“TINAMAAN KAYO NG SAMPUNG PATUNOG’…may diin…may tulak…may pinatutungkulan! Mga katagang madalas mamutawi sa bibig ng taong laman ng mga kilos-protesta sa lansangan na sa harap man ng mga anti-mamamayang puwersa ay handang makipagbanggaan at makipagdikdikan. Taas ang kamaong isinisigaw… KARAPATAN, KALAYAAN at KATARUNGAN!
Sino ba ang taong ito na nagtataglay ng diwang mapagkaisa na walang pag-aalinlangang gumagampan ng tungkuling nakaatang sa kanya? Sino siya na handang isaisantabi ang sariling kapahingahan at walang pagod na nagpaparoo’t parito para lamang papag-ugnayin at ganap na pagkaisahin ang noo’y binubuong alyansa ng mga puwersa ng mga kawani sa UP Diliman at ng sa UP Manila/PGH? Sino siya na isinasakripisyo ang sariling kalusugan na kahit may mabigat na karamdaman ay hindi iniinda at bagkus ay buong tatag na humarap sa mga pagsubok at buong sigasig na sumuong sa mga pakikibaka para sa kapakanan ng lahat? Sino siya na hanggang sa huling sandali ng kanyang buhay ay “pagsilbihan ang sambayanan” pa rin ang linyang taglay at walang kahinaang ipinakita kundi lalong pagpupursiging ganap na paglilingkod sa bayan?
Siya si G. Virgilio Panganiban o Ka Ver. Sa bawat indayog ng kanyang mga kamao, sa bawat katagang pinakakawalan at sa bawat padyak ng mga paa na may halong panggigigil, damang-dama ang kaseryusohan sa kinapapaloobang laban, laban na hindi biru-biruan at walang anyo o bahid ng paglalaro na maging ang banta ng sakit ay walang puwang para bigyan ng pansin. Patuloy at patuloy pang gumanap ng kanyang gawaing pag-oorganisa sa masa! Binura ng namamayaning determinasyon at nag-aalab na adhikain ang lahat ng takot at panghihina at taas-noong tinatanaw ang nalalapit na pagkakamit ng tagumpay sa isinusulong na Pambansa Demokratikong Pagkakaisa ng Sambayanang Pilipino tungo sa isang tunay at ganap na pagbabago.
Si Ka Ver ay di lang isang mabait at responsableng ama na nagtaguyod sa kanyang mga anak na sina Beverly at Melvin, o tapat na kabiyak ni Ka Letty na katuwang niya sa pangangalaga sa katatagan ng isang maipagmamalaking pamilya, o kaya’y kaibigan na kahit saan magtungo’y maraming kakilala. Si Ka Ver ay isang kasama. Kasama sa paghahawan ng mabalakid, baku-bako at sira-sirang landas ng pagbabago, kasama rin sa mga tagapaglikha ng kasaysayan at nagtatayo ng bagong pundasyon na sandalan ng darating na henerasyon. Siya ay kasama sa pagpapalaya ng bayan. Kaya’t ang kanyang pagkamatay ay di dapat pag-aksayahan ng luha ng kalungkutan. Hindi siya nawala! Pisikal na kaanyuan lamang ang umalis habang ang diwang taglay niya ay nananatiling kapiling natin…buhay na buhay at kasa-kasama sa pagsusulong ng tunay, palaban at makabayang adhikain tungo sa isang makabuluhan, makatarungan at malayang kinabukasan.
Mga kasama, kung may luha mang pumatak mula sa ating mga mata ay luha iyon ng panghihinayang… panghihinayang na di na maririnig ang kanyang tinig na sa bawat pagkilos natin ay lalong nagpapainitt, nagbibigay buhay at nagpapataas ng moral sa ating pakikibaka. Mga luha ng pagmamalaki dahil mayroon tayong Ka Ver na isang tunay na organisador at ehemplo ng katatagan, isang matibay na moog na di magigiba kaylan man, balon ng katitikan ang taglay na karunungan at balwarte ng pakikibaka ang kanyang kabuuan.
Mabuhay ka Kasamang Ver!
All UP Workers Union Manila
Ika-9 ng Oktubre 2004
Si Kasamang Ver o Virgilio Panganibaan ay siyang National Executive Vice President ng All UP Workers Union (2001-2004). Isa siyang Business Manager (SG 22) sa UP Press. Siya ay binawian ng buhay noong ika-9 ng Oktubre 2004 sa edad na 56, matapos atakehin sa puso.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Monday, October 11, 2004
Salaries of Public Health Workers: Rice and Salt Subsistence
PRESS RELEASE
October 11, 2004
Reference: JOSSEL I. EBESATE
Telephone No: 404-3721
Mobile Phone No: 09189276381
After going bald in thinking of means to make both ends meet amidst the ever-increasing prices of goods, now comes the reality of Public Health Workers’ nearing to a hand-to-mouth existence.
Health Workers of the country’s largest state hospital, again launched today a picket rally with noise barrage in front of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to emphasize the urgency of their call for a P3,000.00 across the board salary increase for all government employees. This is, following another round of increases in the prices of oil, transport fares, and electricity rates. To further dramatize the worsening economic plight of the Public Health Workers, who have chosen to remain in the country, the protesting PGH Health Workers eat their lunch consisting of rice and salt at the PGH Flagpole Stage. The increase in electricity rates starting on October billing was particularly worrisome to the protesting Public Health Workers because aside from the increase of 28.52 centavos per kilowatt-hour for residential consumer of more than 100 kWh a month; government hospitals will also pay an additional 43.56 centavos per kWh.
The activity held during lunch break (12:00 – 1:00 PM) was again spearheaded by the All U.P. Workers Union, Manila Chapter.
“The elimination of cross-subsidy on government hospital will translate to an average of about P1 million in additional cost per month to PGH, further depleting the already lacking budget allocation for patient services,” says Mr. Jossel Ebesate the Union’s Chapter President. “The monthly take home pay now of most of our Public Health Workers drived us on a rice and salt subsistence, it is already an ominous sign to Malacañang and the ruling elite!” added, Mr. Ebesate.
The increase of 28.52 per kWh for individual household translates to a minimum of P30 additional expense per month on electric bill alone. The added expense adds up to the monthly poverty threshold in the NCR of P16,862.00 (February 2004/NSCB). In contrast, the gross monthly salary of a PGH Utility Worker I (SG1) is just P5,082.00, Nursing Attendant II or Clerk III (SG6) is P7,606, Nurse I (SG10) is P9,939.00, while that of a Medical Officer III (SG18) is P15,831.00, still below the poverty threshold.
Aside from the All U.P. Workers Union, the said activity was supported by the All U.P. Academic Employees’ Union, the PGH Physicians’ Association, the Utility Workers Association of PGH and the Alliance of Health Workers. ###
October 11, 2004
Reference: JOSSEL I. EBESATE
Telephone No: 404-3721
Mobile Phone No: 09189276381
After going bald in thinking of means to make both ends meet amidst the ever-increasing prices of goods, now comes the reality of Public Health Workers’ nearing to a hand-to-mouth existence.
Health Workers of the country’s largest state hospital, again launched today a picket rally with noise barrage in front of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to emphasize the urgency of their call for a P3,000.00 across the board salary increase for all government employees. This is, following another round of increases in the prices of oil, transport fares, and electricity rates. To further dramatize the worsening economic plight of the Public Health Workers, who have chosen to remain in the country, the protesting PGH Health Workers eat their lunch consisting of rice and salt at the PGH Flagpole Stage. The increase in electricity rates starting on October billing was particularly worrisome to the protesting Public Health Workers because aside from the increase of 28.52 centavos per kilowatt-hour for residential consumer of more than 100 kWh a month; government hospitals will also pay an additional 43.56 centavos per kWh.
The activity held during lunch break (12:00 – 1:00 PM) was again spearheaded by the All U.P. Workers Union, Manila Chapter.
“The elimination of cross-subsidy on government hospital will translate to an average of about P1 million in additional cost per month to PGH, further depleting the already lacking budget allocation for patient services,” says Mr. Jossel Ebesate the Union’s Chapter President. “The monthly take home pay now of most of our Public Health Workers drived us on a rice and salt subsistence, it is already an ominous sign to Malacañang and the ruling elite!” added, Mr. Ebesate.
The increase of 28.52 per kWh for individual household translates to a minimum of P30 additional expense per month on electric bill alone. The added expense adds up to the monthly poverty threshold in the NCR of P16,862.00 (February 2004/NSCB). In contrast, the gross monthly salary of a PGH Utility Worker I (SG1) is just P5,082.00, Nursing Attendant II or Clerk III (SG6) is P7,606, Nurse I (SG10) is P9,939.00, while that of a Medical Officer III (SG18) is P15,831.00, still below the poverty threshold.
Aside from the All U.P. Workers Union, the said activity was supported by the All U.P. Academic Employees’ Union, the PGH Physicians’ Association, the Utility Workers Association of PGH and the Alliance of Health Workers. ###
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