has now reached close to 600, as hundreds more from all over Cebu province came forward to report what happened to them.

Leny Bagol, Cebu Provincial Government consultant on BHWs, said that based on the reports they received, there are now almost 600 BHWs who were fired after the elections.

In the list secured by The Freeman, 75 BHWs in the first district have been terminated, 28 in the second district, 91 in the third district, 84 in the fourth district, 113 in the fifth district, 91 in the sixth district, and 97 in the seventh district.

In particular, the fifth district BHWs are broken down to 36 in Liloan, eight in Compostela, 17 in Carmen, seven in Sogod, 12 in San Francisco, 14 in Poro, and 19 in Tudela.

In terms of municipality, Malabuyoc has the most number of BHWs who were removed at 77, followed by the sixth district's Cordova (56) and Consolation (35).

Aside from Malabuyoc, two other seventh district towns—Dumanjug (9) and Badian (11)-- also reported losing BHWs.

The other areas with reported terminated BHWs after the BSKE 2023 are Minglanilla (30), San Fernando (33), Carcar City (12), Argao (14), Oslob (eight), Samboan (eight), Aloguinsan (one), Barili (six), Tuburan (13), Asturias (18), Balamban (26), Toledo City (27), Tabuelan (12), Medellin (28), Tabogon (14), and Madridejos (30).

There are, however, towns which have not yet reported concerning this matter.

Bagol said the Capitol, through Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, has a memorandum of agreement with barangay captains on the termination of the services of BHWs, but it seemed to have been ignored by the new set of officials.

Because of the situation, Bagol, together with Minda Ubay, president of the Association of BHWs in Cebu Province, would attend the Senate hearing on the Magna Carta for BHWs tomorrow, December 12.

“Mas maayo nga mahuman among hearing sa Senate... Akong panghinaut nga unta ilang masabtan sa mga barangay captains ang memorandum ni Governor Gwen F. Garcia sa dili pagtaktak sa mga accredited BHWs. Kun ugaling adunay kasaypanan ang BHW, ipaagi og paghusay," Bagol said.

Earlier, Regional Barangay Health Workers Federation of Region-VII Inc. president Hermelinda Ybanez told The Freeman that the issue on termination of BHWs is a recurring problem every after barangay/local elections, especially when there is a change of leadership.

Last Dec. 5, 2023, the Department of Health (DOH) also issued a memorandum in connection with the termination of BHWs, instructing its regional offices nationwide to “protect” all BHWs.

“We respectfully seek your full support in protecting all registered and accredited BHWs against unjust removal in your respective regions” read part of the memorandum.

DOH regional officers are also requested to assist in facilitating the implementation of the roles of the Local Health Board (LHB), based on a joint memorandum circular (JMC) of the DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, on the "Retention and Continued Service of Barangay Health Workers”.

“Conduct an investigation, deliberate within the local health board, and resolve disputes related to this JMC accordingly. If the subject of the grievance is the punong barangay, this shall be resolved by the municipality/city LHB," stated the memorandum.

"(I)f the subject of the grievance is the mayor, this shall be resolved by the provincial LHB through our DOH representatives serving as members of the local health board,” it added. /RHM (CEBU NEWS)