Tarlac hospital workers urge Gov Yap: Release our PhilHealth share

TARLAC CITY – Medical personnel and workers of the Tarlac Provincial Hospital urged Gov. Victor Yap to release their Philhealth share which had been stopped since March 16.

Philhealth gives the funds as payment for services given to patients of the hospital which is run by the provincial government.  

“Ayonsabatas, 70% ng claims ay ibabalik sa ospital para pambayad sa mga gastusin gaya ng mga gamot, gamit, Xray, laboratory at iba pa.  Ang natitirang 30% naman ay tinatawag na “pooled professional fees” na dapat ibigay sa mga manggagawang ospital bilang kabayaran sa serbisyong na ibigaysa mga pasyente; kalahati sa mga doctor ngospital at yung kalahati sa mga non-medical gaya ng mga nurses, midwife, aides, mga janitor, at iba pa.  Ang ganitong gawain ay ayon sa Republic Act 10606, National Insurance Act ng 2013,” TPH personnel said in a statement.

The governor is reportedly of the opinion that giving out of the 30 percent “pooled PFs” was “ïllegal” because these were “bonuses’ and not incentives.     

The non release of Philhealth share reportedly greatly affected living condition of hospital workers like BonifacioYalung.

Yalung, fondly called Mang Andy by his peers, said his monthly salary and not enough to feed his family so it was a big help when he was getting his PhilHealth share.

Because of the sudden stop of his PhilHealth share, he was not able to enroll his children in college and is having a hard time coping up to finance his family’s needs.

Other TPH employees have reportedly pawned their ATMs to usurious financiers to make ends meet.

According to Yap, the provincial government was in need of money to pay overtime pay of workers, incentives for barangay health workers and other expenses of TPH.  

But TPH workers retorted in their statement: “Hindi pa ba sapat ang pondo na galling sa IRA, DAP at sa National Government?   Idagdag pa ditto sa pondo ang nasabing  70% na binibigay ng Philhealth? Ayon sa aming pagsisiyasat, ang Tarlac Provincial Hospital ay nasa “Top 5”na may pinakamalaking Philhealth claim sa buong bansa. Umabot sa mahigit kumulang na P600 million ang naibigay ng Philhealth sa ospital nung nakaraang taon.  Ang 30% nito na P180 million na dapat sa mga manggagawa ay pinangangamba ng nagamit na o gagamitin sa nalalapit na eleksyon.May karapatan ang mga manggagawang ospital sa Philhealth share na ito ayon sa batas.  Sana man lang, ang mga taong nakaupo sa gobyerno  ay tutupad sa batas.”

Workers said they were also being forced to comply with “guidelines” made by the provincial government as basis for their Philhealth share.   “Labag man sa kanilang kalooban, ay sapilitang pumirma ang ibang empleyado dahil sa bantang OIC medical director, Dr. Leonardo Mangahas, nasila ay hindi bibigyan ng sweldo at kakasuhan ng” insubordination” at “abandonment of post.” Sa mga doctor na bumabatikos sa ginawang “guidelines,” sila ay sinasabihang magbitiw sa kanilang mga posisyon bilang chairman o training officer.  Ang mga “contractual na doctor na sumasahod lang ng 6 libo kada buwan ay binantaan din na hindi irerenew ang kanilang mga kontrata,” they said in their statement.

According to insiders, one month after he became Tarlac Provincial Hospital OIC-medical director, Mangahas agreed to “guidelines” of the provincial government in exchange for him to head the TPH.

He was reportedly promised higher pay until his retirement next year with his wife, a doctor eyed to replace him as part of “package deal.”