A Roller Coaster Week

On Monday, June 28, PGH awakened with a mass circulated paper from a group who introduced themselves as "Mga Tunay na PGH Concerned Employees." The statement were placed under the doorways of administrative offices probably on Sunday night. The statement condemned the alleged coercive solicitation of orders by their supervisors and office heads in favor to a particular corporate seamstress for the PGH 2005 uniform of administrative employees. The statement tickled the All UP Workers Union Manila on why the union allows those things to happen and lambaste the PGH Administration for allegedly "natutulog sa kangkungan o kaya'y nagbubulag-bulagan."

To set the record straight, during the dialogue of the union with Director Alfiler on June 11, 2004, we have already vioced our concern on the Memorandum dated June 8, 2004 coming from Mrs. Teresita Venturina who claimed to be the Head, Administrative Unit, PGH 2004 Uniform Committee. The memo which were likely circulated on all administrative units alleged that: "the PGH Uniform Committee has already approved a new sets of uniform for administrative employees of PGH" and so therefore it now "request you to accomplish the attached order forms (prices included) and submit them to Mrs. Venturina on or before June 25, 2004." The memo also mentioned: "La Marina gave the best offers/terms has been chosen as provider of the uniforms..." Our concern was that the PGH and U.P. Manila Uniform Committees' has already agreed that individual administrative employees of PGH or UP Manila shall be given the freedom of choosing his/her own seamstress for the 2004 uniform. The only matters that will be decided and recommended for approval by the PGH Director or the UP Manila Chancellor will be the cut, cloth and color of uniform. In which Director Alfiler promised to look into the matter.

To further bolster our concern, the Union Chapter President made a letter/query also this Monday, June 28, to the Chair of the PGH 2004 Uniform Committee to express our concern that any solicitation for orders to a particular seamtress at this time may constitute an illegal act considering that both the PGH and UP Manila Uniform Committees have yet made a final recommendation for the cut, cloth and color for the 2005 uniform of administrative employees. Also, a Memorandum is yet to be issued coming from the UP Manila Chancellor or the PGH Director specifying the approved cut, color and cloth for the 2005 uniform. Our letter further request the Chair, "to enjoin Mrs. Venturina and those concerned supervisors and office heads to cease and desist from their misrepresentation and coercive activities." Copies of the letter were furnished to the UP Manila Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor for Administration and the PGH Director.

On Wednesday, June 30, we were met with a power failure in the Ermita area (including PGH/UP Manila) starting from about 8:00 AM to around 12:00 noon. The cause was a fallen MERALCO post along Kalaw St. in Luneta where the 14th President of the Rebublic, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivers her inagural address at the nearby Quirino Grandstand at around 8:00 in the morning. PGH has its own generator, but power was limited only on Special Areas, the Intensive Care Units and lights at hallways.

Around 10:40 the entire PGH and UP Manila community went agog on the report that one of our Utility Worker in the name of Christopher Florin slipped from the 8th Floor of the PGH Central Block Building and fell at the 4th Floor right front canopy just besides the DPPS Chief Nurse's Office. The Chief Nurse Mrs. Eden Bayrante and her daughter Fritzie (who's also a student of UP Manila) noticed it, and went outside of the office screaming for help at the nearby Nurses Station of the RCB1 4th Floor. Two Nurses, a Nursing Attendant, a Utility Worker and a Security Guard, immediately went into action and brought the body of the dying colleague in the Emergency Room. Personnel at the ER tried everything they could to revive Chris (as we fondly called Mr. Florin) but succumbed to massive internal bleeding and multiple fractures including his skull.

The Router's Log Book of the Division of Nursing Education and Training (DNET) that earlier was given to Chris was later discovered besides the doorway leading to the Rooftop Garden at the 8th Floor. Shoes skids marks were also discovered at the rooftiles leading to the roof edge where Chhris probably slipped.

We are conveying our deepest sympathy to his wife Adora (who was also a clerk at the PGH Medical Record's Division) and to their four kids.

The union will visit Chris' wake this Friday, July 2. The Union's contribution includes P2,000.00 as Death Assistance Benefit, while the Manila Chapter will add P3,000.00 as Special Assistance.

Tommorow, Friday, July 2, the National Executive Board will have its 21st Meeting at 9:00 AM, while at around 1:30 PM, Manila Chapter will have its 4th Meeting of Unit Representatives. Primary agenda of said meetings will still be on our demand for quarterly rice subsidy. Add to this will we the demand by all government workers for the P3,000.00 acros the board monthly salary increase. The demand for salary increase will be coordinated nationwide by COURAGE, AHW and ACT.