LOCAL Government Secretary Benhur Abalos is pushing for the regularization of barangay health workers (BHWs) and nutrition scholars to ensure the continuity of the crucial services they render in their communities.

According to Abalos, every barangay should have at least one of these personnel having permanent status regardless of who the chairman is.

“Ako, I’m really batting na magkaroon ng barangay health worker at barangay nutrition scholar kasi talagang alam na nila (ang dapat gawin). I am pushing na sana mag-iwan ng isang regular [permanent BHW, nutrition scholar],” Abalos said during the pre-awarding press conference for the 2023 National Nutrition Awarding ceremony at the Manila Hotel.

Under the current set-up, BHWs and nutrition scholars are coterminous with the barangay officials who hired them.

They are forced to resign after three years once the new set of officials assume their posts, disrupting and greatly affecting ongoing health and nutrition community programs and projects.

As an advocate of health and nutrition, even during his term as mayor of Mandaluyong City, Abalos said health workers and nutrition scholars play crucial roles in the implementation of critical health and nutrition programs at the grassroots level.

He noted that one of the factors for the scarcity of barangay health workers and nutrition scholars was that most barangays lacked sufficient funds for the said positions.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Joel dela Torre