Health workers to new DOH chief: Tackle unresolved healthcare woes

MANILA, Philippines — While health care workers in both public and private sectors welcomed the appointment of Dr. Jose Brittanio “Brix” Pujalte Jr. as the new health secretary of the Marcos administration, they are calling for him to address the problems left behind by his predecessor, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa.

Pujalte, who has been working for the Department of Health (DOH) for 35 years, took his oath of office before President Ferdinand R, Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Tuesday.

In a statement, the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) said Herbosa’s leadership in the DOH left behind a health sector “burdened by unresolved problems that have directly affected both healthcare workers and millions of Filipino patients.”

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The group called on the new DOH chief to immediately release all delayed Health Emergency Allowances (HEA) owed to healthcare workers who served during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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It also urged Pujalte to fund the HEA Grievance Board to resolve pending claims and ensure that future benefits are released on time.

“Healthcare workers carried the country through its greatest public health crisis in generations. They should not have to spend years fighting for benefits that have already been promised to them,” UPHUP said.

Beyond the delayed allowances, the group also called on Pujalte to improve wages, benefits, staffing levels, and working conditions, particularly for healthcare workers in private hospitals, whom it described as among the country’s most underpaid essential workers.

READ: Pujalte is new DOH chief as Herbosa quits

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UPHUP also called on the new DOH leadership to fully implement the Universal Health Care Act by strengthening primary healthcare services, increasing public investment in the health sector, and expanding access to quality medical care regardless of a patient’s income or location.

It urged Pujalte, as the new chair of the board of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), to implement more reforms in the state-run health insurer, including enhanced benefit packages, faster processing of claims, greater financial transparency, and improved responsiveness to both patients and healthcare providers.

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“Patients continue to struggle with overcrowded hospitals, long waiting times, expensive medicines, inadequate healthcare facilities, and unequal access to quality medical services,” UPHUP said.

“While the Universal Health Care Act established an important legal framework, its promise remains unrealized for many Filipinos because implementation has been uneven and health facilities continue to face shortages in funding, personnel, and equipment,” it added.

The union also urged the government to address the continuing shortage of healthcare workers through better compensation, safe staffing standards, career development opportunities, and policies aimed at retaining Filipino health professionals in the country.

It appealed to the DOH to institutionalize regular consultations with health worker organizations, labor unions, professional associations, and patient groups to ensure that healthcare policies reflect the realities faced by frontline workers.

READ: Health groups pin high hopes on incoming DOH chief

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) placed high expectations on Pujalte as he assumed the leadership of the DOH.

“Having previously stood with health workers and other stakeholders in opposing the privatization of public hospitals, including the proposed privatization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, AHW expects him to remain consistent with this position by upholding and strengthening the public healthcare system and ensuring that government hospitals remain accessible to all Filipinos,” the group said.

It called on Pujalte to push for the improvement of the conditions of healthcare workers, and to advance policies that prioritize public health over privatization and profit-driven interests.

“AHW challenges Secretary Pujalte to lead with transparency, accountability, and genuine public service, and to stand with health workers and patients in building a healthcare system that protects lives, upholds dignity, and puts the welfare of the Filipino people above all else,” it added.

AHW, which has been calling for Herbosa to step down as DOH chief for years, said his resignation “should have come much earlier, as his tenure has failed to bring meaningful improvements to the conditions of health workers and the country’s public healthcare system.”

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The group maintained that his resignation should not absolve him from answering complaints and allegations pending before the Office of the Ombudsman. /gsg