Pasig City Raises Salary of Underpaid Health Care Staff

Mayor Vico Sotto announced that the local government of Pasig raised the salary of the 314 health aides of the city from Php 5,000 per month to Php 547 per day or Php 12,000+ per month.

Sotto said, “Tungo sa universal health care, mahalagang palakasin natin ang ‘primary health care’ sa ating lungsod– susi rito ang mga barangay health center at mga staff nito.”

TRANSLATION: To achieve universal health care, it is important to strengthen the primary health care in our city – the key to implementing this goal are Barangay health centers and their staff.

These health care workers are apparently underpaid despite their heavy responsibility and especially during a pandemic.

“Mabigat ang katungkulan ng mga health center personnel natin, at madadagdagan pa ang responsibilidad nila. Kaya hindi sila dapat underpaid,” he added.

TRANSLATION: Our health center personnel already have a heavy responsibility and they will still have additional responsibilities, so they should not be underpaid.

The minimum wage in Pasig City is Php 537/day for non-agricultural sectors/industries and Php 500/day for retail/service establishments with 15 employees or less, manufacturing establishments with less than 10 regular employees, and agricultural sectors/industries.

The Pasig City mayor also announced the implementation of separation pay for retiring Pasig Health Aides. He says, “Para naman sa mga magreretirong PHA, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay makatatanggap sila ng separation pay na 10,000 sa bawat taon ng serbisyo (h.b. 200,000 kung 20 yrs sa health center).”