The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) on Monday said Filipino nurses are worried about their jobs abroad as the government implemented deployment ban for health workers to boost the number of medical frontliners amid the battle against coronavirus disease (COVID-1) pandemic.
“Paano na po ‘yung mga responsibilidad ng mga nurses namin sa ibang bansa?… ‘Yung kontrata po kasi ang pinakaimportante po rito, siyempre pinirmahan nila po iyan. ‘Yung mga salary nila, paano na po kung wala na silang babalikan na trabaho?” PNA national president Rosie De Leon told GMA News.
De Leon appealed to government officials to reconsider their decision as many nurses who have applied abroad spent a fortune just to accomplish their requirements and secure their job.
“Gumastos na po ng malaking pera ito eh. Ang iba po rito inutang na nila. Ang tanong namin, paano nila mababayaran?” she asked.
She even added many nurses who were barred from leaving the country are already residing overseas along with their families.
De Leon added that if the government really wanted Filipino nurses and other health workers to work in the country amid the health crisis, they must be compensated well.
An online petition was launched on Change.org, urging the government to recall the resolution that halts the deployment of medical professionals and health workers abroad.
“Despite the Government offering us an allowance of P500 daily as compensation for volunteering, we are still looking forward for the deployment abroad due to the compensation that they are capable of giving,” the petition read.
