Self-inflicted

Most Filipinos look at education as their passport to greener pastures and better life. Parents work themselves to the bones or even sell their properties just to financially support the college education of their children. They usually choose courses that lead to well paying jobs both here and abroad. Hence in the past years, more students take up courses that are in demand. Among them is the Nursing profession that guarantees instant, lucrative work in other countries like the USA that is one of the favorite destinations of Filipinos. So in the many nursing schools throughout the country one can see students practically shedding "blood, sweat and tears" just to finish the course. And once they finally graduate, they shed more "blood, sweat and tears" preparing for and successfully hurdling the rigorous government licensure examinations.

In June 2006, some 17,000 nurses took and successfully passed the licensure process of the Government’s Board of Nursing. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous officials and private individuals out to make fat and fast bucks manage to leak tests 3 and 5 of the exams in some areas of the country where the exams were given. After proper investigation and thorough probe of the anomaly that even reached the courts, it was finally determined that the 17,000 nurses who took and passed the exams, successfully and cleanly hurdled them as they were not involved or benefited at all in the said leakage. So they were allowed to take their oath without re-taking tests 3 and 5 and since then, they have looked forward to practicing their profession with compensations substantial enough even to reciprocate and make up for the sacrifices of their families. Finally, it seems that their long cherished dreams are about to come true.

But because of the widespread allegations and undue publicity regarding the leakage that have undoubtedly attracted worldwide attention, the validity and integrity of the June 2006 examinations which they passed were somewhat placed in jeopardy of being questioned. Expectedly, one of those manifesting their concern was the US Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). In fact as early as September 2006, it already sent a fact-finding team to look into the anomaly. Then in October 26, CGFNS initially announced that it was questioning the eligibility for Visa Screen certification of Philippine nurses who passed the June 2006 exam based merely on allegations that the licensure process has been undermined. Then finally on February 14, 2007, on the very day of hearts, CGFNS heartlessly announced the unanimous decision of its Board of Trustees to "deny the Visa Screen certification for Philippine nurses who passed the compromised June 2006 Philippine Licensure Examination". It also ruled that only the June 2006 passers who opted to retake tests 3 and 5 would have the chances to secure Visa Screen Certificates.

Off-hand the CGFNS moves and decision constitute an undue interference into the processes and purely internal affairs of another sovereign nation. In the first place, its parallel move to conduct its own fact-finding investigation of an anomaly that involves Filipinos in the Philippines on purely domestic problems seems to be out of place. It should just have waited for the outcome of the probe conducted by the Philippine Government and honor it as the official act of a co-equal member of the international community of nations. Secondly, it seems to be imposing its own diametrically opposed findings upon the findings of the government agencies and courts that found nothing wrong with the results of the exams as far as the 17,000 passers who did not actually benefit from the leakage is concerned. Why indeed should CGFNS require the passers of the June 2006 exams to re-take tests 3 and 5 when our own government has ruled that no re-take is necessary since they are not involved in the anomaly? Finally, from a universal humanitarian point of view, the decision looks unfair and unjust to the June 2006 passers of the nursing exams. They are unduly punished and made to suffer for the anomalous acts of others without being aware of them and without any means at all of preventing or stopping them. It is punishing the innocent for the guilt of others.

Nevertheless, the CGFNS decision is not entirely wrong. It may be inhuman but it is understandable in the light of its explanation why the decision is final and cannot be the subject to renegotiation or further review. According to CGFNS, its "decision was based on US law and what the US law required of the CGFNS in the circumstances of the June 2006 examination. The key question was not what Philippine authorities did, but what US authorities would have done in similar circumstances. Explaining further, CGFNS said that the "compromise situation was handled in a way that was not comparable to the way it had been handled in the US".

Indeed, because of the varying circumstances and the differing cultural and legal backgrounds under which different countries and people operate, the CGFNS explanation seems to be valid. Filipinos are obviously more lax in the observance of its laws. Sometimes they use their heart more than their reason and tend to enter into compromises. Americans on the other hand stick to the cold and unemotional clauses and stipulations of their statutes and rules without consideration of who gets hurt. Since the issue here entails the use of the US law, as the nurses will work there, we cannot really blame CGFNS for taking such a firm and seemingly heartless stance.

The moral of the story here is that washing dirty linens in public brings more harm than good. Sensationalizing mere allegations may give undue publicity and widespread impressions hard to erase. It creates self-inflicted, deep and painful wounds that take time to heal.

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