The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has increased the number of Filipino nurses allowed to work abroad by 2022 to 7,000.
According to POEA Deputy Administrator Bong Plan, this was higher than the 3,500 deployment cap during a COVID-19 pandemic.
“Actually, from a low of 3,500 cap last year, this year we are already allowing 7,000 nurses for deployment. Basically, tumaas na po tayo ng 100%,” said Plan in an interview of GTV news Balitanghali on Tuesday.
Plan explained that more Filipino nurses had been allowed to leave the country because the COVID-19 infection in the Philippines is declining.
“The reason is number 1, yung demand po ng mga nurses natin dito is medyo bumaba na because medyo bumaba na po ang mga cases ng COVID-19 dito sa atin,” the official said.
“Second, mayroon na po tayong mga licensure exams para sa mga nurses natin so nakakapagdagdag tayo ng mga lisensyadong nurses natin and other healthcare workers, so these are the factors na kinokonsider natin whenever we decide on deployment cap,” Plan added.
According to Plan, nurses are needed in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Saudi Arabia.
Last year, Malacañang said it would raise the annual cap on the deployment of new hire health workers abroad to 7,000 from 6,000.
Filipinos in Ukraine advised contacting Philippine embassy there
An official of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that they are in close contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Embassy in Ukraine to take steps to repatriate Filipinos in Ukraine the event of a Russian attack.
According to POEA Deputy Administrator Bong Plan, they are awaiting notification from the DFA and the Philippine embassy for the corresponding announcement on whether to conduct mandatory or voluntary repatriations to OFWs in Ukraine.
“We are closely coordinating with the DFA kasi sila po nakatingin on the ground whatever advices po ang binibigay sa amin dun po kami gumagawa ng mga alert levels para sa amin dito,” said Plan.
“So far, we are just awaiting official communication from the DFA, from our embassy there, yung may malapit na embassy na humahawak sa Ukraine… Then we will issue the appropriate… mandatory or voluntary repatriations of our OFWs,” he added.
Recently, US President Joe Biden issued a statement notifying their compatriots in Ukraine to leave the country.
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