The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) expressed confidence that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will allow medical workers to leave the country provided that their requirements have been completed prior to August 31.
DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the Department of Health (DOH) has already approved the request of medical workers regarding the easing off of the deployment ban.
“Ni-recommend ‘yan ng DOH. I favorably endorse it to the IATF and I am confident na iyong task force will approve it (That was recommended by the DOH. I favorably endorse it to the IATF and I am confident the task force will approve it),” Bello stated.
The matter is expected to be discussed in the next IATF-EID meeting. The appeal concerns stranded nurses in the Philippines due to the implementation of strict community quarantine.
At least 1,200 medical professionals are expected to pursue their endeavors abroad.
“‘Yung mga nurses and medical workers na naka-kumpleto na ng papeles for deployment, pwede na silang umalis. Ito yung mga nurses na nagtratrabaho roon, nagbakasyon lamang, pagbalik nila ay na-lockdown (Nurses and medical workers who have completed their papers for deployment may go abroad. These are the nurses who work there and had a vacation, but were held off by the lockdown),” Bello explained. – Report from Louisa Erispe
