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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider JV Ejercito: Higher pay, benefits will entice Filipino healthcare workers to stay in PH

JV Ejercito: Higher pay, benefits will entice Filipino healthcare workers to stay in PH

Published Feb 15, 2022 02:52 pm

Former Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Tuesday said increasing the salaries and benefits of healthcare workers will encourage Filipino healthcare workers to stay in the country.

Ejercito said he believes a higher salary and benefits would help entice the country's medical workers to keep working in the Philippines even if this is not at par with the remuneration packages offered in first world countries.

“I think they would rather stay here than live far away from their families. Di kasi natin na-prioritize (we failed to prioritize them)," Ejercito said in a statement.

Ejercito, who is seeking another Senate term in the upcoming May 2022 elections, said the full implementation of the Universal Healthcare Act, which he principally sponsored, would address the present grievances of healthcare workers by providing them just compensation.

According to the former lawmaker, the Universal Healthcare law also guarantees a competitive salary for medical workers.

While the country cannot compete with salaries being offered abroad, Ejercito said providing healthcare workers with personal protective equipment (PPEs) and allowances can make up for the country’s inability to raise salaries exponentially.

“Yung kanilang benefits, allowances, small things. Halimbawa, yung mga PPEs, safety equipment na dapat binibigay ng gobyerno. Yung mga food allowances na, during this pandemic, sad to say, hindi pa natin naibigay (We can provide them with better benefits, allowances, small things. Like the PPEs, safety equipment that the government should provide them. They still have food allowances, that during this pandemic, sad to say, are still not given to them)," he lamented.

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