President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos on Thursday expressed gratitude to the country’s nurses for their services during the pandemic here and abroad, vowing to support measures to improve their working conditions and employability.
Speaking as guest of honor at the 100th founding anniversary program of the 40,000-strong Philippine Nurses Association in Manila, the President called Filipino nurses “my heroes” not only for helping COVID-19 patients in the country but also making a good name for the Philippines because of their services overseas.
“No other country can boast of such strong and capable nurses who are known, not just for competence and dedication to this very noble calling of health care, but for their compassion and kindness,” the President said, adding that this is the reason why Filipino nurses were sought abroad.
Mr. Marcos recounted that when he got sick with COVID-19 for the first time in March 2020, he “benefited from the able and healing hands of competent Filipino nurses.”
“Because of that sacrifice, because of that compassion, because of that professionalism, our nation has survived the most difficult moments of this pandemic … And because of that [I] myself, as your President, and in the name of all our fellow countrymen, I wish to thank you wholeheartedly [for] your sacrifices and your significant contributions to society,” he said.
Mr. Marcos said that as of Aug. 19, the government has disbursed P25.82 billion worth of hazard duty pay; COVID-19 sickness and death compensation; meals, accommodation and transportation allowances; life insurance; special risk allowance; and the One COVID-19 Allowance.
“Please know, I think it’s still inadequate. We are currently a bit hard-pressed for funds so that’s all we have for now. But I think—since you revive the sick [and] that’s different [compared to other professions]—it’s hard to give value in dollar or peso to the work that you’re doing,” he said.
The President also expressed support for the passage of the Philippine Nursing Practice Act to improve the nursing profession through better career prospects and relevant nursing education.
The President also raised the need to address the uneven distribution of nurses in various areas around the country. This, he said, means addressing issues related to health facilities, benefits and security of tenure.
The Chief Executive also said his administration would open more slots for the deployment of nurses abroad while striving to improve opportunities domestically.
He said the government would also continue to support various certification programs aimed at improving nurses’ competencies in various specialty areas and their compliance with international health-care standards.
The government will also support leadership development courses for public health nurses to enable nurses to provide quality health services and become skilled leaders and managers; in-service postgraduate scholarship programs; and e-learning programs which provide access to free continuing professional development.