President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has directed the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to immediately address the shortage of nurses due to migration, as he lamented how the Philippines has been competing with other countries for its talented nurses.

Marcos said this as he met with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Healthcare Sector group in Malacañang on Wednesday, March 29.

In his remarks, the President said the shortage of nurses in the Philippines due to migration has been affecting effective healthcare delivery in the country.

"We have to be clever about the healthcare manpower," he said.

"Our nurses are the best, buong mundo na ang kalaban natin dito (we're up against the rest of the world here)," he added, noting the higher pay that Filipino nurses are getting in other countries.

ng lokal na produksyon ng gamot, pagtugon sa kakulangan sa mga nurse at pagpapabuti ng sahod ng mga healthcare worker. Inatasan naman ang PSAC na pag-aralan ang pagkuha ng bagong medical technology at ang pagtatag ng remote diagnostics centers para sa mga malalayo sa pagamutan. pic.twitter.com/Wwm37f5566

— Presidential Communications Office (@pcogovph) March 29, 2023

Marcos asked the CHEd to develop concrete steps to keep Filipino nurses in the country, reiterating an earlier sentiment that every world leader he has spoken with is asking for them.

"Lahat ng nakakausap kong president, prime minister, ang hinihingi (Every president and prime minister I've talked to, they asked for) is more nurses from the Philippines," the President pointed out.

In response to the President, CHEd Chairperson Prospero de Vera III said it was already carrying out interventions to address the shortage of nurses, which include retooling board non-passers, adopting nursing curriculum with exit credentials, redirecting non-practicing nurses and conducting exchange programs with other countries.

"Under the nursing curriculum with exit credentials, students could have several options: exit at the end of Level I or II, obtain the certificate or diploma in Nursing, or choose to continue and finish the four-year nursing program to become a registered nurse," De Vera reported.

He added that the CHEd was also working on a flexible short-term master's program to address the lack of instructors in nursing and medical schools.

Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said the agency was also assessing the status of the proposed legislation on the Magna Carta for Public Health Care Workers and the Philippine Nursing Act while doing a study on the standardization of salaries of nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers.