The Labor Department is mulling the possibility of limiting the deployment of Filipino nurses abroad due to a declining number of medical professionals in the country.
In an interview at the Independence job fair in Manila, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said he had a meeting with a nurses group who informed him about the shortage of nurses in the country.
“Kahapon ka-meeting ko yung Philippine Nurses Association, may shortage na rin pala tayo ng mga nurses. Meron na pala. All the while akala ko may oversupply tayo, yun pala, yung madalas na naka-graduate ng nursing course at nakakuha ng board, nagte-training sila ng two years and then they leave,” Bello said.
Bello however acknowledged that nurses want to leave the country to get better and high paying jobs abroad.
“Kaya nga dito naman para hindi sila magnanais pang mag-abroad eh medyo pag-aralan yung pagtaas ng sweldo. Mukha namang itataas ng ating Pangulo yan,” Bello added.
The Labor Chief also appealed to hospital owners not to take advantage of nursing professionals like asking for training fees instead of giving them allowances or salaries.
“Ang panawagan ko sa mga ospital, ang yaman-yaman niyo na, makibahagi naman kayo sa kayamanan ninyo,” Bello explained.
