Talks on lifting deployment ban on health workers continue

He said the IATF has presented “options” to Duterte to address the concerns of healthcare workers, mostly nurses, who already completed their overseas requirements but did not make the previous cut-off date of March 8. (File photo screengrab from PCOO via pnagovph/Twitter)

MANILA – Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Saturday said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is discussing the appeal to lift the overseas deployment ban on healthcare workers.

“Ito ay isa sa mga pinag-uusapan natin sa IATF at nakikipag-ugnayan na rin tayo sa Office of the President, kay Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte mismo (This is among the subjects the IATF are discussing and we have already coordinated with the Office of the President and President Duterte himself),” he said during a Facebook live stream.

He said the IATF has presented “options” to Duterte to address the concerns of healthcare workers, mostly nurses, who already completed their overseas requirements but did not make the previous cut-off date of March 8.

Under IATF resolution No. 23, only health workers with perfected and signed overseas employment contracts as of March 8, 2020 are allowed for deployment abroad.

“Pinakita namin sa sulat namin kay Pangulo kung ilan ang mga nurses na naapektuhan at ilan ang mga nurses na maaaring maka-benefit kung i-extend pa natin at payagan pa natin ‘yong mga nakapagpirma ng kontrata as of let’s say beyond March. Abangan na lang po natin kung ano ‘yong magiging desisyon ni Pangulo tungkol dito (We briefed the President on the number of nurses affected as well as the number of those who may benefit should we extend the lifting for those with contracts beyond March. Let’s just wait for the President’s decision),” he said.

Meanwhile, he called on all unemployed nurses and medical workers to consider the jobs offered by the Philippine government, particularly the Department of Health, which is currently seeking to augment the medical workforce responding against Covid-19.

“Maraming mga pagkakataon, mga opportunities para sa mga health workers na ma-hire ng government, so sana po ay mag-apply kayo sa vacancies natin (There are a lot of opportunities for health workers to be hired by the government, so we hope that you would apply),” he said.