BMP to Rep. Quimbo: Don't turn back the clock; Labor demands transition to single payer healthcare

Press Release

20 August 2020

BMP TO QUIMBO: DON'T TURN BACK THE CLOCK; LABOR DEMANDS TRANSITION TO SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE

The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) registered its opposition today to Rep. Stella Quimbo's HB 7429 which proposes to privatize the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC). The group instead asked the Marikina lawmaker to file a bill to facilitate the transition towards single payer healthcare. 

"We would like to remind Teacher Stella that the world is already transitioning towards fully-state funded healthcare systems. The privatization of Philhealth is an anachronistic move that will only further relegate us to developmental backwaters. Hospital care and outpatient services would be inaccessible to those who could not pay medical bills to private hospitals and could not afford costly insurance premiums to private health maintenance organizations or HMOs. Proof of this is the healthcare system in the United States," BMP president Ka Leody de Guzman said. 

"Kaunti lang ang may medical insurance sa anyo ng HMO sa ating mga kababayan para mayroong pampaospital kapag naaksidente o nagkasakit. Mahal kasi ang premium at mababa ang sweldo ng mga manggagawa. Kaya inuuna ang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan bago ang balang araw at posibleng gastusin sa pagpapaospital," he added. 

The labor group added that some sectors, such as the BPO industry, have included medical insurance as part of its employee benefits.  However, they argued that such coverage is terminated once you are out of work, and it should be noted that regularization is not a practice of the business process outsourcing industry.

According to BMP the lack of medical insurance for workers is experienced by more industries such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and other services, who are more reliant on Philhealth than on private HMOs. Most products of private HMOs do not cater to senior citizens. 

"We are one with Rep. Stella Quimbo in seeking ways to reform the corruption-riddled state institution for health insurance. But the solution to the healthcare malaise caused by the abuse of the case rate system is to rollback the profit-oriented private healthcare sector. The proposal for Philhealth privatization would only worsen its present defects. People before profit! This could be done by increasing government ownership of hospitals or through its outright nationalization, and by instituting and implementing open and transparent regulatory measures for Philhealth transactions," de Guzman explained.

De Guzman noted that private sector may still be "engaged in a limited manner" in healthcare via service and management contracts, but the national government "must actively seek to own all tertiary hospitals" while local governments "should fully be capable of providing complete primary healthcare for free."

The BMP leader also asked Congress to take a look at the current move by the Spanish government to nationalize its hospitals, in a bid to coordinate better its response to the CoViD-19 pandemic.

"If Quimbo's proposal is approved, we can say goodbye to our commitments to the UN Declaration on Primary Health Care. Worse, we would give a free rein to private capital to profit from the misery of the ailing and unwell," de Guzman concluded. #

For reference, please contact: Leody De Guzman

Pakikiisa ng BMP sa manggagawa ng PhilHealth

PAHAYAG

Agosto 18, 2020

PAKIKIISA NG BMP SA MANGGAGAWA NG PHILHEALTH

Ang Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) ay nakikiisa sa mga kawani ng Philhealth, na kinakatawan ng PhilHealth Workers for Hope, Integrity, Transparency and Empowerment (PhilHealth-WHITE), sa kanilang panawagan para sa imbestigasyon sa nabulgar na anomalya sa pondo ng pampublikong institusyon ng health insurance.  

Sumusuporta din kami sa tama at napapanahong panawagan ng PhilHealth-WHITE para sa pagtatalaga ng caretaker sa naturang institusyon kasabay ng pagbibitiw at leave of absence ng mga opisyal nito.  

Sa pagtatalaga ng caretaker, dapat sundin ni Duterte ang PhilHealth Law (Republic Act 11223 o Universal Healthcare Law) ukol sa kwalipikasyon ng itatalagang pinuno ng Philhealth. Nakasaad sa batas na dapat mayroon siyang sapat at kinakailangang pagsasanay at minimum na pitong (7) taon na karanasan sa larangan ng public health, management, finance, at health economics o kombinasyon ng naturang mga kasanayan. 

Subalit, dahil matagal nang isyu ang korapsyon sa PhilHealth, kailangang lumagpas pa sa minimum na rekisito na itatakda ng batas. Hindi tulad ng pagkakatalaga kay Ricardo Morales na maaring pumasa sa batas dahil sa kanyang track record bilang CEO ng AFP Mutual Benefit Association Inc, at vice president at general manager ng AFP General Insurance Corporation. Subalit kapos na kapos ang kanyang karanasan para maging timon ng Philhealth. 

Hindi lamang dahil may ito ay milyon-milyong myembro na lumawak pa nang ginawang unibersal ang coverage nito noong Pebrero 2019. Mas pa, kumpara sa sundalo't kapulisan na regular ang kinikita (at taon-taong pang nagkakaroon ng pagtataas sa badyet ang AFP-PNP), ang myembro ng Philhealth ay karamihang mga nagmula sa mga manggagawang kapos na kapos ang kinikita at mga nagmula sa informal sector na hindi konsistent ang mga hanapbuhay. Napakalaking insulto sa amin na mabalitaan ang mga nabulgar na korapsyon sa Philhealth (pati ang diumano'y sakit ng mga opisyal nito para makaiwas sa imbestigasyon ng senado). Iyan ay pera namin. Mula sa sama-samang pawis at dugo ng libo-libong manggagawa't mahihirap, na wala nang aasahan pa kundi ang Philhealth kung kami ay magkakasakit o maoospital. Alam naman nating lahat na wala nang mabubunot pa ang masang Pilipino para sa mga gastusin sa pagpapaospital at pagkakasakit sapagkat ang kanilang sweldo't kita ay kulang pa nga sa kanilang pinakabatayang pangangailangan sa araw-araw.  

Dahil dito, iginigiit ng BMP (sa ngalan ng aming kasapian na pawang mga myembro at nagbibigay ng kontribusyon sa Philhealth) na ilagay ang isang caretaker na hindi lamang eksperto sa larangan ng health insurance. Nananawagan kami na ihirang dito ang isang pinuno na may napatunayang integridad, walang bahid ng korapsyon, at makakapagbigay ng buong atensyon sa paglilinis ng ahensya at sa pagtitiyak ang patuloy nitong pagseserbisyo sa mga myembro (hindi sa mga pribadong ospital, na dati nang nasangkot sa mga anomalya ukol sa medical reimbursement). 

Sumusuporta kami sa panawagan ng Philhealth-WHITE na maging ang chairperson ng Philhealth Board na si DOH Secretary Francisco Duque ay lumiban din sa mga imbestigasyon. Hindi lang ito dahil sa kanyang lumulubog na tiwala sa kanya ng publiko dahil sa palpak na tugon ng administrasyong Duterte sa pandemyang COVID19. Higit dito, ang kanyang klase ng pamumulitika (gaya ng kanyang pagtutol sa travel ban dahil sa pangambang sumama ang loob ng gobyerno ng Tsina) ay malamang na pumaypay sa lahat ng pagdududa sa cover-up at whitewashing sa magaganap na imbestigasyon.    

Sa magaganap na imbestigasyon, hinihikayat namin ang mga kawani ng Philhealth na ibulgar ang nasasagap at nakikita ninyong mga anomalya sa inyong ahensya. Ito na ang oportunidad para sa tuwirang paglilinis sa Philhealth.  

Sa huli, nananawagan kami sa senado't kongreso na balangkasin ang de-corporatization ng Philhealth tungo sa isang single-payer na pampublikong healthcare system, laluna sa usapin ng pagpinansya sa emergency care, outpatient services at hospitalization ng mamamayang Pilipino. Isa ito sa mga paraan upang unahin ang kalusugan ng taumbayan bago ang tubo ng iilang may-kapital. #

BMP kay Duterte spokesperson Harry Roque

Pahayag

17 August 2020

SABI NG GRUPONG MANGGAGAWA KAY ROQUE: ANG IYONG TOKSIKONG PAGKA-POSITIBO AY  KAHANGALAN AT NAKAGAGALIT

Tinuligsa ng grupong Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) si Harry Roque, ang tagapagsalita ng pangulo, dahil sa mga komento nito hinggil sa nakaraang SWS survey na nagpapakitang ang 45.5% ng may gulang o adultong Pilipino – o 27.3 milyong katao – ang walang trabaho.

Nakita sa survey – na isinagawa noong Hulyo 3-6 – na 21% ng adulto ay nawalan ng trabaho/ikinabubuhay noong panahon ng krisis ng COVID-19. May 21% pang nawalan ng trabaho/ikinabubuhay bago pa ang pandemya. 

"Habang masaya niyang ipinapahayag ang datos na ang mga nawalan ng trabaho ay hindi umabot sa 100% at sa paggigiit pang ito'y dahil sa ating pagiging may kakayahang umakma sa panahon, grabeng ininsulto ni G. Roque ang 27.3 milyong Pilipinong nawalan ng trabaho na di na malaman ang gagawin kung paano pa mabubuhay sa mga susunod na araw. Ang kanyang toksikong pagka-positibo ay kahangalan at nakakagalit," sabi ni Pangulong Luke Espiritu ng BMP.

Pagkahumaling sa resiliyensa

"Ang nakakasukang pahayag ni G. Roque ay isa na namang pagtatangka ng rehimeng Duterte na balewalain lang ang tindi ng sitwasyong kinakaharap ng milyun-milyong manggagawa habang walang kawawaang tinatapik ang sarili nilang balikat kahit na sila'y walang kakayahang tumugon sa pandemya!" dagdag pa ng abugado ng paggawa.

"Ang datos mula sa SWS ay hindi ebidensya ng kakayahang umakma ng mamamayang Pilipino sa pagtangan sa krisis dulot ng pandemya. Sa halip, patunay ito ng kawalang kakayahan o harapang pagtanggi ng rehimeng Duterte na epektibong matugunan ang kalagayan ng masang manggagawa," sabi pa ni G. Espiritu.

Dati nang kinalampag ng BMP ang mahigpit na programang stimulus ng administrasyong Duterte na layuning tulungan umano ang mga manggagawa at MSME lamang ng P162 Bilyong nakalaan sa Bayanihan to Recover As One 2 (HB 6953) kumpara sa nasa 1 trilyong inirerekomenda ng ilang mga ekonomista, think tanks, at mga unyon sa paggawa.

Malawakang programa ng pampublikong pag-eempleyo

Sinabi pa ni Espiritu na "hindi lang numero ang 45%. Sinasagisag nito ang 27.3 milyong naghihirap na Pilipino. Ang nakakainis pa sa sinabi G. Roque ay hindi lang ang pagwawalang bahala niya sa kahirapan at pagdurusa ng halos kalahati ng bilang ng pwersa ng paggawa, wala rin siyang ipinakitang anumang plano kung paano nila matatakasan ang kanilang paghihirap. Hinggil naman sa plano ng rehimeng Duterte para sa sapat na kapasidad ng ating sistemang pangkalusugan laban sa pandemya, wala silang masabi hinggil sa isang komprehensibong plano upang magkaroon ng ikabubuhay ang mga nawalan ng trabaho."

Isinusulong ng BMP ang isang pampublikong programa sa pag-empleyo na nakaangkla sa pagbuo ng mga trabaho sa mga sektor ng  kalusugan at paggawa ng pagkain ay kinakailangan upang mabawasan ang datos ng nawalan ng trabaho. Binigyang diin din nila na maaari ring bigyang pansin ng programa ang pagbuo ng mga trabahong pangklima, na ang trabaho’y mula sa makatarungang paglipat mula sa maruming fossil fuels tungo sa malinis at nagbabagong enerhiya, mula sa ekolohikal na nakakapinsala't pumipigang industriya ng pag-eksport hanggang sa mga pang-ekonomiyang aktibidad na tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan.

"Ang patuloy na ayudang panlipunan para sa mga nagtatrabaho, walang trabaho at maralitang Pilipino ay kinakailangan, kasama ang pampublikong pamumuhunan sa mga estratehikong sektor ng ekonomiya upang lumikha ng trabaho. Upang baligtarin ang tumitinding resesyon, dapat nating baligtarin ang kasalukuyang ekonomyang nakadepende sa pag-import at nakatutok sa pag-eksport tungo sa pagprayoridad ng produksyon at distribusyon ng batayang pangangailangan ng ating mamamayan. Ayuda at trabaho! Unahin ang pangangailangan ng mamamayan!", pagtatapos ni Espiritu. #

Upang makipag-ugnayan, mangyaring kontakin si Luke Espiritu

Labor Group to Roque: Your Toxic Positivity is Toxic and Revolting

Press Release

17 August 2020

LABOR GROUP TO ROQUE: YOUR TOXIC POSITIVITY IS STUPID AND REVOLTING

Labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) lambasted Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque for his comments on the recent SWS survey that showed that 45.5% Filipino adults  - or 27.3 million people - were jobless.

The survey - conducted last July 3-6 - found that 21% of adults lost their job/livelihood during the COVID-19 crisis. Another 21% lost their job/livelihood before the pandemic. 

"By expressing his delight that the unemployment rate did not reach 100% and by further asserting that this was due to our supposed resilience, Mr. Roque deeply insulted the 27.3 million unemployed Filipinos who are currently at a loss on how they are going to survive the foreseeable future. His toxic positivity is stupid and revolting," BMP President Luke Espiritu said.

Resiliency fetish

"Mr. Roque's disgusting remarks is yet another attempt by the Duterte regime to downplay the severity of the situation that millions of workers are facing while also giving themselves an unwarranted pat on the back for their incompetent pandemic response!" the labor lawyer added.

"The data provided by the SWS isn't evidence of the FIlipino people's resiliency in handling the pandemic-induced crisis. Rather, it is evidence of the Duterte regime's inability or blatant refusal to sufficiently address the plight of the working masses," Espiritu said.

The BMP had previously slammed the Duterte administration's stingy stimulus program that aims to aid workers and MSME's only with a mere P162 Billion allocated to the Bayanihan to Recover As One 2 (HB 6953) as opposed to the at least 1 trillion recommended by several economists, think tanks, and trade unions.

Massive public employment program

Espiritu bared that "45% is not just a number. It represents 27. 3 million suffering Filipinos. What makes Mr. Roque's callous indifference more infuriating is not only his disregard to the poverty and misery of the nearly half of the labor force, he also did not present any plan on how to alleviate their suffering. As with the Duterte regime's plans for our health system's sufficient capacitation against the pandemic, they are silent on a comprehensive plan to generate jobs for the unemployed."

The BMP advanced that a public employment program anchored on generating jobs in the healthcare and food-manufacturing sectors would be required to reduce the unemployment rate. They also emphasized that the program could also focus on generating climate jobs, enabling just transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable energy, from ecologically harmful extractive export industries to economic activities that cater to our people's needs.

"Continuous social amelioration for the toiling, unemployed and indigent Filipinos is needed, along with public investment in strategic sectors of the economy to create employment. To reverse the worsening recession, we must reverse the current import-dependent export-oriented economy towards one that prioritizes the production and distribution of the basic needs of our people. Ayuda at trabaho! Unahin ang pangangailangan ng mamamayan!", Espiritu concluded. #

For reference, please contact: Luke Espiritu

BMP: Failure to rescue MSMEs, workers to "empower Oligarchy"

Press Release

15 August 2020

"Stingy stimulus" anti-competitive, labor group 

BMP: Failure to rescue MSMEs, workers to "empower Oligarchy"

Workers group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) hits the P162 billion standby fund allocated to House Bill No. 6953, or the Bayanihan to Recover As One 2, as "too stingy for a stimulus", says that "allowing small business to fail will destroy competition to big business."

"Is that what (Finance Secretary Carlos) Dominguez and Congress wants? To concentrate the remaining market share to the fewer and fewer giant firms controlled by oligarchs?," asked BMP President Luke Espiritu.

Austerity will worsen unemployment crisis

The labor lawyer also said that "austerity will worsen the unemployment crisis", which has climbed to record-breaking 17.7% with 7.3 million unemployed according to the recent data from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

"What is the primary effect of joblessness? More bargaining power for the remaining big firms. They can always say: Stop complaining, I can fire you are and ten jobless workers will compete for your position," Espiritu said.

Espiritu added that "not only capital is concentrated to oligarch corporations as small business fail, the power of these corporations to repress wages is also intensified."

"We are now in an ongoing retrenchment wave. The labor department itself released data that at least 157,705 workers were already displaced from January to August," Espiritu said.

Government can stop recession

Espiritu appeals to the bicameral committee to review the amount and consider other stimulus proposals from worker's groups and other think tanks.

"I do not understand how (Speaker Alan Peter) Cayetano's Congress can go from discussing the P1.3 trillion Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy (ARISE) bill to this pittance," Espiritu said.

Espiritu added that even the National Economic and Development (NEDA) authority itself projects a 5.5% drop in end-year growth rates, "which translates to P960 billion loss in output".

"Shouldn't we at least spend a trillion? The government can practically ensure that there is no recession for this year. And yet it will allow all of us to suffer," Espiritu concluded.##

For reference, please contact: Luke Espiritu

Lorenzana slammed on NCR's 'readiness' for return to GCQ

Press Release

10 August 2020

Lorenzana slammed on NCR's 'readiness' for return to GCQ

Militant labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) rebuked National Task Force Against Covid-19 Chairman Delfin Lorenzana's assertion that Metro Manila is ready to revert to GCQ status once the modified enhanced community quarantine lapses on August 18.

Lorenzana cited yesterday's decline in reported cases to around 3,000 from the 6,263 peak last August 4. He also justified Metro Manila's readiness for GCQ by stating that the economy can no longer suffer.

BMP Chairperson Ka Leody De Guzman queried: "How can Mr. Lorenzana say that we are 'ready' just because of a single-day drop in reported cases? Even to the casual eye the recent Covid-19 data shows that there is no such evidence to say that we are 'ready.' A mere single-day drop in reported new cases (from 4,131 on August 8 to 3,028 yesterday) is not at all encouraging considering that the highest single-day record of new cases (6,263 last August 4) occurred after a much steeper drop (4,953 last August 2 to 3,145 on August 3). Mr. Lorenzana also omitted that the number of daily reported deaths increased from 41 to 61 deaths yesterday." 

"Once again, another former general presuming himself to be a medical expert is endangering Filipinos further with his pompous statements. Simply put, the fluctuating numbers cannot prove that we are in the clear. Furthermore, the Duterte Regime's continuing lack of a comprehensive and coherent plan to combat the pandemic, led by real medical experts and professionals, shows that it is the government that is still unprepared for countering the greatest health and economic crisis our country has ever experienced!" the veteran labor activist contended.

The BMP further argued that Lorenzana's premature judgments reveal his, and by extension, the Duterte Regime's real preoccupation of restarting the economy as opposed to prioritizing the capacitation of our health system against the Covid-19 pandemic.

De Guzman further expounded "who is Lorenzana consulting in making these inane remarks? Capitalists and oligarchs losing profits due to quarantine restrictions, or medical experts and professionals? In their appeals to reopen and prioritize the economy, the Duterte Regime has been consistent with imposing this false dichotomy on the FIlipino working masses: either die by hunger or by Covid-19."

"This false choice they have been peddling is malicious and further demonstrates the gross incompetence of President Duterte and his lackeys - like Lorenzana - in handling this crisis. They continue to ignore the growing number of health experts, economists, trade unions, and civil society organizations asserting that prioritizing the country's health system is a necessary condition for economic recovery. The negative effects caused by quarantine restrictions can be countervailed by utilizing public funds (including the trillions procured from debt) for capacitating the health system and social amelioration for the working poor and unemployed," the labor leader concluded.

The BMP previously asserted in a statement that community quarantine could only work when the following measures are taken:

1. Mandating of paid quarantine leaves to workers for the entire duration of the ECQ;

2. Sufficient and unconditional social amelioration programs for all those affected by the ECQ;

3. Free mass testing, efficient contact tracing, and more isolation centers;

4. Rechanneling of public funds into capacitating health system;

5. Active hiring and regularization of public health workers;

6. Tapping trade unions and community organizations in implementing community quarantine.## 

For reference, please contact: Leody De Guzman

Union to defy employer's back-to-work order, demands factory disinfection and occupational safety before resumption of production

Press Release

May 18, 2020

UNION TO DEFY EMPLOYER'S BACK-TO-WORK ORDER, DEMANDS FACTORY DISINFECTIONS AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY BEFORE RESUMPTION OF PRODUCTION

The labor union at Everbright Net and Twine, a rope manufacturer located at Edison Ave., in Sun Valley Paranaque, has resisted the back-to-work order of their employer, citing the need for factory disinfection and occupational safety measures before returning to work.

The union is an affliate of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino and Solidarity of Unions in the Philippines for Empowerment and Reform (SUPER) Federation.

The Everbright workers did not receive any amelioration from DOLE-CAMP despite the application of their employer last March.

Teddy Fernandez, president ng Lakas Manggagawa sa Everbright-SUPER said, "Walang manggagawa na nais tumigil sa trabaho lalupa hindi naman pinaghandaan ng gobyerno ang ayuda para sa manggagawa nang biglaan nitong ipatupad ang lockdown. Halos lahat ng pangangailangan namin ay kailangang bilhin, at para magkaroon ng pambili, kailangan naming ibenta ang aming lakas-paggawa kapalit ng sweldo. Subalit kung mapepeligro naman ang manggagawa (kasama ang kanyang pamilya, na maaring mahawa sa kanya dahil sa COVID19) dahil sa kanyang pagtatrabaho, nawawalan ng saysay ang trabaho. Imbes na maging hanapbuhay, ito ay nagiging hanap-patay. Hindi kami magdadalawang-isip na maglunsad ng mass action para sa mass testing".

Fernandez added, "Nagkaisa na ang lahat ng manggagawa. Huwag na munang pumasok ngayon. Sundin muna ang guidelines ng syudad ng Paranaque na dapat sumailalim muna ang lahat ng papasok sa rapid testing sa sakit na COVID19".

BMP and SUPER president Luke Espiritu asserted, "We commmend the LGU of Paranaque for having the political will to impose mandatory mass testing of employees before any resumption of company operations. It is a far-cry from the lame DTI-DOLE guidelines on workplace prevention and control of COVID19, which places the conduct of mass testing by employers as a mere option". Section 7 of the DTI/DOLE guidelines states that "employers may test workers for COVID19".

Espiritu expounded, "But we are not surprised, after all DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez is a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist having served as underboss of RFM CEO and billionaire Joey Concepcion. The trade secretary shares the same elitist breeding with his boss, who now serves as advisor to Duterte and was quoted for saying that the poor are resilient to sickness because of their daily and prolonged exposure to risks".

"For employers like Lopez and Concepcion, precautionary measures for worker protection and safety are an added and unnecessary expense. Yet, it is optional for employers in order to showcase their alleged benevolence as philanthropists," the labor leader explained.

The BMP is pushing for mandatory measures such as mass testing and adequate medical facilities for workers, continued distribution of amelioration and relief packages to the poor (including workers who are permanently and temporarily displaced by the COVID19 quarantine), strict compliance to occupational safety and work standards, hazard pay, quarantine leaves and transportation allowance. The group also called for the setting up near-workplace accommodation for employees to minimize their mobility and possible exposure to the SARS-COV2 virus.

Espiritu furthered, "Local trade union leaders could easily see through the shameless profiteering by abusive employers, who have neither regard nor care for the welfare of their workers, in spite of the life-threatening COVID19 pandemic. The propertied are again playing on the desperation of the toiling and impoverished masses, not for the so-called revival of the economy, but for the unfettered creation of profit, rent, interest, taxes for the entire capitalist class".

"The refusal to work by the Everbright labor union is portent of things to come. Workers may invoke their right to refuse unsafe work in order to prevent the worse case scenario, not only to save their families from the deadlier second wave of COVID19 deaths and transmissions but also to save our medical frontliners and health care. Such noble acts of selflessness are more innate to the working class than to employers who are bred in the dog-eat-dog world of mindless capitalist competition". #