NEWS BRIEFS

PH hikes contribution to UNHCR

The Philippines has substantially increased its monetary contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during a pledging session at the UN program’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. According to Deputy Permanent Representative Kristine Leilani Salle, the country’s increased contribution of $150,000 may not sound much to countries that can afford much more, but the amount was 50 percent higher than the country’s previous contributions. It also excludes the Philippines’ nonmonetary contributions, including assistance to Rohingya people of Myanmar, as well as refugees from Ukraine and Sudan in 2023. Salle urged members of the international community to pool their resources and direct them for the protection and durable solutions for refugees, stateless persons, asylum seekers and other displaced people. “It is for this reason that we are scaling-up our contribution, to the best of our national capacity as a middle-income country,” she stated, “especially as it has been our constant call for traditional and nontraditional donors alike to push the boundaries of global burden and responsibility sharing.” —Jacob Lazaro

DOH speaks up for 80,393 sacked health workers

The Department of Health (DOH) has called on Congress to prioritize the Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers after the “unjust” dismissal of some 80,000 by newly elected village officials. The DOH said a joint memorandum circular of the DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government protected trained barangay health workers against “politically motivated and unjust removal” from their posts by barangay chairpersons. But 80,393 barangay health workers were removed “without due process” by some barangay officials who won in the Oct. 30 polls. The DOH said the Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers would help protect health workers and urged Congress to hasten its passage. The House of Representatives approved the bill on third reading and transmitted to the Senate in December last year. But the Senate committee, chaired by Sen. Christopher Go has not acted on the measure. In a statement to reporters, the DOH pointed out the role of barangay health workers “as one of the most critical cadres” in the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act. If enacted into law, the Magna Carta would “further ensure that the rights of our (barangay health workers are protected against unjust removal by barangay captains.” The measure aims to “promote the welfare” of barangay health workers through the provision of incentives and benefits, such as monthly honoraria, hazard and transportation allowances, insurance coverage, mandated leave credits and other benefits. —Kathleen de villa