THE National Confederation of Barangay Health Workers of the Philippines (NCBHWP) and UNI Global Union–Philippine Liaison Council (UNI-PLC) expressed dissatisfaction over the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In a joint statement released Thursday, the two groups said they were dismayed by the non-mention of the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers in Marcos' SONA.
The groups said, however, that they welcomed a formal response from Malacañang acknowledging their joint appeal on the issue and referring it to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) for appropriate action.
They said Malacañang acknowledged the vital role of barangay health workers in primary healthcare delivery and recognized their long-standing aspirations for fair compensation, benefits, and legal protection.
This comes after the groups submitted a letter to the Palace on July 21, appealing for reconsideration on the issue of the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers.
“Barangay health workers bear the heavy weight of implementing the country’s universal healthcare dreams on the ground, yet our sector was notably missing from the president's address,” Khonan Dark Cerial, president of NCBHWP, said in the statement.
“We were hoping for an explicit mention during the SONA, but we appreciate Malacañang’s prompt response to our appeal. This gives us renewed hope that our voice is being heard at the highest levels of government,” the union leader added.
Labor leaders are urging Ledac Secretariat head Arsenio Balisacan to promptly act on the matter.
“We urge Secretary Balisacan to act favorably on Malacañang’s endorsement and reinstate the Magna Carta of BHWs in the Ledac Common Legislative Agenda. Institutionalizing fair compensation and legal protections for community health workers is a vital step toward building a sustainable Universal Health Care system,” UNI-PLC President Roland de la Cruz said.
