Nurses' group calls for lifting of deployment ban on health workers

A nurses' organization on Thursday called for the total lifting of overseas deployment ban for healthcare workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviewed on GMA Network’s Unang Hirit, Filipino Nurses United (FNU) secretary general Jocelyn Andamo pointed out that healthcare workers have the right to choose better opportunities abroad.

“Ang Filipino Nurses United ay naninindigan sa total lifting ng deployment ban ng mga nurses at iba pang healthcare workers,” Andamo said.

“Sa tingin po namin, karapatan naman ng mga nurse na maghanap ng better work opportunities at better pay sa labas ng bansa kung hindi naman naibibigay sa atin ng pamahalaan,” she added.

Andamo noted that some healthcare workers have already spent nearly P100,000 for the requirements of working abroad.

“Nag-spend na po sila ng almost P100,000 sa kanilang examination, at documents. At  sila po ay nakapangutang na para masustentuhan ang kanilang mga pamilya,” she added.

In a letter on Tuesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to lift the overseas deployment ban for health care workers.

Hontiveros addressed the letter to IATF chairperson Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and IATF co-chairperson Karlo Nograles , emphasizing that lifting the ban could ensure that the workers could recoup their expenses, and yield the benefits of their efforts. 

"Hindi lang oras ang inilaan ng ating mga kababayan para lang makapag-abroad. Marami ang nangutang, nagbenta ng ari-arian para lang masuportahan ang pangarap. They must be allowed to leave," she said.

Also on Tuesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he is looking into exempting nurses who have completed their overseas requirements as of August 21.

“We recommended that the extension should cover not only those who completed their papers as of March 2020, but also [those] who completed their papers as of August 21,” Bello said.

“That was the recommendation of Administrator [Bernard] Olalia of the [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] and I supported that petition and it is pending with IATF,” he added.

The Philippines has issued a temporary suspension of the overseas deployment of medical and allied health workers “to ensure the safety of Filipino healthcare workers amid the pandemic.” —LBG, GMA News