A Catholic bishop questioned the Philippine government’s decision to limit the deployment of nurses abroad even after it lifted a ban on sending healthcare workers this week.
“We are very grateful to the president for lifting the suspension on the deployment of healthcare workers,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga even as he asked: “Why limit it or put a number on it?”
The bishop said that from the very start his office maintained that healthcare workers who have existing contracts should not be suspended for deployment.
To ensure the country has enough medical professionals to continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic at home, the government announced that only 5,000 healthcare workers are allowed to leave every year.
“We are starting only with a cap of 5,000 so we will not run out [of medical workers], but this may increase eventually,” said Labor Secretary Silvestro Bello on November 21.
Last year, about 17,000 nurses signed overseas work contracts, but the Philippine government in April barred nurses, doctors, and other medical workers from leaving, saying they were needed to fight the coronavirus crisis at home.
Thousands of health workers appealed to the government to let them take jobs abroad, claiming that they feel underpaid, under-appreciated, and unprotected in the Philippines.
While the lifting of the travel ban this week was a “welcome development,” Maristela Abenojar, president of Filipino Nurses United, challenged the government to make good on its commitment to give its nurses better pay and benefits if it wants them to stay.
“To entice them to remain here is to improve their working conditions and security, better benefits, and promotion of their welfare,” said Bishop Santos.
He said it should be made “mandatory” for new graduates to serve in the country first before working abroad.
“Let it be a rule that fresh graduates should work here at least a year before they look for work abroad,” said the prelate.
Filipino health workers are on the front lines of the pandemic at hospitals in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
New coronavirus cases in the Philippines have remained below 2,000 since November 10, while deaths, which totaled 8,025 as of November 20 only equal 1.93 percent of the country’s 415,067 cases.
Hospital bed occupancy has also eased from critical levels, and the government has been gradually easing quarantine restrictions to jumpstart the coronavirus-hit economy. – with a report from Reuters
