Nurses' association: Cynthia Villar's apology not heartfelt

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) said on Tuesday that they felt that senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar's apology for an earlier controversial statement about Filipino nurses wasn't sincere enough.

“She might have done the apology, but it wasn't really felt,” PNA President Noel Cadete told GMA News Online in an interview on Tuesday.

Villar, a former Las Piñas representative who currently runs under the banner of Team PNoy, wrote a letter to PNA on Monday apologizing for the statement she made about Filipino nurses which was taken as denigrating them.

“I truly am sorry for having offended the feelings of your members. It was never my intention to belittle anyone, least of all, the valiant members of the nursing profession,” Villar wrote.

However, Cadete said in response that they “appreciate the move, but the harm was already done.”

Villar made the controversial remarks on GMA News TV's “Pagsubok ng mga Kandidato.” She was on the senatorial debate forum's second episode, which aired on February 23. Here is an excerpt of the exchange between Villar and host Winnie Monsod:

WINNIE MONSOD: Can you reconcile itong seeming disconnect between your desire to help the poor at pagpanig niyo sa mga may-ari ng education institution na gustong isara ng technical nursing committee at ng CHED?

CYNTHIA VILLAR: Hindi naman ganoong ang istorya noon. Ang nangyari noon ay binigyan nila ng permit 'yung mga schools to open ng CHED. Tapos gusto nilang ipasara. Nag-invest na 'yung mga may-ari ng schools sa kanilang facilities. And then, sinasabi nila na kaya nila gusto ipasara dahil walang tertiary hospital where they can train. Ang sabi naman namin noon na hindi kami kumukontra sa CHED. Ang sinasabi namin kasi tiningnan namin 'yung syllabus at courses na kukunin nila at nakita namin na after lang sa third year kailangan nila 'yung tertiary hospital so ni-request namin na hindi isara 'yung pre-nursing schools.

WINNIE MONSOD: Bakit bumaba pa ang nurses na na-employ sa abroad kasi hindi sila qualified? Bakit nag-resign ang Technical Education Committee after 7 months in office?

CYNTHIA VILLAR: ‘Yung pagre-resign po ni [Fr. Rolando V. De la Rosa] is a personal quarrel with the owner of the school. Medyo personal po iyon. Pero 'yung amin po, 'yung sinasabi po namin sa kanila na actually hindi naman kailangan ang nurse ay matapos ng BSN kasi itong ating mga nurses ay gusto lang nila maging room nurse, o sa Amerika o sa other countries, ay mag-aalaga lang sila. Hindi naman kailangan na ganoon sila kagaling.
 

Villar explained on Monday that the “lack of time and the complexity of the issue” prevented her from giving a “clear and concise” answer.

“Mahirap po talagang pagkasyahin sa loob ng isang minuto at kalahati ang lahat ng gusto kong sabihin tungkol sa mga naging problema ng mga mag-aaral ng nursing noon at hanggang ngayon. Napakalaki ng aking paghanga sa mga nars, saan man sila naglilingkod kaya’t nalulungkot ako dahil nagkulang ang aking pagpapaliwanag,” Villar was quoted in the report.

When asked if the PNA has already forgiven Villar, Cadete said that he can't comment about the matter since the “wound is still fresh, but maybe time will heal it.”

The head of the nursing association further said that Filipino nurses here and abroad will continue to strive to prove their worth. — BM, GMA News