President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday he plans to raise the current 7,500 deployment limit for Filipino nurses abroad.
“We will open more slots for the deployment of nurses abroad while striving to improve opportunities domestically,” he said.
“With the PNA (Philippine Nurses Association) boasting a 40,000-strong membership, I believe that together we have the ability, we have the strength to improve our nurses’ welfare and build on the Filipino distinction of excellence and competitiveness in the global health community,” Marcos said in a speech at the 100th anniversary celebration of the association.
“I think I am correct when I say no other country can boast of such strong and capable nurses who are known, not just for competence and dedication to this very noble calling of health care, but for their compassion and kindness,” he added.
The President said Filipino nurses were in demand abroad because of their passion and dedication to their work.
“Many are very outstanding. Foreigners are requesting for them. They prefer Filipino nurses to take care of them and it is astonishing that if you are taken care of by a Filipino nurse, recovery is certain,” he said.
Filipino nurses are one of the most exported manpower of the Philippines due to the number of Filipinos who are taking Nursing courses and also the opportunity to earn a huge amount of monetary value for their families.
Marcos also said he supports the passage of the Philippine Nursing Practice Act, a measure that aims to improve the nursing profession through better career prospects and relevant nursing education.
“So the government recognizes and acknowledges your hard work and sacrifice, including risking your own health and lives to care for others… In fact, I have taken special note of the clamor to address issues in the nursing profession by the passage of the new Philippine Nursing Practice Act,” Marcos said.
The President said his administration, alongside Congress, will work with the PNA to institute reforms to further protect and develop the nursing profession in the Philippines.
“The Executive department, together with Congress, will work with you to achieve these goals,” said Marcos.
The President also sought to create equal footing for all nurses regardless of the sector they are working in.
“As part of our goal to raise the profile and improve the working condition of nurses, we seek to address the disparity in salaries between nurses in government hospitals with those in the private sector,” he said.
Marcos also raised the need to address the uneven distribution of nurses in various areas around the country.
This means addressing issues related to health facilities, benefits, and security of tenure, he said.
“As we work hard to improve the state of our health care system at home, let us join hands to maintain our country’s position as the gold standard when it comes to providing health care workers to hospitals and health facilities globally,” Marcos said.