The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Thursday that it will carefully study the possible reimposition of the temporary suspension of deploying Filipino healthcare workers (HCWs) amid the threat of the new strain of COVID-19.
During the “Laging Handa” public briefing, Administrator Bernard Olalia said that the POEA is closely monitoring developments related to the new COVID-19 variant and will make the appropriate recommendation to the concerned agencies regarding the deployment of Filipino HCWs at this time.
“Ang ating polisiya sa ngayon ayon sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) at doon sa inaprubahan ng ating Pangulo (Duterte), mayroong lifting ng ating temporary suspension at 'yan ay pinag-aaralan natin every now and then, lalong-lalo na at may strain tayo (Our current policy according to the IATF and those approved by our President, there is a lifting of our temporary suspension and that is what we study every now and then, especially and we have a (new) strain,” Olalia said.
Olalia explained that the POEA will be studying the possibility of reimposing temporary deployment ban on Filipino healthcare workers. “Hihingi po tayo ng opinyon ng mga dalubhasa at malawakang consultation sa involved sectors, depende po sa sa resulta ng magiging nationwide consultation sa affected sectors ang ating rekomendasyon (We will seek the opinion of experts and extensive consultation with the affected sectors, depending on the outcome of the nationwide consultation with the affected sectors),” he added.
In November, the Philippines lifted the deployment ban on Filipino HCWs which allowed nurses and other medical workers to leave and work abroad. The deployment ban was in place for nine months to keep nurses and other medical professionals in the country to strengthen the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, a 5,000-cap on health workers allowed to be deployed to other countries per year was set. Olalia said that POEA is also studying the possibility of expanding the list of HCWs exempted in the deployment ban.
“Kasalukuyang pinag-aaralan ng POEA at ng Inter-Agency kasama ang DoLE, PRC, DoH, at iba pang ahensya doon sa mission critical skills kung papalawakin natin para i-lift ang temporary suspension (Currently, the POEA, Inter-Agency with DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment), PRC (Professional Regulation Commission), DoH (Department of Health), and other agencies on mission critical skills are studying the possibility of expanding (the list) to lift temporary suspension),” Olalia said.