Inihayag ng Malacañang na hindi pa aalisin ng pamahalaan ang overseas deployment ban ng healthcare workers dahil na rin sa COVID-19 pandemic.
Sa televised briefing nitong Martes, sinabi ni presidential spokesperson Harry Roque na mananatili pa rin ang deployment ban kahit tutol dito si Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
Una rito, inihayag ni Locsin na laban sa Saligang Batas na pigilan ang mga duktor, nurse at iba pang medical professionals na magtrabaho sa ibang bansa.
Ayon kay Roque, ipinatupad ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang deployment ban para maprotektahan ang kalusugan at buhay ng mga Filipino healthcare worker, at masuportahan ang pangangailangan ng bansa sa medical manpower sa laban sa COVID-19.
“Napag-usapan po ‘yan sa IATF [ Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases] and we all concurred with the opinion of the President except for Secretary Locsin,” sabi ni Roque.
“The President encourages free thought even among Cabinet secretaries especially on matters that do not fall within their primary jurisdiction,” dagdag niya.
Nang tanungin kung maaaring alisin sa malapit na hinaharap ang travel restrictions sa medical professionals, tugon ni Roque: “Wala po siguro.”
Nitong nakaraang linggo, hinikayat ni Roque ang mga health worker na kumuha na muna ng karanasan sa kanilang trabaho dito sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng COVID-19 emergency hiring program ng pamahalaan.
“And by equipping/acquiring themselves with the skills and competence their profession entails, they have not only helped our people during this time of global health emergency crisis, but they, too, would have been provided the work experience that would open doors for opportunities for overseas employment,” paliwanag niya.
Sa ngayon, ang mga healthcare employee na may government-issued overseas employment certificates (OEC) at verified work contracts mula noong Marso 8, 2020 ang hindi kasama sa temporary deployment ban sa medical and allied health workers.
Hindi rin kasama sa ban ang nagbabakasyong health workers at mayroon pang umiiral na kontrata sa bansang kanilang pinagtatrabahuhan. — FRJ, GMA News
