WATCH: Why are thousands of Filipino nurses moving abroad?

MANILA, Philippines — Higher pay and benefits are just a few reasons that Filipino nursing students are opting to study and work overseas.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have already sought for greener pastures in hospitals abroad.

According to a study by The Lancet, at least 17,000 Filipino nurses have migrated abroad in 2019.

This continued trend has resulted in the country facing a shortage of healthcare workers with the impact being felt at the height of the pandemic in 2020. — Video edited by Anj Andaya; with reports from Kaycee Valmonte