Health workers can’t be blamed for ‘seeking greener pastures’ — Robredo

MANILA, Philippines — Health workers cannot be blamed for resigning to seek better opportunities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday.

“Pawala nang pawala—dati nang kulang dahil hindi pa naaasikaso iyong pangangailangan nila. Hindi natin sila masisisi na mag-seek sila ng greener pastures kasi may mga pamilya itong sinusuportahan, eh,” Robredo said during the BISErbisyong LENI program on DZXL.

(They are slowly leaving—we’ve been lacking health workers before because their needs are not met. We cannot blame them for seeking greener pastures because they have a family to support.)

“Iyon talaga, iyong hindi ko maintindihan. Kasi nakikita natin, iyong Senate investigation bilyun-bilyon, ‘di ba, bilyun-bilyon iyong anomalya pero iyong pangangailangan—pinaka-basic na pangangailangan ng health workers—hindi natutugonan. Hindi makatarungan, hindi natin maintindihan kung bakit ganito,” she added.

(That is what I do not understand. We see Senate investigations where there are billions worth of anomalies but the need—the basic need of health workers—are not met. It is unfair. We cannot understand why it is like this.)

Robredo made the remark after reports that many health workers, including nurses, are resigning, which may cause understaffing in health facilities.

She added that the situation has been a problem since 2020 which worsened when the country faced a surge last March, April, and August.

The vice president likewise noted that health workers have not rested since March 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hindi lang sa pagod, hindi lang sa walang pahinga, pero exposed sila sa virus sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos,” Robredo said.

(Not only are they tired, not only do they lack rest, but they are also exposed to the virus every day.)

“Sila iyong nag-aasikaso sa mga COVID-positive na mga patients tapos hindi naman ganoon kalaki iyong hinihingi nila. Ang hinihingi lang nila kung ano iyong nararapat nilang matanggap, hindi pa natin mabigay,” she added.

(They’re the ones who take care of COVID-positive patients and they are not even asking for much. They are just asking for what they should receive, and yet we cannot provide.)

Robredo further said that health workers should not have reached a point where they would protest just to receive what they should.

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