IATF recommends lifting of deployment ban on healthcare workers
Published Apr 13, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
A government task force has endorsed the lifting of the deployment ban on Filipino health workers with existing contracts abroad, allowing them to leave the country.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo made the announcement following a meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the travel restrictions on health workers. "During the IATF meeting, we reconsidered the policy on the travel ban on health workers. Those with existing perfected employment contracts will be able to leave," Panelo said in a statement Monday. Panelo said he has sent a memo to President Duterte "recommending the lifting of the travel ban on health workers with perfected contracts." He noted that the IATF resolution is still subject to the approval of President. But when asked if the nurses with existing work contracts can now leave the country, Panelo said: "All IATF resolutions are subject to the approval of the President. But it's a foregone conclusion, he has not disapproved any recommendation made by the IATF." Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier announced on Twitter that Filipino nurses and other health workers with contracts of work overseas "can leave.” The government, however, will freeze "future applications" until further notice, "provided all our 450,000+ nurses—exceeding by 250,000 ideal WHO ratio of people-to-nurses—must be given employment," Locsin said. "There you go. Godspeed nurses; spread the word by your examples: Filipina nurses are there, with their extraordinary caring, for all people wherever in need of them," he tweeted. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles earlier said the restriction on the overseas deployment of health workers will be discussed and reviewed by the IATF on Monday. He noted that labor authorities had issued a memorandum temporarily halting the deployment of medical workers abroad, but that there have been calls to review such a restriction. The POEA has temporarily suspended the overseas deployment of healthcare workers until President Duterte lifts the state of public emergency and host countries lift their travel restrictions. The latest measure reportedly aims to ensure the country will have sufficient medical workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The deployment ban covers doctors, nurses, microbiologists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, and other medical workers. Some groups, however, have opposed the deployment ban of health workers that supposedly restricts a person's right to travel and promotes involuntary servitude. Locsin earlier voiced his opposition to the deployment restrictions on health workers, saying he intends to challenge such an order in the IATF meeting.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo made the announcement following a meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the travel restrictions on health workers. "During the IATF meeting, we reconsidered the policy on the travel ban on health workers. Those with existing perfected employment contracts will be able to leave," Panelo said in a statement Monday. Panelo said he has sent a memo to President Duterte "recommending the lifting of the travel ban on health workers with perfected contracts." He noted that the IATF resolution is still subject to the approval of President. But when asked if the nurses with existing work contracts can now leave the country, Panelo said: "All IATF resolutions are subject to the approval of the President. But it's a foregone conclusion, he has not disapproved any recommendation made by the IATF." Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier announced on Twitter that Filipino nurses and other health workers with contracts of work overseas "can leave.” The government, however, will freeze "future applications" until further notice, "provided all our 450,000+ nurses—exceeding by 250,000 ideal WHO ratio of people-to-nurses—must be given employment," Locsin said. "There you go. Godspeed nurses; spread the word by your examples: Filipina nurses are there, with their extraordinary caring, for all people wherever in need of them," he tweeted. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles earlier said the restriction on the overseas deployment of health workers will be discussed and reviewed by the IATF on Monday. He noted that labor authorities had issued a memorandum temporarily halting the deployment of medical workers abroad, but that there have been calls to review such a restriction. The POEA has temporarily suspended the overseas deployment of healthcare workers until President Duterte lifts the state of public emergency and host countries lift their travel restrictions. The latest measure reportedly aims to ensure the country will have sufficient medical workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The deployment ban covers doctors, nurses, microbiologists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, and other medical workers. Some groups, however, have opposed the deployment ban of health workers that supposedly restricts a person's right to travel and promotes involuntary servitude. Locsin earlier voiced his opposition to the deployment restrictions on health workers, saying he intends to challenge such an order in the IATF meeting.