IATF PR
Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Tuesday announced that all medical and healthcare professionals with existing contracts abroad will be allowed to leave the country and are no longer covered by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s (POEA) temporary deployment ban.
Nograles revealed that per IATF Resolution No. 23, all medical and allied healthcare professionals with perfected and signed overseas employment contracts as of March 8, 2020 shall be allowed for deployment abroad as an exception to the application of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board Resolution No. 09, series of 2020.
“Nung isang araw po, may announcement ukol sa temporary deployment ban ng ating medical health professionals tulad ng doktor at nars. Nililinaw po natin na di po kasama dito ang mga doktor, nars, at iba pang medical health professional na may mga kontrata na po para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa.”
Filipino medical professionals like doctors and nurses under contract abroad will be required to execute a Declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved as advised by the Philippine Government before they can leave for other countries.
“Papayagan na po silang umalis; kailangan lang po nilang pumirma ng deklarasyon na batid nila ang mga panganib sa paglipad papunta sa ibang bansa,” explained Nograles.
According to the Palace official, subject to the evaluation of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), “the Department of Health (DOH) is directed to facilitate the emergency hiring of additional healthcare workers to assist in the local healthcare system.”
