Several personnel of the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) in Capiz demand for the payment of their salaries and threaten to file a leave of absence if they are not paid of their salaries by next week.

In a petition letter submitted to RMPH OIC-Chief of Hospital Dr. Edmarie Tormon, the employees lamented that their financial situation is already exhausting because they did not receive their monthly salary.

“We also have bills to pay, families to feed, children to provide for and daily necessities. Our savings are already been used up to the point that we have to scrounge for our transportation going to the hospital,” they said.

To note, the employees who are composed of doctors, nurses, nursing attendants, medical technologists, laboratory aid, molecular laboratory staff, dialysis staff, and other personnel of the hospital have not been paid since August 2021.

“We have grown to love the hospital and as much as possible we do not want to leave our patients unattended, but if our salaries are not paid by next week, this will leave us with no choice but to file for a leave of absence starting October 5, 2021,” they warned.

The pending approval of the P47,500,000 supplemental budget requested by the provincial hospital was cited as reason for the delayed salaries of the RMPH employees.

But in an earlier statement, the provincial board members said pending approval of the said budget could not affect the works of the health workers because there are still funds left.

Board member Jonathan earlier clarified that the provincial board could not immediately approve the request of RMPH for failure to pass the documents asked by the committee on appropriations.

The protesting RMPH employees, meantime, are hopeful that “the issue will be resolved the soonest, for the benefit of the patients and the people of Capiz.” (Glenda Tayona)/WDJ