ANTIQUE – Several contractual employees of the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH) staged a protest on Wednesday, October 1, by simultaneously absenting themselves from work to demand the release of their long-delayed salaries.
The strike, joined mostly by nurses and other Contract of Service (COS) personnel, came after months of frustration over unpaid wages that have reportedly been delayed for nearly four months. Many of the hospital’s regular employees were left to cover shifts as their contractual counterparts participated in the protest.
Some COS workers said their absence may last until October 4 if their salaries remain unsettled. There were also reports that employees initially planned to stage a rally on the same day but decided to postpone it.
According to the provincial government, the delay in the release of salaries was caused by incomplete or erroneous submissions of required documents such as Daily Time Records (DTRs) and accomplishment reports. Some paperwork allegedly lacked signatures, while liaison officers from hospitals faced difficulties in processing the requirements at the capitol.
However, protesting employees dismissed these explanations as repetitive and unsatisfactory. One nurse interviewed by local media described the excuses as “going in circles,” leaving workers with no choice but to push through with their strike.
The provincial government and hospital management reportedly held a meeting to clarify the matter, but some employees claimed they were not informed of the outcome.
As of press time, efforts are underway to reach ASMGH Chief officials for comment on the ongoing labor unrest./PN
