POEA backs higher overseas deployment cap on health workers

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said on Tuesday it has recommended to the health department and the coronavirus task force raising the deployment cap for nurses and other health care workers who want to work abroad. 

The POEA has temporarily suspended the overseas deployment of medical professionals after the 5,000 annual ceiling for new hires was breached last June 1. 

"Mayroon na po tayong rekomendasyon sa IATF (inter-agency task force) at TWG (technical working group) at pinag-aaralan po natin ‘yang rekomendasyon na ‘yan nang sa ganoon… kung maaari, i-increase po ang cap," said POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia. 

(We have a recommendation to the IATF and TWG, and we will study the recommendation to increase the cap if possible.) 

"Maliban po doon sa increase ng cap, mayroon po tayong rekomendasyon na kung maaari po sana, payagan palawakin iyong exception para nang sa ganoon, marami po tayong ma-deploy," he said in a press briefing. 

(Aside from the increase in cap, we have a recommendation to widen the exception so that we can deploy more workers.) 

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