MedTech association in US seeks review of PH deployment cap for health workers
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MANILA, Philippines — An association of medical technologists based in the United States is appealing to the Philippine government to review the deployment cap for medical professionals.
Angela Librado-Trinidad, Labor Attache of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Washington D.C., said Friday that POLO officials recently had a meeting with the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET) on the latter’s request for review of the deployment limit.
She said PAMET told them that the US currently has a demand for 110,000 medical technologists.
“We are not encouraging overseas employment as a matter of national strategy and we have been telling our OFWs’ employers about that, but we note that PAMET has recently submitted a position paper to us, saying that kasi meron tayong mga IATF and ibang resolutions. Sana mareview daw kasi may ganitong demand ang US ngayon,” Trinidad told an online media forum.
(…They are saying maybe we can review the resolutions of the IATF and other agencies because the US has this demand for medical technologists.)
“And as far as our nurses are concerned, marami na kasing retiring sa US so nakikita nilang there are about 2.5 million nurses that are needed in the next few years,” she added.
(As far as our nurses are concerned, there are many people who are retiring in the US so they project that there are about 2.5 million nurses who will be needed in the next few years.)
Trinidad said PAMET, which has chapters across the US, was seeking a relaxation of the cap “because they are also interested in providing opportunities to their fellow medical technologists.”
“In a way, that is their position, to review the cap in the light of the many opportunities daw at this point,” she added.
Trinidad said POLO officials have relayed to PAMET the purpose of the deployment cap, which is to ensure a sufficient number of healthcare workers in the Philippines amid the COVID-19 situation here.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency on Tuesday suspended the deployment of newly-hired health care professionals after the 5,000 cap has been reached. Faith Yuen Wei Ragasa, Inquirer.net trainee
