The mismanagement of the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) is to blame for delays in the approval the supplemental budget for the salaries of its personnel, according to Capiz Second District Board Member Matt Hachuela.
In an interview on IMT Conversations, Hachuela rebutted the claim that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is delaying the budget.
Capiz Governor Esteban Evan Contreras earlier sought the approval of the P79 million supplemental budget as the provincial government’s coronavirus pandemic response fund.
The fund is particularly for RMPH, Bailan District Hospital, and Mambusao District Hospital allocations for medicines, additional beds, general and professional services, among others.
Other Capitol offices such as the Provincial Health Office, Equipment Pool Division, Provincial Engineer’s Office – Administrative Division, and the Capiz Rehabilitation Center will also get allocations.
According to Hachuela, around P35 million alone will go to the salaries of the RMPH’s personnel while around P9 million for their needed medical supplies.
Hachuela explained that as far as the 160 organic employees of the hospital are concerned, their salaries are already budgeted until September this year.
“According sa Provincial Budget Officer of Capiz hasta pa ya September ang budget sa sweldo sang mga frontliners galing tungod sang indi maayo nga pagmanage sang hospital, delayed ila pirme ang pagfile sang mga payrolls sang mga frontliners,” said Hachuela.
“So nga-a ginabasol nila sa mga board members ang pundo nga may ara pa fund para sa ila sweldo asta September pa,” he added.
Even without the Supplemental Budget, Hachuela stressed the provincial government can source out from other funds such as Quick Response Fund and other COVID Response Fund.
“Wala ya ginakulang ang pundo para sa RMPH. Ginapagwa lang nila ya nga kuno abi wala na pundo, wala ginaswelduhan,” said Hachuela citing a statement from the governor which he described as “patalang” (deceiving).
Moreover, Hachuela noted that there are so-called more or less 500 job hires and contractual employees of the hospital who need to be paid for their salaries, which will be taken from concerned supplemental budget.
Hachuela said they are wondering why the hospital has so many personnel who are not even visible in the hospital.
“Naga reklamo pa gani ang mga himata sang mga pasyente nga kulang gihapon ang serbisyo despite nga amo na gli kadamo ang ginpang hire,” said Hachuela.
“Subong lang namon natukiban nga amo na kadamo ang mga frontliners nga gina swelduhan sang provincial government sa RMPH,” he added.
Hachuela emphasized that they are ready to approve the supplement budget for the RMPH once the SP is provided with the necessary documents they are asking for.
“Gusto namon tan-awon kag i-scrutinize whether or not these personnel (more or less 500 job hires and contract workers) are warm bodies,” said Hachuela.
As proof that they are not blocking the budget, Hachuela said the SP has already approved the budget for Bailan District Hospital after the latter complied with the requirements they were asking for.IMT
