DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Barangay Health Workers (BHW) will soon be allowed to render service up to 65 years old, with a city councilor to file the amendment to ordinance limiting the service of each individual BHW up to 60 years old.
In today’s regular session, City Councilor and the committee on health chair Mary Joselle Villafuerte filed the resolution requesting Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as the chairperson of the Local Health Board “to revise the criterion on the terminating barangay health workers on account of age from 60 to 65 years old.”
The existing ordinance issued in 2007 has this criterion of terminating volunteer health workers when they reach 60 years old.
In her privileged speech, Villafuerte said the criterion becomes “counterproductive” because the city has spent for their training and capacity building.
“We made research and we cannot find any ordinance or law allowing the City Health Office to forcibly retire a person once they reach the age of 60,” said Villafuerte.
The city councilor also said that is also inconsistent with Republic Act 10911 sec. 5a of the Prohibition of Discrimination in Employment on Account of Age that states that it shall be unlawful for an employer to impose early retirement on the basis of such employee’s or worker’s age.
She added that upon consultation with the Civil Service Commission, it also said that 60 years old is “an optional age” for someone to retire as the law allows a government worker to continue its service until the age of 65 years old.
“Why not give this to our BHW as they deserve the same amount of respect and opportunities that were given to all us. They did not ask for more but just the same benefit any government worker enjoys,” she said.
Meanwhile, Villarfuerte also said that the mayor already has its intention to standardize all benefits enjoyed by all BHW as they discussed the BHW Act. (davaotoday.com)
