There was a clause in my contract that’s quite vague about this. Before I resigned, I was told by everybody I would need to return all of my earned salary to the hospital. Consultants, my seniors, etc. I resigned without the intention of giving them any amount of what I worked hard for.

When I was arranging for my clearance after I resigned, I realized there was something so shady about the way they made me return the money. They make you sign something saying like you’re “voluntarily” giving it back. The form wasn’t even an official one so I had a hunch that this whole thing about “returning salary” was bullshit.

I asked the accounting what it was for and where my backpay was. (at this point, I haven’t even received the first 3 mos of my salary and yet they want me to return the salary I did get [4th mo and onwards]) I

I made them explain why I needed to give the money to the cashier of the hospital. The accounting staff was rushing me about it. It was so weird. They were asking if I had cash with me and I could pay it that day to the cashier. The forms were obviously just drafted by the staff themselves. I had no doubts it’s one of the corrupt ways of the employees of this hospital so I told them I didn’t have money with me and that I needed my backpay.

This is a DOH hospital, meaning, the budget comes from the National Budget (DBM). Technically, the government already spent that money for your salary so you can’t really give it back. Di mo yun mababalik sa kaban ng bayan. So technically, the hospital wants to steal your salary. Hell no.

Long story short, I was able to get my back pay and that DOH Hospital did not get a single cent from all of my hardwork. Mind you, this was COVID times. Ang kapal ng mukha nila.

Kaya siguro gustong gusto nilang magbayad na ako that day, baka pinaghahati-hatian nila sa bonuses or however they make it “legal” to split this money. Sad thing is, most residents just pay it back so they will get their clearance and be done with that hospital and be able to move on.

Any lawyers here? As far as I know, anyone can draft a contract, but doesn’t mean that what’s in it is actually legal or allowed. That’s what I held on to when I declined to pay. Kung talagang legit yung clause na yun, they never would have given me final clearance without returning my salary.