The Atom Gazette - Special Issue

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THE ATOM GAZETTE

editorial [On STEM workers being underpaid in the PH]

Respect refused

Unceasing on the frontlines. Risk-takers for the citizens.

Deemed as heroic. Yet how are they treated in return?

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THE ATOM GAZETTE

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There is no silver lining until the health sector is not prioritized.

Taken from the words of Robert Mendoza, the President of the Alliance of Health Workers, as he talked about the current, real predicament of our frontliners: the health workers in a press conference.

Oath. Standing only by the honor of the oath. The treatment given to our health workers goes lower beyond the bare minimum. Mrs. Maria Theresa Cruz, a local health worker from Cainta, Rizal, was the dead proof of the great incompetence. She insisted on working despite the low hazard pay, which is only 60 pesos daily, despite the great risk. Her swab test came days later after her death. A marvel, how a health worker was not prioritized. A dedicated life put to waste in the name of nothing but greed and power.

“Last week, a letter of recommendation was sent to the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Tiongson Duque III’s office regarding the state of our health workers but the pleas were denied.”

Mendoza added.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte emphasizes the need for funding in the health sector in the midst of a pandemic but when the funding for year 2022 (on its final reading at the Congress), the results do not reflect accordingly. The health sector only ranks at 8 while military-related sectors rank at the top. Mendoza further explains the disturbing truth by setting the demands the Alliance of Health Workers has been wanting to meet.

It has always been a rigged game of chess, where the rules are by the royalty, from the royalty.

Overworked and underpaid. These were two notable points Robert Mendoza has given when asked about the current condition of the health workers. He stated that understaffing has caused the workload of the health workers to be overwhelming.

Mendoza has given 10 demands, in total, all pertaining to the welfare that our health workers have been fighting for. Restoring the budget cut in Maintenance, Operating and other

Expenses (MOE) that costs around 1.2 billion pesos is the first concern he stated. The absence of the budget for the compensation of the health workers: allotting for the General Appropriation Act for the benefits of the health workers such as collective negotiations, agreement bonuses, anniversary bonuses, other personal benefits and retirement loyalty awards and allotting a budget for the COVID19 Hazard Pay: for the Bayanihan Act gives a vague and deceiving stance on the Special Risk Allowance of the health workers were other affairs. The act only gives 500 a day of work to the health workers, who work 2-3 days in the hospital, while personnel working in government agencies receive bigger amounts than them.

Accountability in the PhilHealth corruption case for stealing 71.3 billion pesos from the people, by distributing the money to the hospitals for quality and free service of the health workers, was a stand that the alliance pursued for. Other issues such as the Pork Barrel hidden in new names, the purchase of expired medicine due to lack of consultation and neglect to the health sector, a requested 10% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be utilized for mass testing, contact tracing, isolation and treatment and also for the safety or our health workers (personal protective equipment and mandatory regular testing). Upon all these demands, none have been met.

Secretary Duque’s incompetency and his resignation (to be ousted) is also an apprehension of the organization, as he is someone who cannot address the issues and problems of this worker community.

An irony that in the midst of a global pandemic, the most vital piece to curbing the spread; the health sector, has been taken for granted.

Denying all possibilities for a higher chance of survival and treating the health workers less than the gratitude they deserve is an outright act of disdain and negligence.

How have we reached up to this 2 point of disrespect?

Alliance of STEM researchers urge for payment of delayed salaries •

AT A GLANCE

Scientific research and development are some of the consequential sectors in other countries. This sector has been lagging in the country since then. This evident neglect has resulted in the damaged of professional researchers.

STEM workers from the University of the Philippines Diliman experienced delays in their salary release and allied to urge for more humane working conditions.

UP Diliman STEM researchers formed an alliance to uphold the rights of STEM workers and to construct pliable solutions to unsettled issues. Around 70 STEM workers joined the alliance that was founded in October 2020.

According to the Alliance of STEM Graduate Students and Workers-UP Diliman, some members have not received their salaries for 17 months.

Tim Bantay, a researcher from UP Diliman and a member of the alliance, last received a salary for the work she rendered in April but it is released in June. She has been unpaid since then.

This was also experienced by her fellow researchers. She was aware that her wages will be initially delayed for 3 months but eventually became a norm.

They were considered as “non-UP contractual” workers who received their salaries from the funding agencies of projects that they worked for.

Bantay added that the problem had existed since pre-COVID 19.

Researchers do not get any welfare benefits such as leaves, hazard pays, and bonuses because of the “no employee-employer relationship” clause in their contracts.

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SIDE INFO ) 2017-2022 basic research

disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation energy and emerging technologies

agriculture, aquatic and natural resources

health 3

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STEM Workers in the Philippines: Skilled in Science and Technology, Living in Poverty

[MAXEEmum View]

Science and Technology have made the existence of humans more convenient and significant. For how many centuries, science has created a great development in our society, especially in medicine, inventions and innovations.

In the Philippines, science is not put onto the spotlight in our society since the Spaniards had colonized the country given the fact that science, rationality, and intellect were despised as heresy and causes rebellion against the Church and the State. However, when the Americans occupied the Philippines, modernization, education, and science were given importance. Many renowned Filipino scientists such as Maria Orosa and Fe del Mundo excelled during the new colonial era.

Even though modernization and public education came into our society, the longlasting export culture of the Spaniards was retained in the minds of many Filipinos, including those in power on which science was not given the justice of essence and necessity to our nation.

In this present Republic of ours, many STEM workers such as nurses, doctors, engineers, and others – if not never – only worked and served here for a short period of time and went to foreign countries to permanently work there. According to news media site Vox, 160,000 Filipino nurses went to America in the 1960s. In a site of LookUpgrade Corp., Filipino workers go abroad because of better opportunities and the dire economic conditions in the country.

However, some still choose to live and work here. In an article by Rappler, an entry-level registered nurse only gets an average salary of PHP 8,000 to PHP 13,500 per month, roughly equivalent to USD 158.54 to USD 267.54. While in California, a registered nurse may get compensation as high as USD 8,912 per month, a larger amount when converted to Philippine pesos.

Yet a lot of STEM workers in our homeland know the reality of the cloud nine salaries in other countries; still, they chose to endure the low-paid hardship here in the Philippines. And

[MAKEIbaka!]

A deck of cards, a table for five, overworked and underpaid health workers, a crook, and a country in need of saving. With the pandemic still lurking, this is the gist of what the Philippines looks like. A country with a government that augments the word “wasteland” in every built palisade we have.

For 2021, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed the country’s largest budget yet, towering everything with a total of P 4.5 trillion. In one of his speeches last year, he emphasized the need to prioritize the country’s health sector.

Duterte has pledged the country with a budgeting tactic that would boost growth in the country’s economy, topped with the plan of finally grasping the long-awaited mass testing and mass vaccination for COVID-19.

But this sunshine painted plan comes with tails.

there is only one big reason why such workers choose in this wretched country, their family.

Filipinos love their family so much that they are afraid to leave them even if a more prominent opportunity awaits them. They want to be with them despite that they only earn little from their struggle in their workplace.

Let us not make overseas working the norm and the only solution to uplift themselves. We must create another solution that will both let them stay in the country and elevate their everyday living. One solution is to open the economy to all possible investors without hurting the patrimony of our state. Through this, jobs can be created, and the revenue from the tax they may get from these investors can be used to raise the budget for science and technology in our country. According to DOST’s report, only 0.14% of the GDP was allocated to the department. Raising the allocation will support and help STEM workers who, in return, serve our country to develop the lives and society.

Playing God

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Competing priorities such as expenses of government ministries, debt payments, and with the bulk of the rest going to future infrastructures.

This results with only P2.5 billion left. Only 4% of the budget will be dedicated to fighting COVID-19.

Crumbs from a loaf of bread. To simply put, the government has made a move to underfund our healthcare system in exchange for infrastructures.

Indeed, he is literally gambling the safety of the country for buildings.

In order for a country to win the pandemic, a country must have a goal to limelight out the needs of every citizen during this seemingly endless COVID dream. But with the failure of our government to conduct mass testing, a questionable budgeting tactic, unorganized contact tracing, overloaded hospitals, underpaid STEM workers, and everything in between, there is

no doubt that the country is nowhere near in ricocheting the bullets the pandemic has shot.

Switching the game plan is not the ideal plan. It is the realistic plan all must acknowledge.

This tactic is not one worth discussing for weeks. It is straight-forward. Budget must focus on the health sector. The country is bombarded with a wave of rising active COVID cases nowhere near dropping to zero. Making the health sector on top of the list not only benefits the patients, but underpaid healthcare workers as well.

With the cards we have, do we really want a gambling crook to mess this up? Our country is in need of saving. There is no room for obvious misjudgment like this. There is no room for a President to be playing God.

Padayon!

SIKAT Ka!

#LowPayHighRisk 4

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Why should researchers be supported?

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Science and technology are essential to the future of the world. Both contribute to what society enjoys today. With the help of researchers, the world is being discovered and understood.

However, what if the researchers - the people behind the discovery - are mistreated?

Last year, science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) researchers from the University of the Philippines – Diliman, complained of their poor working conditions and extreme delays in their salaries.

These included research assistants, laboratory aids, and technicians, among others who have been contracted for externally-funded projects.

According to the Alliance of STEM Graduate Students and Workers - UP Diliman, 92 out of their 94 respondents could not receive their salaries.

Fidel Nemenzo, the former Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, welcomed the complaints of STEM researchers and admitted to the systemic problem the university was facing. This left STEM researchers destitute.

"I can understand their concerns as well as

[DOMINate]

the difficulties our offices are going through, but I don't want to give justifications. Our immediate concern is to get those salaries out," said Nemenzo.

Institutions should ensure that STEM researchers are given the support they deserve.

Proper funding, reasonable salary, and equipped facilities must be in place for an orderly and consistent flow of research. If our country truly wants to develop into a better world, we must realize the value of scientific research.

In 2015, the UNESCO Institute of Statistics stated that there are only 198 researchers per one million inhabitants in the Philippines. Only about 0.2% of the country's gross domestic expenditure is spent on research and development, with both values being significantly lower than the global average.

One barrier to scientific research is procurement. Republic Act 9184 was created for a transparent and clear procurement process to avoid corruption. However, studies conducted after several days in other countries may take up to months to conduct in the

Philippines due to these procurement laws.

"Procurement laws do not only make science slower or nearly impossible as they discourage manufacturers and service providers from establishing a presence locally, but they also don't have safeguards to protect scientists from suppliers who markup beyond reasonable prices," Liwag states.

Indeed, research in the Philippines still has a long way to go before getting the support it needs. Knowing that research is essential to the stability and understanding of the country, we must take action and raise awareness for research to be recognized.

Promote the importance of scientific research. Support the researchers. Promote the country’s future.

All Vaccines are Created Equal [CHANYELling]

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FRIED for Breakfast BRAINS •

Do you ever wake up the point that even your hobbies and ask yourself, what am seem to be like a task you can't finish? Worry not because you I doing with my life? are not alone. Mike Yassa, a --The monotony of the new normal routine starts to get into our nerves and drives us to vex into almost everything, even with the tiniest details. The late-stage pandemic is messing with our minds. We're cooped up in our homes, surviving on fear and uncertainty with no clear vision of what the future holds. It's been so long that we've forgotten what it's like to be normal.

Brain fog is the inability to have a crisp recall or lack of sharp attention, and that's what most of us are currently experiencing. As we live every day with this unsettling news bombarding our minds, it's in no question to say that we are oversaturated. Wake up, eat, stay at home and wait until the day ends. It's the same thing over and over again that even staying sane at this point is barely achievable. Moreover, the fact that we are also deprived of social interaction could negatively affect our minds.

Have you ever been so bored to

neuroscientist from UC Irvine, said, "We're all walking around with some mild cognitive impairment." Long periods of boredom are incredibly distressing. Hence, the high levels of anxiety we've been dealing with over the past few months are wearing us down—which explains why even the simplest tasks can make it hard for us, especially during this late-stage pandemic.

There's this ball of emotions that would strike us in the middle of the day like it's a baseball coming at you at the speed of the light as it hits us right in the face. Similarly, this is what happens to our brain. We come to this situation where we feel like a sudden wave of feelings that we have no control over, drowning us. The baseball is the Amygdala, which is a primitive part of the brain, in charge of our fight-or-flight response. It's responsible for the detection of threats and activates appropriate fear-related actions.

This Amygdala is not so helpful

once we are exposed to chronic life stress. It's either we catch it, or it hits us right in the face. In short, the Amygdala overflows us with emotions because of the fear and anxiety that we experience.

The stress we feel during this COVID-19 crisis may deprive us of our ability to think rationally as we are submerged by the emotions that Amygdala releases.

How can we train ourselves to ensure that we maintain control of our thoughts?

We break the monotone. We look for things that may bring us the same joy as we do our hobbies. We reach out to friends through virtual meets. We have to nurture our mind and body into doing something different from the routine that we are currently practicing. It's not an easy life, but we have to acknowledge the uncertainty to gain control of ourselves. We have to look for balance, which dissipates us from the dystopic events, a safe place, for example. After all, we do not like fried brains for breakfast, do we?

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Awts!

Gege.

Hinagpis dulot ng lumalalang sakit sa gitna ng lumalalang sakit • “Oras ko na ba?”

Mahina kong tugon sa kasamahan kong nars na naglulupasay akong gisingin.

Dito sa aking kinatatayuan matatagpuan ang mundong nagsisilbing muog laban sa kalaban ng buong mundo - ang COVID-19. Katulad ng alam nating mga muog, dito ay nananatiling kalmado kaming mga nasa barikada sa kabila ng mga tumutunog na makina at maiingay na siren.

Oo. Oras ko na palang sumuong sa sigwa ng tadhanang humahambalos sa muog.

Para akong nasusunog sa puder ni San Tasa. Balot na balot ng mga kagamitan bilang panggalang laban sa kalaban - ang dating puting uniporme ngayon ay may balandra nang dalawa pang suot bilang bahagi ng Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Init na init. Pagod na pagod.

Batubalani kung maituturing ko ang aking sarili para sa mga sanitizer at gloves. Ito na lamang siguro ang maituturing kong mga espada bilang paghihiganti sa daan-daang buhay na binawi ng kalabang ito, hindi lamang sa mga normal na mamamayan kundi pati sa mga nasa barikada katulad ko. Sa pag-iikot ko sa buong mundo ng pagamutan, tila naiisip kong ang lugar na ito ay maituturing na libro. Maliban sa mga istoryang nilalaman nito at mga plastik na nakabalot saan mang sulok nito, ang ospital ay isang libro na hindi dapat husgahan sa pamamagitan ng pabalat lamang - isang sakit na lumalala sa gitna ng lumalalang sakit ng COVID-19.

Kabaligtaran na ata ng puti ng pader ng ospital at uniporme namin ang itim ng budhi ng lipunan at pamahalaan sa gitna ng krisis.

Signos Matapos ang dalawang dekada at mahigit 800 pagkamatay ng mga dinapuan ng SARS, muling humaharap sa krisis pangkalusugan ang buong mundo bunsod ng bagong coronavirus o COVID19. Malaon nang natunghayan sa kasaysayan ang pagiging magiting naming mga nasa muog laban sa mga krisis pangkalusugan hanggang sa kasalukuyan laban sa coronavirus.

Ngunit, imbes na kami ay dapat pagtuunan ng pansin, ang unang hakbang ng mga namumuno rito sa bansa ay ang sariling kapakanan at protektahan ang kani-kanilang mga interes.

Saksi ang dalawa kong mga mata, kung maaari ay pati ang dalawa ko pang matang dagdag na siyang kaakibat sa mundo ng kalusugan, sa pagiging overworked at underpaid ko. Ang sana’y walong oras kong pamamalagi sa pagamutan ay napalitan ng bente kwatro oras na.

Dagdag pa rito, ang dapat sana’y isang health worker tulad ko para sa isang dosenang pasyente ay nabihisan na ng humigit kumulang dalawang daang pasyente.

Isa pang dagdag sa listahan ng mga sintomas ng lumalalang sakit ng lipunan sa gitna ng pandemya ay ang kalokohan. Hindi kami nagtatrabaho sa perya upang paglaruan.

Ayon sa Bayanihan to Heal as One I, ang mga tulad kong frontliners ay nararapat na tumanggap ng hazard pay at special risk allowance. Ngunit, ang aming natanggap ay di makabuhay ng kalahati ng buwan. Nadala kami doon.

You’re the greatest prankster!

Kung pwede lang ipagsigawan.

Naprank na nga kami, nademoralisa pa. Ano pa ba ‘yung susunod? Sa katunayan, kahit karamihan na sa aming mga health workers ay infected at daan-daan na ang namatay, wala pa rin kaming nakikinitang silver lining para rito.

Oo! May sinumpaan kaming tungkulin pero sana naman ay wag niyo rin kaming sumpain.

Diyagnosis May dalawang karamdamang gumagambala sa pamahalaan. Una, ito ay ang karamdaman ng bulag-bulagan.

Kaming mga nasa sektor pangkalusugan ay hindi manhid upang maramdaman na kami ay binubulag-bulagan lamang ng pamahalaan. Kami ay narito na nagtatrabaho ng mabuti at naghihintay ng mga matang makakakita sa aming ginagawa. Alam na alam naman namin na hindi kami ang prayoridad ng gobyerno sa panahon ng pandemya.

Sa isinusulong na 2021 badyet, na kung saan ay nananatiling matinding kalaban pa rin ang COVID-19, ang sektor ng kalusugan ay nasa ikawalo lamang na may ipinaglaanan ng mataas na pondo. Bagay na nagpapatunay na ang sektor na ito ay di prayoridad.

Dagdag pa rito, ang budget para sa MOOE na

kung saan ay kukunin ang mga gagastusin sa suplay at materyales ay kinaltasan ng 1.2 billion. Sa katunayan, malaki ang kinakailangan ng mga ospital sa suplay at materyales sa pakikipagbakbakan kontra COVID-19. Kami ay nagmimistulang ahas na nagbabalat kayo sa tuwing kami ay magpapalit ng gloves kada labas pasok sa ICU o sa mga ekstensyon nito sa ibang rooms at wards.

Pangalawa, ito ay ang karamdaman ng korapsyon.

Lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na talamak ang pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan ng mga nasa mataas na posisyon, partikular sa PhilHealth, na siyang nagmula pa noong nagdaang taon. Bukod pa rito, may mga iba pang itinatago sa ibang pangalan ang mga pagnanakaw sa pamamagitan ng Pork Barrel katulad na lamang ng Assistance to Indigent Patients Program na nanakawan ng 17.3 billion at pagbili ng mga gamot na aabot sa 2.2 billion ang nawaldas.

Maliban sa karamdaman ng pamahalaan, may karamdaman rin ang lipunan - ang kawalan ng disiplina. Isa ito sa mga nagungunang dahilan kung bakit ngayon ay nananatili pa ring mataas ang bilang ng infected.

Preskripsyon Ang mga nabanggit na lumalalang sakit sa pamahalaan at lipunan sa gitna ng pandemya ay maaaring maisaayos sa pamamagitan ng mga reseta.

Una, kaming mga nasa sektor pangkalusugan ay naghahanap ng kalinga’t prayoridad.

Maglaan ng pondo para sa aming mga benepisyo sapagkat hinding-hindi namin narararamdaman ang mga ito. Maglaan ng 10% ng Gross Domestic Product (GDP) para sa aming mga kinakailangan - mass testing, contact tracing at regular testing ng health workers.

Nananawagan rin kaming itaas ang anong sahod tulad ng pag abot ng national minimum wage para sa salary grade I. Ayon sa IBON Foundation, ang isang pamilya na binubuo ng lima hanggang anim ay nararapat na magkaroon ng sahod na aabot sa P32 000.

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The Pleas of the • Personnel in PPEs The concept of life as a boomerang is not new. Quotes such as “what you give is what you receive” are mainstream and Newton’s third law of motion even states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; but the efforts given by medical professionals do not seem to equate well with the money on their salaries. Does this concept apply to human lives only when it is convenient?

Robert Mendoza, the National President of the Alliance of Health Workers, calls for the government to hear the cries of their people in the field of health as he reveals in an interview the situation of the country’s medical frontliners on the grassroots level. The message was clear: the workers swore to help the citizens; but they need all the help they can get as well. Included in the financial problems they face is the rock-bottom salary they receive.

Presently, health workers are underpaid, understaffed, and overworked.

Health professionals work for 12 hours per day, three times per week. For nurses, their salaries are at a ridiculously low level while their workload is absurdly high. Instead of only attending to only 12 patients, there are areas where they each attend to approximately 160 to 200. The quality of their care to the patients is being hindered

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by the mountainous quantity of people they need to give attention to and give utmost aid.

In line with this, Mendoza also calls to directly give the health resources to hospitals as they are the ones with more knowledge in what to do with them and what to use them for. The nation’s financial situation must also be managed systemically and appropriately.

The workers ask for the 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product to be allotted for mass testing, isolation treatment, personal protective equipment, and mandatory regular testing for the safety of the citizens and health workers alike.

Wrapping up the interview, Mendoza urged the government one more time to address the health of its citizens as their main concern in these troubling times.

The medical workers swore an oath to serve the people, especially the minority who do not have sufficient access to quality healthcare. Thus, it is only right that they receive the amount of aid proportionate to their diligence.

Everyone deserves to be heard — to have a voice and to express. However, in light of the corona-shaped dilemma currently faced by the people under magnified lens, the health sector is being denied the crown for attention when in these dark times they are the most worthy to reign.

NABALING SANGA: KASALATAN AT PAGDARAHOP NG MGA NARS SA PILIPINAS

Sa mundo ng medisina, isa ang pag-na-nars sa mga trabahong tunay na pinipilahan ng mga mag-aaral na nagsisipagtapos. Bilang bahagi ng programang pang-Agham at Teknolohiya, inaasahan ng mga Pilipino ang mahigpit na yakap ng kasaganahan sa oras na tunguhin ng isa ang landas na ito — daang hindi nila inakalang magiging malubak at paliko-liko.

Waring isang sanga, matibay at matatag ang mga unipormadong kawaning medikal ng ating bansa.

Lalo pa itong naipakita nang nagsimulang manalasa ang pandemya. Sa pagtaas ng mga kaso, higit ding lumobo ang pangangailangan ng Pilipinas sa kanilang hanay upang pagserbisyuhan ang mga kababayang nakaratay at lumalaban sa nasabing sakit. Sa paulit-ulit na siklo ng kanilang buhay na itinatala ng pawis na mga damit, mga mukhang puno ng marka, at mga katawang tila pinasan ang buong daigdig, tiyak na karapatdapat silang gantimpalaan ng angkop na pasahod at insentibo. Gayunpaman, ang kapalaran ay tunay na hindi patas dahil sa kabila ng kanilang puspos na paggawa ay hindi pa rin sapat ang benepisyong kanilang tinatamasa.

Batay sa datos ng Department of Labor and

Employment, ang perang natatanggap ng entrylevel nurses ay mula P8,000 hanggang P13,500 — suweldong bahagi ng ikaapat na salary grade lamang. Kahit pa ang isang paa'y nasa bingit ng kamatayan at pag-aalala, hindi maaaring mapagod ang mga bayaning ito dahil ang pahinga ay maaaring mangahulugang buhay ang muling mababalewala — isang matingkad na larawang nagpapamalas na ang lagpas 12 oras na pakikipagsapalaran sa kalabang hindi nakikita ay isang mabigat, masakit, at mapanganib na responsibilidad.

paglalatag ng deployment ban na pumipigil sa kanilang maglakbay sa ibang panig ng mundo at makatagpo ng higit na patas at payak na trabaho.

Sa kasalukuyang panahon, ang mga manggagawang itong tumutulong na magdugtong sa buhay ng mga pasyenteng nananatili sa ospital, noo'y saglit na nangarap na maglingkod para sa sariling bayan, ay nagnanasa nang makalipad sa ibang bansa upang tugunan ang pangangailangang hindi lamang pansarili kundi para rin sa kanilang mga pamilya. Kapalit ng higit na maayos na pamumuhay ang sakripisyong mawalay sa lupang tinubuan sapagkat ang oportunidad ay mas bukas sa mga pulong isang sakay sa eroplano ang layo mula sa Pilipinas.

Kaugnay nito, isang problemang kinahaharap din ng mga may katulad na propesyonang

Ang hagupit at paniniphayo ng COVID-19 ay hindi lamang nakaapekto sa pangkabuuang kalagayan ng bansa. Biniktima rin nito maging ang mga pusong may pangarap na maglingkod at kumita.

Ang noo'y sintatag ng mga punong nakatirik sa lupa, ang kanilang ugat ay nakahalik na rin sa kalsada. Sila rin ay unti-unting binubuo ng mga sangang hinahawi ng pangako ng reporma, mga tangkay na maluwalhating kumakaway noon bilang paanyaya. Ang mga nars ng bansa, bagaman produkto ng programang pang-Agham at Teknolohiya, ay nakararanas ng paghihirap sa 8 kamay ng sistemang nangakong mag-aalaga sa kanila.

Dadantay man sa mata ng kahit sino ang sariwang sugat sa kanilang mga kamay, sari-saring pantal sa balat, at mga katawang hinulma ng labis na kapaguran, minsa'y salat sila maging sa pagkilala ng mga mamamayan. Maging ang mga papuri at pasasalamat, sa mga partikular na pagkakataon, ay hindi rin nila nagagawang maranasan.

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Katarungan sa Serbisyong Pangkalusugan

Isa lamang iyan sa mga istorya

“Nurses here are underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated.

Now, they want our help?”

ngayong pandemya— hinaing ni Marj, isa sa mga Pilipinong nars na naranasang magtrabaho noon nang anim na buwan na walang sahod. Kalauna’y nagkaroon ng planong makipagsapalaran sa United Kingdom ngunit naabutan din ng deployment ban.

Bilang frontliner kagaya ni Marj, may mataas na hazard pay o sweldo, sagana rin sa mga kagamitan, may maayos na akomodasyon at mga pribilehiyo— iyan ang mga bagay na kulang sa kanila, mga bagay na karapatan nilang matamasa.

“Nakakalungkot po kung titingnan natin ang kalagayan ng mga health workers sa kasalukuyan, overworked at underpaid,” giit ni Robert Mendoza, National President ng Alliance of Health Workers.

Dagdag pa, kalunus-lunos umano ang kanilang sitwasyon sapagkat ang isang nars ay imbes na 12 katao lamang ang babantayan, umaabot na ito sa 165 hanggang 200 na pasyente.

Sa kasalukuyan, sumobra na sa isang milyon ang kaso ng Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) sa Pilipinas. Libu-libo na rin ang mga frontliners na nagkaroon at namatay sa sakit na ito, ayon sa datos ng Department of Health.

Patuloy na lumulobo ang kaso ng COVID–19 at marami na rin ang nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay. Sa panahon ngayon ay kailangang makipagsapalaran ng mga tao upang mayroon silang mailatag na pagkain sa kanilang hapag-kainan. Lalo na ang mga frontliners na nasa larangan ng medisina, dugo't pawis ang kanilang puhunan upang maitaguyod ang kalusugan ng mga mamamayan.

Bagaman ganito ang sitwasyon, ayon kay Mendoza, tila mas inuuna pa ang kalagayan ng ekonomiya kaysa sa

kalusugan anupa’t narito ang iilan sa mga apela para sa mga frontliners.

Una, ayusin ang implementasyon ng sahod. Taasan ito at bigyan ang mga frontliners ng karapatdapat na mga benepisyo. Kung ano ang taas-sweldo sa mga pulis, ganoon din sana sa mga ‘healthcare workers’. Pangalawa, maglaan ng allotment budget sa COVID– 19 para sa hazard pay at special risk allowance ng mga frontliners. Pangatlo, iabolish ang Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) o sugpuin ang korapsyon dito at direktang ibigay ang budget sa mga ospital. Aniya, noong wala pa namang PhilHealth ay nakapagbibigay pa ang mga ospital ng libreng serbisyong pangkalusugan. Pangapat, mula sa 5% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ay taasan ito sa 10% para sa mga PPEs at regular na mass testing. Panglima, tapusin ang kontraktuwalisasyon at magbigay ng angkop na sweldo na aabot sa 16 hanggang 32,000 nang sa gayon ay maengganyo ang mga Pilipino na magserbisyo rito kaysa mapilitang lumabas ng bansa. Pang-anim, italaga sa posisyon ang mga propesyunal na higit ang kaalaman at pinag-aralan sa medisina o agham sa paglaban kontra COVID–19.

Maliban kay Marj, marami pang mga frontliners sa ating bansa ang busog na busog na sa mga papuri ngunit kulang na kulang din naman sa mga bagay na karapatan nilang matamasa. Talagang hindi matatawaran ang trabaho nila sa panahon ng pandemya, kasabay na pawang mahaba-haba pa ang laban ng bansa kontra COVID–19, nawa’y ibigay ang katarungan sa kanilang serbisyong pangkalusugan.

Kailan naging tama ang sweldo ng mga STEM Workers?

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ABOUT THE COVER

Awts gege!

At, kami rin ay nananawagan sa mga mamamayan na maging responsable at disiplinado.

Sa paraan lamang na ito, kahit kakaunti, ay makakatulong na ng malaki sa amin na nasa muog kontra COVID-19.

Ito ay isang panlipunang usapin. Kasali ako. Kasali ikaw. Kasali lahat.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng paghihinagpis, ito na lamang ang aking tugon:

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“Awts! Gege.”

At patuloy na ako sa aking gawain na may dalang poot.

#Tweetables

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