Palace says backup enough as jobs abroad lure health workers

The Philippines has enough reserve manpower that can take the place of health workers who leave for better paying overseas jobs, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after a group of private hospitals flagged resignations by scores of staff who eye employment abroad. 

"Naniniwala naman po tayo na mayroon tayong sapat na graduate at mga board passers para palitan po ‘yung mga puwesto ng mga nurses na mag-a-abroad," he said in a press briefing. 

(We believe that we have enough graduates and board passers to take the place of nurses going abroad.)

Roque also noted that the country has a 6,500 annual overseas deployment cap for newly hired health workers. 

The Private Hospital Association of the Philippines on Wednesday said about 5 percent of its workers resigned in the last 2 to 3 weeks alone.

"Kung hindi po natin medyo mapipigilan itong pag-alis na ito, baka po in another 6 months, baka po maubusan tayo ng mga nurses at mapipilay po talaga ang ating mga health facilities," said the group's president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano. 

(If we cannot stop this exodus, perhaps in another 6 months, we might run out of nurses and our health facilities will be crippled.) 

Some health workers earlier complained of low pay and poor working conditions. 

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On Sunday, Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of the Philippine College of Physicians, acknowledged that some health workers avail of job opportunities abroad because of the attractive pay.

"Kung mapapaakyat siguro natin, mapapataas natin ang sweldong matatanggap ng ating nurses ay maaaring magkaroon sila ng pagdadalawang-isip doon sa pag-alis sa ating bansa," she said in an interview on TeleRadyo.

(If we can increase the basic pay of our nurses, they might have second thoughts about leaving the country.)