Del Mundo however denied there would be mass lay-off of employees, said Ema Manuel, AHW president.

“Syempre, para mapapayag nila ang tao, ‘di naman nila sasabihin kung ano ang mga pangit na apekto nito,” (Of course they would not include the negative effects of the plan to ensure that the affected sectors would agree to it.) she said.

The health workers said this will result to streamlining or re-assignment of personnel and that the policy regarding hiring and firing would depend on the new leadership.

Also, they said there will be no guarantee that the five employees associations will still be maintained because these hospitals will operate as one under the name PCSHC.

Privatization in disguise

Attached to the resolution was an abstract titled “Hospital Integration.” In the one-page resolution, it was stated that the integration of some units of services “has become the best option in the face of economic difficulties that plaque (sic) the country.”

“’Yan ang concept nila, a ng pag-generate ng income para later wala nang budget na mangagaling sa gobyerno,” (Their concept is to generate income so that eventually no budget would come from the government.) said Lorna dela Cruz, president of the LCP Employees Association and head nurse of the St. Therese Isolation Unit.

“Ito ay unti-unting pribatisasyon para di magmukhang outright sale,” (This is a gradual privatization process that is not an outright sale.) said Manuel in a separate caucus after the dialogue.

Furthermore, the abstract stated that as a developing country, “it is even more imperative for us to institute radical reforms if we are to attain a world class healthcare delivery system that can cater not only to the affluent but also to the poor.”

Manuel said that there’s nothing wrong about dreaming of achieving world class health care.

“Pero kung papasok ka sa kumpetisyon, mangangapital ka at magpapabagayad ka,” she said, “Dahil gobyerno ka, hindi ka dapat nag-iisip ng negosyo o kumpetisyon dahil pera ng taong bayan ang ginagastos mo.” (If the plan is to compete with the world’s best, there will be a need to raise capital and therefore charge for health services. A government should not think of pursuing a business or competing because it is the people’s money that it is using.)

Manuel said that in the proposed integration, which is in line with the government’s medical tourism program, at least 10 percent of a hospital’s bed capacity is to be allocated for medical tourism patients.

Added to this, the AHW also said that the proposed inclusion of representatives of the private sector in the Board of Directors of the PCSHC would accelerate the commodification and commercialization of health services.

“Imbes na magnegosyo sa pagbibigay ng health services, dapat ay bantayan na lang ng gobyerno ang performance (ng mga tao nito) lalo na ang mga corrupt,” (Instead of making business out of health services, the government should just monitor the performance of its officials and personnel, especially the corrupt.) she said.

She stressed that “if the objective is to achieve effective and efficient delivery of health care, it should increase the budget allocated for health services instead of privatization.”

The employees’ associations of the five hospitals would be conducting assemblies to educate their members regarding the integration plan. (Bulatlat.com)

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