Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Sec. Silvestre Bello III turned down the call to lift the quota on healthcare workers deployed to other countries.
Bello admitted on Thursday, June 23, that the government has considered making the said move but decided against lifting the cap in fear that the Philippines will experience a shortage of nurses amidst the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The outgoing DOLE chief said that he will leave it to the incoming Administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on whether to lift or maintain the restrictions on the deployment of healthcare workers.
"Pwedeng i-review na iyan ng forthcoming, incoming Administration," said Bello during DZRH's Magandang Umaga Pilipinas.
Albay District Rep. Joey Salceda, the chairperson of the House Committee on Ways and Means, urged the government to ease the restrictions on the deployment of healthcare workers in order for the Philippines to earn more foreign currency.
"If foreign currency is more valuable now, then let’s work on earning more foreign currency," Salceda said in a statement.
Bello said that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious has allowed the deployment of 7,000 healthcare workers to other nations.
The cap covers all countries except the United Kingdom and government-to-government arrangements with Germany.
