After years on the job, 118 Cebu hospital workers secure permanent posts

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — After years of working in provincial hospitals, 118 employees have secured permanent positions or higher appointments under a mass personnel action by the Cebu Provincial government.

The workers took their oaths on August 17, 2026, during a ceremony at the Cebu Provincial Hospital (CPH) in Balamban, which brought together employees from five provincial medical facilities.

Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan, provincial health consultant, said the ceremony marked the first mass oath-taking held in the hospital in 41 years.

“This is to give them dignity and stability in their work. They can now feel secure in their jobs,” Catalan said.

The appointments covered 97 job order (JO) workers who were regularized and 19 permanent employees who moved to higher positions.

From temporary work to regular posts

For some workers, the appointments meant higher pay and greater security after years of staying in the provincial government.

One of them was 49-year-old Rubylyn Dumdum, who has worked as a cook at CPH Balamban since 2009.

She had spent 18 years in government service and was the longest-serving employee among those regularized during the ceremony.

“Importante jud kaayo ni [akong trabaho]. Importante nga makaserve ta sa mga pasyente og maayo nga pagkaon para sa ilahang health,” Dumdum said.

(It’s very important because we need to serve our patients good, nutritious food that supports their health.)

Dumdum, who is raising three children, said her monthly pay had been around P11,000 before she received her regular appointment. She now earns about P17,000 as a regular employee.

Nurse Angel Mae Apduhan, 36, also received a permanent appointment after 13 years of service.

“Naay times [na ganahan mohawa] pero padayon lang gyud sa pagserbisyo…sa katawhan ug sa akong pamilya ug anak,” Apduhan said.

(There were times when I felt like leaving, but I just kept going, serving the people and providing for my family and my child.)

Apduhan said she started her career earning P17,000 and now receives P43,000 as a Nurse II.

More appointments to follow

Most of the new positions were assigned to CPH Balamban, which received 100 appointments.

CPH Carcar received nine positions, while CPH Danao received seven, with Bantayan District Hospital and Ricardo L. Maningo Memorial Hospital in Camotes receiving one each.

Provincial health officials are preparing similar recruitment and oath-taking activities in the Camotes Islands and Bogo City in the coming weeks.

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Governor Pamela Baricuatro said the new appointments recognize the contributions of long-serving hospital employees while supporting the province’s efforts to strengthen its public healthcare workforce.

“I’m relying on you to help me serve our people,” Baricuatro said. “I’m truly grateful for the service you have rendered for the public.”

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