Health workers decry low wages, privatization of public hospitals under Aquino

Rank and file public health workers protested in front of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute last March 23 to condemn the Benigno Aquino government for its “anti-poor” policies in the health sector.

Members of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) said Aquino’s Salary Standardization program only aims to keep ordinary health workers poor through a measly and staggered wage increase.

They also condemned the “unabated” privatization of public hospitals and the services these institutions offer to the poor.

They said President Aquino has betrayed the interests of poor patients by worsening the state of health institutions in his more than five years in office.

AHW is pressing for a monthly national minimum wage of PhP16,000 for Salary Grade 1 workers and substantial budget increase for public health.