‘Bocaps can’t fire health workers’

BY FREDDIE LAZARO

BANTAY, Ilocos Sur — A leader of the thousands of volunteer health workers in the Ilocos Region said newly elected local officials are barred from removing barangay health workers as long as the latter willfully render services in a barangay.

Zenaida Pulido, president of the Federation of BHWs in Region 1, said services rendered by BHWs in barangayd are purely voluntary in nature.

"Nobody can remove a BHW member in a barangay until such time that she or he wants to end her or his services to the people," she said.

Last Nov. 30, the newly elected barangay officials assumed office.

Pulido said she made this statement during the provincial – wide BHW congress attended by more than 3,800 volunteer members and held in President Quirino Stadium in this town.

Ilocos Sur Gov. Deogracias Victor "DV" B. Savellano had also expressed support for the privileges of the volunteer health workers in the province.

"Our volunteer BHWs are our ‘unsung heroes’ in the countryside, and therefore, I wish to inform all of you that I’m always supportive of your programs and of the provision of your incentives and benefits," Savellano said.

The governor also expressed support for the tenure of office of every volunteer BHW in the province.

"If a newly elected barangay official wants to remove a volunteer BHW, don’t hesitate to report to me, so that I will make an immediate but appropriate action," Savellano said.

Before the holding of the congress, the governor distributed more than 3,600 death-aid cards to the BHW volunteers throughout the province.

With the card, the family of each member will receive a R10,000 cash assistance in case of ordinary cause of death of a member; and R20,000 cash assistance in case of accidental cause of death of a member.

Dr. Eduardo Janairo, Ilocos Region director of the Dept. of Health, cited the significant rules of the BHW in helping the health employees extend health services to the people.