Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero urged the Department of Health (DOH) to address with urgency the exodus of healthcare workers for greener pastures and better working conditions abroad amid fears that they their departure will paralyze the country’s fragile healthcare system weakened by the ongoing public health crisis.
Escudero, a veteran legislator, issued the call after the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines (PHAPI) sounded the alarm that in the next six months the country may face a severe shortage of hospital staff as many were just waiting for their plane tickets to leave for abroad.
PHAPI’s warning came also on the heels of mass resignations in state-run hospitals of nurses and doctors due to delays in their special risk allowance (SRA), hazard pay, allowances for meals, accommodations and transportations (MAT), and other benefits.
“I have been monitoring the news and it’s disturbing to know the grim plight of our hospitals in this time of pandemic. The exodus of our health workers for better pay to provide a better future for their loved ones requires immediate attention from our health authorities in order to save our healthcare system from falling apart while we are battling the pandemic,” Escudero said.
According to Escudero, citing studies, the Philippines is recognized as the top source of nurses in the world, as two in five nursing board passers eventually leave their profession here to work for hospitals abroad where salaries are far better.
A study by information aggregator iPrice Group showed that mid-level nurses from the Philippines are the lowest paid at Php40,381 per month compared to their counterparts from five ASEAN countries: Vietnam, Php67,000; Indonesia, Php79,000; Thailand, Php83,000; Malaysia, Php97,000; and Singapore, Php263,000.
The country, he added, also has the lowest number of nurses per capita in Southeast Asia.
The World Health Organization projects that there will be a shortfall of 4.6 million nurses worldwide by 2030, and in the Philippines alone, the projected shortfall is expected to hit 250,000 unless the government steps up its investments now to keep them at home.
“Ang ating mga nurses ay overworked, underpaid at unprotected lalo na ngayong pandemic,” Escudero said. “Kung magtatagal pa ito, baka tumaas ang tsansa na maparalisa ang ating healthcare system at maantala ang serbisyo publiko. Buhay nila at buhay ng ating mga kababayan ang nakataya rito.”
Under the Php240 billion earmarked for the government’s pandemic response in 2022, some Php157.5 billion in spending package has been set aside for the DOH, up by Php22.6 billion from last year’s appropriation. The amount, however, does not include funds for the health workers’ SAT, MAT and other benefits, while public hospitals nationwide face budget cuts in personnel service and maintenance and other operating expenses.
“It is unfortunate that the needs of our healthcare workers are being glossed over yet again. Kung talagang mahalaga ang tingin natin sa kanila at kung talagang mahal natin ang ating mga frontliners, ibigay ang dapat at nararapat sa kanila,” said Escudero, who has consistently topped various pre-election surveys.
He added that the budget allocation for health workers should be revisited to ensure they get what they truly deserve as the new modern-day heroes, as well as the “singular allowance” put forward by the DOH for frontliners—now the subject of objection by several medical workers’ groups.
The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) decried the proposed singular allowance as “ill-conceived and heartless” while the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) called it “divisive and discriminating,” as this will remove altogether the SRA, MAT, and active hazard duty pay they are receiving at present.
“Noong tumama ang pandemya, ang mga healthcare workers ang unang tumugon at nagsilbi, sila rin ang isa sa mga unang tinamaan ng sakit habang nagsisilbi. Pero ngayon bakit sila pa ang nahuhuli? Ganito ba ang turing natin sa mga bagong bayani?” Escudero pointed out.