By Leonardo Micua

 

JUST before Christmas, I received a video recording that caught Gov. Mon-mon Guico in a furious mood while he was dressing down in no uncertain terms his audience that was composed of Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) and Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in a presumably well-attended public meeting at the provincial capitol.

He gave them a mouthful and spewed invectives that were never heard from any other past governors.

His outburst reportedly stemmed from his GuiConsulta program, which is not making much headway in many towns and cities, failing to attract as many patients as expected. He suspects the BHWs and MHOs were not fully cooperating, and if they were, only half-heartedly.

The health workers did not deserve his uncalled-for remarks. Lest he forgets, they are not under him, nor are they in the plantilla of the provincial government, but of the local governments.

The BHWs also owe their allegiance to the barangay captains who tapped them as volunteers for just a monthly token allowance for their sacrifice.

Therefore, the guv has no right to mistreat them as if he is the corporate employer.

As the meme-video showed, the BHWs rebuked him when they barked back: Mr. Guico ““f%$k you too” and asked: “Where were you during the pandemic?”

With the video recording of Guico’s rare moment of outburst gone viral on social media, any effort on the part of his spin doctors to repair the damage done would not be an easy task.

His candidacy for a second term of office may very well be affected. Remember that his arch-rival Pogi Espino, during his time as governor, treated the MHOs and BHWs with utmost respect.

It is already public knowledge that the GuiConsulta, a spin, by the way, from the DOH’s e-Consulta, that uses the resources of the provincial government, including its personnel, is part of his political propaganda to win a second term in the May 2025 election.

But methinks GuiConsuta came too late in the day and should have been launched from day one of his administration to show that public health is really among his priorities.

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GuiConsulta is not attracting many patients because of Guico himself. 

His fault is attaching his name to the health program, which was already done even by previous provincial administrations.

There are BHWs in all towns and all barangays of Pangasinan. Their numbers alone (excluding members of their families) constitute a big force to reckon with in the coming election. Their hurt caused by no less than the governor of the province, cannot be healed by just calling them to the capitol to receive ayuda. 

Many even suspect he’s running scared, that’s why he launched his GuiConsulta program in the last few months of his administration, and bought at incredible high price primetime available in local radio stations to drumbeat his name to the Pangasinan electorate.

 Also, it may do him good to order his retinue of advisers to ask the people of Pangasinan why they are shying away from his GuiConsulta.

 My source said it is because of people’s suspicion that GuiConsulta is not at all free, and if the people availed of its services, it would be charged to PhilHealth if they or their kin are members thereof.

 Recall that most if not all provincial government-run hospitals had been “corporatized” under Guico, who touts that he runs the province under a corporate style of governance. GuiConsulta may be part of it. 

 If this is not the case, then there was a failure in communication somewhere else.

 Then the blame is not on Mr. Guico but clearly on his communicators.

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The four opposition councilors of Dagupan under the new minority could face administrative and criminal charges for walking out and even boycotting the sessions since November 5 this year when three of their allies were preventively suspended for 60 days by the Office of the President.

This is clearly a dereliction of duty on their part, and they should return their salaries and allowances for that period.

These ‘dead wood’ in the city government think they can keep on receiving their fat compensations and allowances for doing nothing, while the other councilors are virtually racing against time in their bid to help their constituencies.

Who would want to bring the ‘dead wood’ back into the city council for the next three years?

Happy New Year to one and all!

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