Manila mayor extends health permit deadline

THE MANILA city government has approved the request of UST labor unions to extend the health permit deadline for the University’s teaching and non-teaching staff, the coalition of the University’s employees groups said.

In a letter to its members dated June 23, the Organisasyon ng Nagkakaisang Empleyado ng UST (ONE-UST) said Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna had extended the deadline of availing a health permit from June 30 to July 31.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Mayor Honey Lacuna and her office for their support and cooperation in addressing this matter, ensuring that our members have sufficient time to comply with the requirements,” the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Flame, read.

The letter was signed by Emerito Gonzales, president of the UST Faculty Union, Dan Paul Patricio, president of Samahang Manggagawa-UST and Donell John Siazon, president of Ugnayan ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa-UST Hospital.

Aside from the deadline extension, ONE-UST had also requested Lacuna to set up a satellite office within the University to accommodate the collection and testing of specimens and payment of fees. In a letter dated June 21, the coalition noted that only about 850 of approximately 2,500 employees had adhered to the requirement when the letter was written.

READ: UST labor unions raise concerns over Manila health ordinance

The unions’ requests stemmed from a memorandum by the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance (OVRF) in April requiring all UST staff to obtain health certificates from the Manila Health Department by May 31 in line with City Ordinance 8793 issued in 2021. The deadline was later extended to June 30 through a separate memorandum.

Under the city ordinance, employees must present a valid ID, stool and urine samples, a filled-out drug test form and biometrics. An employee has to spend P625 for the health permit, which has to be renewed every year.

“Some factors we see for this low turn-out are the distance of the designated testing facility and the discomfort our members experienced while collecting urine and stool samples in the below average conditions of the public toilets,” ONE-UST said in the letter.

“The hesitance of our members to inter-mingle with big crowds who may be sick or carry a virus; and the fact that many of our teachers come from the nearby provinces this vacation time,” it added. F