Proposal to ease restrictions on overseas deployment of medical workers discussed at IATF — Palace

The Philippines’ COVID-19 task force has tackled a proposal to ease restrictions on the overseas deployment of medical workers, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there is a proposal to allow health workers, including nurses, with verified work contracts as of August 28, 2020 to leave the country, but President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to be consulted by the inter-agency task force (IATF) on the matter.

“Kinakailangan po muna konsultahin ang Presidente kasi 'yung desisyon po na mag-impose muna ng moratorium ay desisyon po ng Presidente. Ayaw naman namin pangunahan po ang ating Presidente,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

Only healthcare employees who have government-issued overseas employment certificates (OEC) and verified work contracts as of March 8, 2020 were exempted from the temporary deployment ban on medical and allied health workers.

Also exempted from the ban are vacationing health workers who have existing job contracts abroad.

Roque earlier urged health workers to first gain experience in the Philippines by applying for positions under the government’s COVID-19 emergency hiring program. He said the experience could open doors of opportunities for future overseas employment. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News