ILOILO – Several former employees of Holy Mary General Hospital in Pavia, Iloilo have voiced their grievances about not receiving their due benefits and allowances during their tenure at the hospital.
The complaints specifically target the delayed release of the Special Risk Allowance (SRA), One COVID Allowance (OCA), and Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the former emplopyees, the hospital management received funds from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 on May 15, 2024 but their benefits remain unpaid.
Alias Inday disclosed that she has not received the SRA for July 2021 to December 2021 and HEA for April 2023 to July 2023.
“We should receive it in full,” she stated.
Alias Inday further complained about not receiving her back pay upon resignation and the non-remittance of Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and Pag-ibig contributions, even though these were regularly deducted from their salaries.
“They should show some compassion; that money isn’t theirs. The current employees are suffering tremendously,” she added.
She expressed hope that the DOH and the Iloilo provincial government would intervene to resolve the issues faced by both resigned and regular employees to ensure they receive the funds owed to them.
Another former employee, Alias Nene, said she resigned due to the unbearable delays in salary payments.
“They paid 20 percent first, then the rest at the next cut-off. It was unsustainable, and when we checked, none of our contributions had been remitted, though all deductions were made clear on our payslips,” Alias Nene said.
She questioned the Human Resource department why their SSS and PhilHealth contributions weren’t deposited, only to be told they would be, though they never were, she said.
Alias Nene also lamented the non-release of the OCA for 2022 and 2023.
“Our COVID-19 allowance should have been released last month since they already received the funds from the DOH, but it still hasn’t been disbursed to us who have resigned,” she said.
HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT RESPONDS
The management of Holy Mary General Hospital provided their side of the story.
Its Human Resource (HR) department, requesting anonymity, acknowledged the concerns of both resigned and regular employees and provided explanations for the financial challenges the hospital faces.
According to HR, employees have been made aware of the hospital’s negative income status, particularly this year, which has severely impacted the ability to cope with maintenance and operating expenses such as electricity, medicine supplies, and doctors’ fees.
This financial strain has affected the timely release of salaries and the remittance of benefits for regular employees in SSS, Pag-Ibig, and PhilHealth, it said.
“We have always been transparent with our employees about our financial struggles. The delay in salary is because we simply do not have the funds. Some understand, but others do not, and we understand their reactions,” a spokesperson from the personnel department explained.
The hospital’s dwindling patient admissions this year have further exacerbated the financial woes, compelling management to prioritize critical payments like electricity to keep the hospital operational, payment to suppliers for necessary medicines, and doctors’ fees to ensure healthcare services are not disrupted.
Salaries are processed afterward, which admittedly sometimes results in delayed or staggered payments due to the lack of alternative funding sources, the HR added.
Currently, the hospital employs over 130 staff members across various levels, from rank and file to managerial positions, all of whom have experienced salary delays. Management has clarified these issues in detail to all employees, the HR stressed.
Regarding the specific delays in remitting SSS, Pag-Ibig, and PhilHealth contributions, management admitted to gaps due to the same financial constraints affecting salaries.
“The reason for not depositing contributions is the same as for salary issues, but we are committed to resolving these through staggered payments,” added the personnel spokesperson.
Management also encourages employees in need of emergency loans from SSS, Pag-Ibig, or PhilHealth to approach them for assistance in processing these benefits, which include SSS loans and maternity loans.
“We are doing everything we can to meet our employees’ needs,” they stated.
As for the delayed release of the Special Risk Allowance (SRA), Health Emergency Allowance (HEA), and One COVID Allowance (OCA), the management said it has prioritized active or regular employees.
They have already disbursed these allowances for 2023 and 2021 for active staff and are scheduling the release for resigned employees.
“Benefits for resigned employees from January to March 2023 have been given. We still have pending for April to July 2023 and July to December 2021, which we are scheduling with the president and management,” the HR explained.
The slow release of allowances is partly due to limited personnel processing documents and a cautious approach to ensure the accuracy of the amounts released to avoid discrepancies. HR committed to following up with management to expedite the release process.
“We are asking for more patience and understanding from everyone, as the financial stability of Holy Mary is currently compromised due to low patient intake, numerous supplier payments, and high electricity costs affecting our ability to manage payroll efficiently,” HR concluded./PN
