Sit-down strike against privatization of Orthopedic Center

Philippine Orthopedic Center, Quezon City
March 13, 2015

Hundreds of health workers, patients and their families today converge at the hospital’s drive way and with clenched fists, chant “Save POC” and “Junk PPP/Privatization” and “On site developement with public funds”.

“Let us send our strong message to Sec. Garin and Malacanang that privatizing POC will be the death of a public hospital specializing in bone deseases. It would mean the deprivation of around 500 outpatient poor people who patiently line up as early as 4 am until 5 pm everday to be treated. Also the 80-90% poor patients who are hospitalized for one month to more than 10 years and who rely only to the hospital’s equipments and expertise in order to live,” says Mr. Sean Velchez, president of National Orthopedic Health Workers Union-Alliance of Health Workers.