OWWA, PNA to strengthen response to concerns of Filipino nurses abroad

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen the government’s response to the concerns of Filipino nurses abroad.

“It’s basically looking at how we can respond to welfare and rights concerns of nurses working overseas,” Erlinda Palaganas, PNA national president, told reporters on the sidelines of the Migrant Workers’’ Day event on Wednesday where the MOU was signed.

Palaganas said nurses have concerns that the OWWA and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) should address.

She revealed that they asked the help of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in extending assistance to Filipino nurses. OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac noted that nurses comprise a large chunk of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“Ito ay tulong sa information campaign lahat ng impormasyon na kailangan ng OFW nurses natin sa kahandaan bilang OFW and just as important kapag kailangan ng OFW nurses ‘yung ayuda, yung proteksyon na pwede natin ibigay sa mga OFW nurses natin,” he said.

(This can help the information campaign and to deliver assistance and protection to Filipino nurses.)

Under the agreement, the Dole, OWWA, and the PNA will “join hands and coordinate efforts to promote health and wellness of OFWs and their families.”

The MOU will also serve as the “platform of partnership” between nursing professionals through the PNA “to support health and medical interventions” for Filipino workers and their families.

Among the undertakings of the PNA include conducting medical and psycho-social assistance among nurses and other OFWs or families in need.

“We also noticed that mental health concerns are among the major concerns of our migrant workers. We have nurses or migrant workers coming home with mental health concerns, depression ,and things like that,” Palaganas said.

“The PNA has the capability to offer services like these. Therefore, these are things that we would like to share or flesh out with OWWA,” she added.

The PNA is tasked to refer to the OWWA, Regional Welfare Offices, and other concerned government bodies the welfare and legal cases involving OFWs, including nurses.

“We need to alert OWWA as to the concerns that are being brought to us by our nurses […] that makes it like really a mutual understanding between OWWA and the PNA,” Palaganas said. (Editor: Eden Estopace)