By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Health Workers Partylist (HWP) will be joining next year’s election after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) granted its motion for reconsideration on its registration and accreditation as a sectoral organization.
The Comelec granted the motion on Sept. 23.
The group welcomed the Comelec’s decision describing it as a “very positive development for the health workers.”
“Our organized efforts have paid off. We have proven once again that organized actions lead us to victory,” the HWP said in a statement.
The Comelec initially dismissed the petition for registration of the HWP on Aug. 22 due to a minor technical issue of differentiating between a sectoral party and a sectoral organization. The group immediately filed the motion for reconsideration on Aug. 27.
The group said that with the first hurdle passed, the health workers now “have the opportunity to reach out to the electorate and explain our platform for the health workers and people’s health.”
According to the Comelec decision, “Considering the various issues affecting health workers and the need for their representation in the legislature, the denial of registration of the Petitioner will minimize, if not, divest the health workers’ chance of representation.”
For the health group, their strength has been proven through their decades of struggle. “Our persistent organized actions have led us to the passage of Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, successful campaign against privatization of public hospitals, campaign for Salary Grade 15 entry salary for nurses, and the release, albeit delayed, of mandated pandemic benefits.”
The HWP was publicly launched last Sept. 14 where they presented its 10 nominees. The first three nominees are registered midwife and Alliance of Health Workers National President Robert Mendoza, registered nurse Maristela Presto-Abenojar, and HWP President Dr. Benigno Santi II, respectively.
The other nominees are Dr. Catherine Joyce Brillantes, nurse Jet Garcia, retired health worker Remy Ysmael, nursing aid and caregiver Rose Mary Ann Solinap, nurse Cyruz Tuppal, dentist Grace Aure and community nurse Julie Passi.
The group said that having overcome the first hurdle, they are now ready to face the bigger challenge of reaching a minimum vote of two percent of the total partylist votes to have a seat in the House of Representatives.
“We have no goons, guns and gold, but we have our principles and platform, our unity and our unlimited commitment to serve the people. And equally important, we have to guard against electoral fraud and attacks,” the group said.
“With the health workers and the Filipino people we serve on our side, we are positive that we will prevail,” they added. (RTS, RVO)
