Sanitation inspectors – the unsung “foot soldiers” of the Department of Health who help safeguard public health at the community level – may soon get long-overdue improvements in benefits and working conditions under a bill filed by Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson.
Lacson on Wednesday filed Senate Bill 1725, seeking to positively augment and improve the compensation of sanitation inspectors by modifying their salary grade schedule.
“This bill aims to professionalize the health and sanitary-related services rendered by sanitation inspectors by requiring the registration and accreditation of the sanitation inspectors to ensure the healthcare and welfare of the community,” he said in his bill titled “An Act Modifying the Salary Grade Schedule and Enhancing the Benefits of Sanitation Inspectors, Protecting their General Working Conditions, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
He added the bill “further intends to positively augment and improve the basic monetary compensation of sanitation inspectors by modifying the salary grade schedule for all registered sanitation inspectors nationwide and correlating the existing position titles of SIs to the next higher salary grade.”
In Filipino: Panukalang Batas ni Lacson, Pahuhusayin ang Benepisyo at Working Conditions ng mga Sanitation Inspector
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Lacson noted SIs have the duty to enter any premises involved in manufacture, preparation or packing of any food for sale.
Yet, a 2021 joint press statement of the Department of Health, World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund showed the 2,700 sanitation inspectors in the country were unevenly distributed, with 68 percent of cities in the country having fewer SIs than required. The standard ratio is one SI for every 20,000 population, he noted.
“Despite all the health hazards that a sanitary inspector encounters in the fulfillment of his/her duties, a Sanitary Inspector I only receives a monthly salary of P18,255.00,” he lamented.
Under Lacson’s bill, all SIs shall be registered with the local health boards of the provinces, cities or towns where they serve. The SI Registry shall be subject to approval by the city and town health boards. The provincial SI registry shall be publicized in the provincial, city and town bulletin boards, including barangay health centers.
Registered SIs must be duly accredited by the city or town health board. SIs must complete a regular training program on environmental health sanitation within five years from registration.
Allowances and Benefits
Accredited and registered SIs are entitled to allowances including:
* Hazard allowance of at least P1,000 a month;
* Subsistence allowance of at least P200 a day;
* Laundry allowance of at least P500 a month if the SIs are required to wear prescribed uniforms legally;
* Transportation allowance of at least P1,000 a month;
* A one-time gratuity cash incentive of at least P10,000 for those who satisfactorily served for at least 10 years;
* Discount privileges including 20% discount on items enumerated under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, where the commercial establishment may claim the discount as tax deduction.
The bill also provides education and career enrichment for accredited and registered SIs.
During their incumbency, SIs shall be entitled to health benefits including free medical care including surgery, medicines, x-ray and laboratory fees; compulsory medical examination annually; emergency assistance of up to P10,000 chargeable against the funds of the concerned local government unit (LGU); and mandatory and immediate membership in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
Other benefits include insurance coverage from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) borne by their respective LGUs; sick and maternity leaves; disability benefit; housing; leave benefits; freedom from interference or coercion; a monthly longevity pay of 5% of the basic monthly pay for every five years of service; free legal services; and preferential access to loans.
SIs shall also avail of occupational safety and health (OSH) standards including the rights to job safety orientations, to be informed of possible work hazards and health risks, to trainings, to refuse unsafe work, to be issued with personal protective equipment, and to comply with OSH standards.
Provincial, city and town health offices and local health boards must adopt and implement measures to prevent and/or minimize sanitation-related work hazards and risks.
Also, SIs shall be protected against discrimination and removal without valid cause. Local health boards shall establish grievance mechanisms to process SIs’ complaints against discrimination and unjust removal.
Meanwhile, the bill allows the organizing of accredited and/or registered SIs into groups and associations; as well as representation in local health boards, water councils, social development councils, and disaster risk reduction management councils.
SIs shall be prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity, while the Department of Health through its Center for Health Development shall conduct continuous capacity-building for SIs.
Violations and Penalties
Violations of the provisions of the measure face a penalty ranging from P50,000 to P500,000, or imprisonment of one to five years, or both.
Funds for the implementation of the measure shall be charged to the National Tax Allotment of LGUs, other local funds, the special health fund under the Universal Health Care Act, including the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law.
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Panukalang Batas ni Lacson, Pahuhusayin ang Benepisyo at Working Conditions ng mga Sanitation Inspector
Magkakaroon ng mas mahusay na benepisyo at kondisyon sa trabaho ang mga sanitation inspector — ang mga “foot soldiers” ng Department of Health na tumutulong sa pangangalaga ng kalusugan ng publiko sa community level — kung magiging batas ang panukala na inihain ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson.
Inihain ni Lacson nitong Miyerkules ang Senate Bill 1725 na naglalayong pataasin at pagandahin ang kompensasyon ng mga sanitation inspector sa pamamagitan ng pagbabago sa kanilang salary grade schedule.
“This bill aims to professionalize the health and sanitary-related services rendered by sanitation inspectors by requiring the registration and accreditation of the sanitation inspectors to ensure the healthcare and welfare of the community,” ani Lacson sa kanyang panukalang “An Act Modifying the Salary Grade Schedule and Enhancing the Benefits of Sanitation Inspectors, Protecting their General Working Conditions, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
Layunin din ng panukala na higit pang mapabuti ang batayang sahod ng mga sanitation inspector sa pamamagitan ng pag-angat ng kanilang salary grade at pagtutugma ng kanilang kasalukuyang posisyon sa mas mataas na antas ng sahod.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na tungkulin ng mga SI ang pumasok sa anumang establisimyento na may kinalaman sa paggawa, paghahanda, o pag-iimpake ng pagkain na ibinebenta sa publiko.
Subali’t ayon sa pahayag noong 2021 ng Department of Health, World Health Organization at United Nations Children’s Fund, ang 2,700 sanitation inspector sa bansa ay hindi pantay ang distribusyon, at 68 porsyento ng mga lungsod ay kulang sa bilang ng SI batay sa pamantayan. Ang standard ratio ay isang SI sa bawat 20,000 populasyon.
“Despite all the health hazards that a sanitary inspector encounters in the fulfillment of his/her duties, a Sanitary Inspector I only receives a monthly salary of P18,255.00,” ani Lacson.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, ang lahat ng SI ay kailangang nakarehistro sa mga local health board ng lalawigan, lungsod o bayan kung saan sila naglilingkod. Ang SI Registry ay kailangang aprubahan ng city at town health boards at ilathala sa mga bulletin board ng probinsya, lungsod, bayan, at maging sa mga barangay health center.
Ang mga rehistradong SI ay dapat ma-accredit ng city o town health board at kailangang makumpleto ang regular na pagsasanay sa environmental health sanitation sa loob ng limang taon mula sa kanilang rehistrasyon.
Mga Allowance at Benepisyo
Ang mga accredited at rehistradong SI ay may karapatan sa mga sumusunod na allowance:
* Hazard allowance na hindi bababa sa P1,000 bawat buwan;
* Subsistence allowance na hindi bababa sa P200 bawat araw;
* Laundry allowance na hindi bababa sa P500 bawat buwan kung kinakailangang magsuot ng prescribed uniform;
* Transportation allowance na hindi bababa sa P1,000 bawat buwan;
* Isang beses na gratuity cash incentive na hindi bababa sa P10,000 para sa may hindi bababa sa 10 taong serbisyo;
* Mga discount privilege kabilang ang 20% diskwento sa mga serbisyong saklaw ng Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
Naglalaan din ang panukala ng edukasyon at career enrichment para sa mga SI.
Habang nasa serbisyo, ang mga SI ay may karapatan sa mga benepisyong pangkalusugan tulad ng libreng pagpapagamot kabilang ang operasyon, gamot, x-ray at laboratory fees; taunang medical examination; emergency assistance na hanggang P10,000 na sagot ng LGU; at agarang pagiging miyembro ng PhilHealth.
Kabilang pa sa mga benepisyo ang insurance mula sa GSIS na sagot ng LGU; sick at maternity leave; disability benefit; pabahay; leave benefits; proteksyon laban sa panghihimasok o pamimilit; longevity pay na 5% ng buwanang sahod kada limang taon ng serbisyo; libreng serbisyong legal; at prayoridad sa pautang.
Saklaw din ng panukala ang pagsunod sa occupational safety and health (OSH) standards, kabilang ang karapatan sa safety orientation, impormasyon hinggil sa mga panganib sa trabaho, pagsasanay, pagtanggi sa delikadong trabaho, at pagkakaloob ng personal protective equipment.
Inaatasan ang mga provincial, city at town health office at local health board na magpatupad ng mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang mga panganib sa trabaho ng mga SI.
Pinoprotektahan din ang mga SI laban sa diskriminasyon at pagtanggal sa serbisyo nang walang sapat na dahilan. Magtatatag ang local health boards ng grievance mechanism para sa mga reklamo ng SI.
Maaaring bumuo ang mga SI ng mga grupo at asosasyon, at magkaroon ng representasyon sa local health boards, water councils, social development councils, at disaster risk reduction management councils.
Ipinagbabawal sa mga SI ang pakikilahok sa partisan political activity. Samantala, magsasagawa ang DOH sa pamamagitan ng Center for Health Development ng tuloy-tuloy na capacity-building para sa mga SI.
Mga Paglabag at Parusa
Ang mga lalabag sa panukala ay maaaring pagmultahin ng P50,000 hanggang P500,000, o makulong ng isa hanggang limang taon, o pareho.
Kukunin ang pondo para sa pagpapatupad ng panukala mula sa National Tax Allotment ng LGUs, iba pang lokal na pondo, special health fund sa ilalim ng Universal Health Care Act, at sa General Appropriations Act ng taon kasunod ng pagpapatibay nito bilang batas.
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