Push Admin

'Killing me softly': Nurses' group urges govt to lift cap on deployment ban

Article (news)

Gillan Ropero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/11/23/20200820-covid-navotas-swab-test-7736.jpg"/><figcaption>A health worker fixes her face mask at a testing center in Navotas City on August 20, 2020. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - A group of Filipino nurses on Monday urged the government to lift its cap on healthcare workers allowed to work abroad and pay on time those who serve in the frontlines against COVID-19.Maristela Abenojar, national president of Filipino Nurses United, said nearly 30,000 healthcare workers have yet to receive several months of salary, hazard pay and special risk allowance.&quot;Tingin ko po ang nangyayari ngayon ay killing me softly. Unti-unti kaming pinapatay. Pinapatay kami sa pagiging exposed, nang di nabibigyan ng sapat na proteksyon sa COVID-19. Pinapatay din kami sa gutom,&quot; she told ABS-CBN&#x27;s Teleradyo.(I think what&#x27;s happening now is &#x27;killing me softly.&#x27; We&#x27;re slowly being killed by being exposed due to inadequate protection against COVID-19. We&#x27;re also being killed by hunger.)&quot;Panawagan po namin, malapit na ang pasko, maawa naman po kayo sa ating nurses at iba pang healthworkers. Ngayon po namin kayo kailangan magpatupad ng mabilisan na pagkilos dahil pera naman po yan ng sambayanang Pilipino so sana po gawin niyo po ang dapat niyong gawin para sa amin.&quot;(We call on government this Christmas to be compassionate with our nurses and health workers. We need you to enforce actions quickly because that&#x27;s the people&#x27;s taxes so we hope you do what you need to do for us.)President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend approved ending a ban deploying the nation&#x27;s healthcare workers overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic with a limit of 5,000 a year. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/21/20/duterte-approves-ending-overseas-travel-ban-on-health-care-workers-bello">Duterte approves ending overseas travel ban on health care workers- Bello</a></li></ul>Some 14 health professions are affected by the deployment limit, Abenojar said.&quot;Paano po yan paghahatian ng 14 na propesyon. Ano po ang kanilang proseso ng approval dyan, hindi ho kasi malinaw,&quot; she said.(How will 14 professions divide that among themselves? What will their process of approval be? It&#x27;s not clear.)Abenojar reiterated that there are 200,000 unemployed or underemployed nurses in the country so government does not need to enforce a cap on healthworkers working abroad.&quot;Ang mas challenge sa government ngayon ay ang panghihikayat sa healthcare workers. Ang panghihikayat ay magiging matagumpay lamang kung sila ay magpapatupad ng tamang pasahod at benepisyo,&quot; she said.(Government is challenged to urge healthworkers to stay, which will only succeed if it will pay their salary and benefits on time.)<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aJ3mi5wkpsw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

A group of Filipino nurses on Monday urged government to lift its cap on healthcare workers allowed to work abroad and pay on time those who serve in the frontlines against COVID-19.

A group of Filipino nurses on Monday urged government to lift its cap on healthcare workers allowed to work abroad and pay on time those who serve in the frontlines against COVID-19.

'Killing me softly': Nurses' group urges govt to lift cap on deployment ban

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

News

'Killing me softly': Nurses' group urges govt to lift cap on deployment ban

Gillan Ropero,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 23, 2020 07:45 AM PHT

|

Updated November 23, 2020 08:39 AM PHT

Read More:

Teleradyo

Filipino Nurses United

Maristela Abenojar

healthcare workers

nurses

healthworkers deployment ban

deployment ban

COVID-19

coronavirus

OFWs

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.