DOH-ARMM wants hike in BHW honorarium

COTABATO CITY -- The Regional Legislative Assembly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is now studying the proposed increase of honorarium for Barangay Health Workers in the region, officials said Friday.Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH-ARMM) requested the regional law making body of the region to increase, through legislation, the honorarium of health workers by Php3,000.Currently, the more than 2,000 health frontliners are only receiving Php500 a month as honorarium.Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, DOH-ARMM health chief, said his office has proposed an additional Php3,000 monthly to be standardized with the monthly allowance of grass roots health workers. We hope the requested additional honorarium will be acted upon by the RLA health committee as soon as possible, Sinolinding said.The ARMM office of the governor has also forwarded to RLA the proposed local budget amounting to Php1.5 million intended for various offices of the regional government. I know the situation of our barangay health workers and I know the risk they are facing in performing their duties in the villages, he said. They must be compensated enough as their work involves saving lives and ensuring good health of the rural folks, he said.ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.