Physician Daisy Villa, head of the Cebu Metropolis Well being Division. CDN Digital photograph
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Metropolis Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos uncovered grave allegations of abuse of energy and misconduct in opposition to Dr. Daisy Villa, the pinnacle of the Cebu Metropolis Well being Division (CCHD) in the course of the council’s common session on August 7.
She accused Villa of exercising “tyrannical management, committing moral violations, and fostering an atmosphere of inefficiency and impropriety” in her privileged speech.
“This matter has reached the Civil Service Fee (CSC), which issued an instantaneous motion directing the Human Useful resource Improvement Workplace on July 30 to handle the criticism of alleged grave abuse of authority in opposition to Dr. Daisy Villa,” Delos Santos acknowledged.
Probably the most urgent points delivered to mild entails the inhumane working circumstances imposed on midwives.
In an workplace memorandum dated April 18, 2024, Villa issued a directive relating to the off-duty entitlement for midwives on 24-hour obligation rotations.
Based on the memorandum (Ref. No. DsV – 004 – 2024 – 644), midwives who don’t ship a child throughout their shift aren’t entitled to off-duty time the next day. Nonetheless, if a number of Regular Spontaneous Vaginal Supply (NSVD) instances are recorded within the well being heart logbook throughout their shift, the midwife might be entitled to off-duty time the next day.
This coverage was directed on the 11 birthing facilities together with Tejero Well being Middle, Guadalupe Well being Middle, Inayawan Well being Middle, Mabolo Well being Middle, Lahug Well being Middle, Quiot Well being Middle, Pasil Well being Middle, Sudlon I Well being Middle, Talamban Well being Middle, Carreta Well being Middle, and San Nicolas Well being Middle (Correct).
Based on Delos Santos, this coverage instantly contradicts the Magna Carta for Public Well being Staff, which mandates an additional break day after 24 hours of service with none circumstances.
“The issuance of Workplace Memo No. DSV0042024044 by Dr. Villa blatantly violated this rule. It isn’t solely an abuse of authority but additionally a patently unlawful order that’s inhumane, malicious, and oppressive—an conceited show of energy,” Delos Santos asserted.
Furthermore, the councilor disclosed scandalous occasions allegedly going down inside the well being division. On July 5, throughout a supposed Vitamin Month celebration, actions suggestive of near-nudity have been reportedly held inside the division premises.
Delos Santos condemned the occasion as “unprofessional and inappropriate,” the place she cited the necessity for respect and decorum in public well being areas.
Additional allegations included shortages of medical provides, lack of transparency within the distribution of allowances and advantages, and an oppressive environment that demoralized well being employees.
Reviews of prolonged work hours, unpaid allowances since 2022, and unaddressed grievances painted an image of neglect and mismanagement.
READ: Cebu Metropolis’s tremendous household well being heart to open this June
“Inquiries concerning the allowance are met with scorn as an alternative of options. This has led to a morale disaster amongst our well being employees,” Delos Santos lamented.
She additionally shared the account of a midwife who was pressured to work between 56 to 64 hours per week with out simply trigger.
Delos Santos famous that this was not the primary time complaints about Villa had reached the council. She talked about that earlier resolutions, together with one on April 3, 2024, requesting the mayor to evaluation the administration of town’s well being division, and one other on Might 29, urging the appearing mayor to handle Villa’s conduct, had been disregarded.
Regardless of a number of requires motion, she mentioned, Villa’s management continues to be criticized as “tyrannical.”
Delos Santos didn’t mince phrases and questioned the obvious inaction of town administration.
“Are there sacred cows in your administration, Performing Mayor Raymond Garcia?” she mentioned.
In response to those points, the council accepted the decision together with its resolving clauses.
It was resolved that the Cebu Metropolis mayor ought to direct the Cebu Metropolis Authorities resident Ombudsman to conduct a radical investigation and evaluation of administrative operations inside the Metropolis Well being Division, with a selected deal with allegations of tyranny, impropriety, inefficiency, and incompetence underneath Dr. Villa’s management.
The outcomes of this investigation could be anticipated inside 15 days of receipt.
She additionally advisable that the Metropolis Well being Division present the Cebu Metropolis Council with quarterly reviews detailing operational actions, stock of provides, together with medicines obtained from the Division of Well being, and the standing of well being advantages.
Moreover, she known as for a complete evaluation of all employment insurance policies and practices enforced by the CCHD, significantly these associated to working hours and circumstances for midwives and different well being personnel, to make sure compliance with moral requirements and labor legal guidelines.
Delos Santos urged town administration, by means of the HR Division, to develop a assist and restoration plan for well being employees affected by alleged improper administrative practices, which ought to embrace psychological assist, relaxation intervals, and crucial compensation changes.
Lastly, she proposed establishing and strengthening mechanisms for direct suggestions from well being employees and the group, guaranteeing that the voices of these impacted by the CCHD are heard and thought of in policymaking.
In the meantime, in an interview with CDN Digital on the identical day, Villa expressed confusion over the timing of the Civil Service Fee’s letter, which she claimed to have obtained solely lately.
“Bag-o lang gyud nato nadawat ang letter. Nahibong ko ngano naabot dayon sa council,” she mentioned.
Villa famous that it was untimely to remark additional on the matter at the moment.
“That is an administrative problem that requires correct administrative and corrective actions, para nako. it’s nonetheless too early to remark,” she added.
Nonetheless, Villa assured that she would deal with the problems publicly sooner or later. /clorenciana
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