Sen. Tulfo proposes full scholarship for nursing students

Sen. Raffy Tulfo during a hybrid hearing at the Senate. Senate PRIB file photo / Bibo Nueva Espana

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo proposed on Tuesday the provision of a full scholarship for nursing students, subject to a condition.

Nursing students will receive full scholarships, provided they will serve the country for four to five years after graduation.

“How about mag-offer po kayo ng full scholarship programs sa mga nurses sa mga iba’t ibang eskwelahan, mga probinsya?

(How about offering full scholarship programs for nurses in different schools and provinces?)

“Full scholarship po and then and’un ‘yung kondisyunes na kapag ikaw ay nakapag-graduate, you must serve at least four to five years bilang nurse dito sa ating bansa,” Tulfo asked Philippine Heart Center Executive Director Dr. Joel Abanilla during the Senate committee on health and demography hearing.

(Full scholarship, and there is a condition that after you graduate, you must serve at least four to five years as a nurse in our country.)

Abanilla replied that legislation would be needed for the senator’s suggestion.

Tulfo and Senator Christopher Go, chairperson of the panel, expressed support for such legislation.

Senators learned that nurses in government hospitals earn around P34,000 to P36,000 per month, lower than foreign nations could offer.

Tulfo lamented that nurses are overworked, serving more patients than the ideal 4:1 ratio or four patients to one nurse.

Earlier, the Department of Health said the country has a “shortage” of around 106,000 nurses.  Trisha Manalaysay, INQUIRER.net trainee

JPV