TAAS-SAHOD SA PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ISINUSULONG SA KAMARA

REP MARK GO-2

DAHIL na rin sa ipinalabas na memorandum circular ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM), partikular ang pagtataas sa Salary Grade 15 ng basic salary ng government nurses, naniniwala ang isang House panel chairman na marapat lang na makatikim din ng dagdag-sahod ang iba pang public medical and health service professionals.

Sa explanatory note ng iniakda niyang House Bill (HB) 8138, sinabi ni Baguio City Rep. Mark Go na isang welcome development ang wage adjustment sa public nurses, bukod pa sa ito’y matagal na ring nararapat na natanggap nila.

“However, the same created a wide compensation disparity between nurses and other medical and health professionals serving in the public sector. The ongoing pandemic shed light upon the importance, struggles, and dedication of medical and healthcare professionals,” sabi ng kongresista.

Ani Go, chairman ng House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, sa umiiral ngayon na national health emergency dahil sa paglaganap ng COVID-19, dapat mapanatili at tiyakin ng pamahalaan na mayroon itong higit pa sa kinakailangang bilang ng  medical frontliners, na silang pangunahing tagapaglaban sa kinatatakutang karamdaman.

“Not only in response to the pandemic, but moving forward, it is essential in maintaining a healthy Filipino public that we dignify medical and health care professionals with compensation that is reflective of the qualifications they worked for, the mental and physical strain demanded in ensuring the health and wellness of our people, and the multitude of risks that goes along with it,” dagdag pa niya.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, nais ni Go na ang salary grade ng ilang nasa hanay ng public health professionals, na kinabibilangan ng dentists, medical technologists, pharmacists, occupational and physical therapists, veterinarians, optometrists, nutritionist-dieticians, psychologists, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapits, midwives, and medical laboratory technicians ay maitaas mula kasalukuyang estado nito.

Nakasaad sa HB 8138 na ang isang government dentist ay tatanggap ng minimum pay na katumbas ng Salary Grade 17 (P39,986); habang ang veterinarian na mula sa  Salary Grade 13 (P28,276) ay gagawing Salary Grade 16 (P36,628); ang optometrist naman mula sa Salary Grade 12 (P26,052) ay itataas sa Salary Grade 16.

Para sa medical technologist, mula sa Salary Grade11 (P23,877) ay gagawin itong nasa Salary Grade 15 (P33,575),  gayundin ang mga nutritionist-dietician, occupational therapist, pharmacist, physical therapist, sychologist at radiologic technologist.

Ang government respiratory therapist naman ay ay Salary Grade 10 (P21,205) ang mininum pay; para naman sa midwife position, mula sa  kasalukuyang Salary Grade 9 (P19,552) ay gagawin silang nasa Salary Grade 11; at ang medical laboratory technician mula sa Salary Grade 6 (P16,200) ay itataas sa Salary Grade 8 (P18,251).

Umaasa si Go na dahil mabibigyan ng pay increase ay maiaangat din ang estado ng  medical at health service professionals sa bansa at mas magiging inspirado ang mga ito sa pagseserbisyo sa sambayanang Filipino.   ROMER R. BUTUYAN

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