THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is still reviewing the number of hours that should be rendered by physicians to government hospitals.
Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, said government doctors are allowed to do private practice.
Diaz added, however, that some doctors suggested that they will render a 24-hour service in government hospitals for two days in a week.
"That would make them to have private practice longer than the services that they render in government," he pointed out.
Governor Eugenio Lacson said he would like the doctors to render 12 hours per day in two days and an additional 16 hours, or a total of 40 hours a week which is prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.
Diaz said a government doctor earns a monthly pay of P70,000 per month, plus a share from the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) Corporation which in some is even higher than their salaries.
The lawmaker also revealed that there are several physicians who were retrenched from Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and are willing to replace the government doctors if they continue to insist on the two days 24-hour service per week.
However, Diaz said the matter is still being reviewed by the governor.
Lawyers who are employed at the Capitol also sought an authority to do private practice.
Diaz named Provincial Agriculturist lawyer Japhet Masculino, Provincial Human Resource Office head Annabelle Palic, lawyer Julia Ann Bedrio, and Kathleen Ann King who are executive assistants of the governor.