DOLE: Pinoy nurses opting to work as caregivers  

MANILA, Philippines — Just so they can immediately leave for employment abroad and get higher salaries, Filipino nurses are opting to work as caregivers, according to Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.

He explained that Filipino nurses are leaving to work as caregivers so they could avoid the two-year work experience required in hospitals abroad.

“Now, things are being turned around. It’s not exactly nurses, but the category is caregivers or health care workers so that the one-year or two-year work experience won’t be needed,” he said in Filipino.

He added that the high salaries abroad are an “attractive magnet” for Filipino nurses and other health care workers to seek overseas employment.

Although the government has set a cap in overseas deployment, the government cannot prevent Filipino health care workers from seeking employment overseas, according to the labor chief.

Laguesma said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Migrant Workers are discussing whether to increase or lift the deployment cap.

He added that the Professional Regulation Commission was able to hold licensure examinations, ensuring enough supply of registered nurses in the country.

Last month, over 18,000 nursing graduates passed the licensure examination.

Laguesma said the DOLE is closely working with the DOH and DMW to rationalize the deployment of health care workers abroad.

He added that the DOLE is also looking into the plight of overworked and underpaid nurses employed in private hospitals in the country.

The agency also needs to reach out to health industry workers and ensure their health and safety, according to the labor chief.

A group of local nurses claimed that since 2020, about 40 percent of nurses in private hospitals have resigned and sought employment abroad.

Local nurses have asked for the intervention of the DOLE in addressing issues of low salaries and non-payment of other benefits.