President Duterte has the final say if the government will relax the deployment ban on Filipino health workers abroad, Malacañang said Thursday. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque admitted that the proposal to allow nurses with valid contracts as of Aug. 28 has been discussed by the government task force. The proposal to extend the exemption period, however, must still be raised to the President for his decision, according to Roque. The government has so far temporarily halted the migration of health workers abroad not only to ensure their safety but also to help augment the frontliners battling the coronavirus pandemic in the country. It later ruled that only health workers with perfected and signed work contracts as of March 8 could be deployed abroad. Only health workers with verified work contracts as of March 8 as well as workers returning to their employers abroad are allowed to leave the country. "Napag-usapan po iyan kasi mayroong proposal na ang i-allow, ito po ay proposal lamang ‘no, i-allow iyong mga nurses na naayos na ang papel as of Aug. 28 (It has been discussed because there is a proposal to allow the nurses with contracts as of Aug. 28)," Roque said during a televised press briefing. "Pero kinakailangan po na kukonsultahin ang Presidente kasi iyong desisyon po na mag-impose muna ng moratorium ay desisyon po ng Presidente at ayaw naman naming pangunahan po ang ating Presidente (But the President will still be consulted because the decision to impose the moratorium was the President's and we don't want to preempt the President)," he said. Some groups have appealed to lift the ban on overseas deployment for health workers, asserting the right to travel and find employment elsewhere. Last month, Roque encouraged nursing graduates to get clinical experience in the country during the coronavirus pandemic before heading abroad. He said nursing graduates can apply for vacant positions in local hospitals and "prove your worth” before leaving the country. "Charity begins at home. Mayroon naman po tayong bakanteng mga posisyon. Dito na muna sana tayo magtrabaho (We have vacant positions here. Let us work here for the meantime)," he said.