PopCom objects scrapping of Magna Carta benefits

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) -- The Commission on Population Employees Association (COPEA) in Eastern Visayas has joined other health and science workers in the country in protesting against the scrapping of their Magna Carta benefits under the proposed Salary Standardization Law.

COPEA-8 president Melanie C. Alberto said that despite the repeated assurances from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that the additional benefits health and science workers, social workers and public school teachers would not be taken away in the Salary Standardization Law (SSL), they will strengthen their position to oppose the plan to scrap their Magna Carta benefits.

As part of the protest against possible scrapping of Magna Carta benefits, all rank and file employees of POPCOM nationwide sported black shirts today, February 5.

Alberto added that COPEA has already forged alliance with the National DOH Employees Association (NDEA) to push the deletion of said provision specified under the SSL by staging silent protests until their demand has been granted. POPCOM is an attached agency of the DOH.

“We have a common and firm stand to delete the specific provision under Section 20 of the SSL 2015 which is now at the bicameral conference committee,” Alberto said.

Section 20 states that Magna Carta laws are inconsistent with the SSL IV provisions and "are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly."

Specifically deemed amended are: Republic Act (RA) 4670, the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers; RA 7305, the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers; RA 8439, the Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and Other S&T Personnel; and RA 9443, the Magna Carta for Social Workers.

RA 7305 grants public health workers "on call" pay, night-shift differential, subsistence allowance, remote assignment and hazard allowance, among others. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR