MANILA - The Philippine Nurses Association said Sunday it does not encourage health workers' plan to hold mass resignations but cannot blame them should they do so as COVID-19 cases rise across the country.

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The group sympathizes with medical frontliners who have yet to receive their benefits that the government promised them, said PNA national president Melbert Reyes.

"As much a possible, we don’t encourage them na gawin yan kasi ang maaapektuhan po ang pasyente, yung beneficiary ng care ng ating healthcare workers," Reyes told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(As much a possible, we don’t encourage them to do that because patients will be affected.)

"Pero di natin sila masisisi kung gagawin nila 'yan sapagkat ang pagpapahalaga at malasakit na binibigay ng gobyerno ay hindi talaga nila nararamdaman."

(But we can't blame them because they can't feel appreciation and care from government.)

Some health workers in private hospitals have yet to receive their special risk allowances or hazard pay, according to Reyes.

Around 40 percent of private hospital nurses have quit their jobs, he added, citing data from the Private Hospitals Association Philippines.

"Sana po, matingnan natin ang sistema ng implementation. Wala naman po siguro magrereklamo kung natatanggap nang maayos," he said.

(I hope government will look at its system of implementation. No one will complain if everyone gets their benefits.)

"Naniniwala pa rin po ako na ang ating health workers ay pinalaki na merong nag-aalab ng apoy para sa serbisyo. Nasasabi nila 'yan dahil marami silang pinagdadaanan."

(I believe our health workers were raised with a passion for service. They are just saying this because they're facing many difficulties.)

Health workers would also like to get a booster COVID-19 jab, Reyes added as many of them were inoculated with Chinese vaccine Sinovac which has shown decreased antibodies after 6 months.

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The government has yet to authorize booster COVID-19 shots.

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