The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday confirmed that the processing of applications of foreign governments of job orders for healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Philippines will now resume following the lifting of the deployment ban.
During the ‘Laging Handa’ Public Briefing, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said that during the previous months, there was a temporary suspension of deployment of HCWs - including nurses - due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “However, we also had an exemption where we allowed the nurses with contracts to fulfill these,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
As announced by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Olalia confirmed that the temporary suspension has been “lifted” but there will be a “ceiling” of not more than 5,000 in a year. “We will allow deployment as long as it will not exceed the 5,000 ceiling per year,” he added.
Olalia said it has also started accepting applications from foreign employers who want to hire Filipino HCWs following the lifting of the deployment ban. “Tayo ay nagsisimula nang tumanggap ng mga application nangunguna rito ang application ng mga foreign workers na gustong mag-hire ng ating mga nurses (We have started accepting applications especially of foreign workers who want to hire nurses),” he added.
The POEA, Olalia added, has also started receiving applications for additional job orders of accredited foreign employers.
While POEA has lifted the deployment of Filipino HCWs, Olalia said that the Philippine government “will not allow that there will be problems when it comes to our own healthcare system” - especially in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have to strike a balance, the national interest to address the COVID-19 because there is still a national health emergency at we’re also looking into the opportunity that we’re giving to our beloved OFWs, especially the HCWs, so we we can given them opportunity to work abroad,” Olalia said.