AN OFFICIAL of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday, September 12, joined the growing opposition to the long-running deployment ban for healthcare workers amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a statement, CBCP-Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People Vice Chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos said the months-long deployment ban is already unacceptable.
"To ban our healthcare workers from working abroad is truly a selfish stance. It is unreasonable and uncharitable," said Santos.
He said this is because the imposition of the deployment ban is the wrong method in trying to keep Filipino medical professionals from seeking work overseas.
"To ban them from working abroad is not a solution," said Santos.
Instead of stopping their deployment, the prelate said the better measure is to eliminate their reasons for looking for jobs in other countries.
"With salaries insufficient to provide better sustenance and brighter futures, they look for greener pastures. Therefore, it is necessary that proper payment be applied here, alongside decent, safe, and secure working conditions," said Santos.
Doing so, he said, will undoubtedly result in healthcare workers opting to stay and work in the country and serve their countrymen.
"Given a choice, they would much rather stay with their families. Let us now take care, love and provide all the best for our healthcare workers so they will remain with us, happy to work for us," said Santos.
Back in April, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) imposed a deployment ban to selected categories of health care workers, saying there is a need to ensure that the country shall continue to have a steady supply of health personnel amid the pandemic.
Subsequently, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) imposed an exemption to the deployment ban for those with verified employment contract as of March 8, saying such workers can leave the country for overseas employment.
In recent weeks, health workers have been calling for the lifting of the deployment ban as it is already running for nearly six months. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)