About 10K healthcare workers left monthly for overseas jobs before ban — POEA
AROUND 30,000 healthcare workers have gone abroad this year despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis and a ban imposed by government in April, according to the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). In a virtual briefing on Wednesday, POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia said most of those who left were nurses with existing contracts and returning to their jobs. “Ang pinapaalis natin noong simula ng taon na ito, every month nagpapaalis tayo ng 10,000 (We were deploying at the start of the year 10,000 every month), particularly nurses,” he said. The ban imposed starting April does not cover returning overseas workers and new hires whose contracts were signed on or before March 8. The government in September extended the exemption to those with contracts and documentary requirements that were finalized before August 30. Mr. Olalia said with the expanded exemption, up to 1,500 applications have been processed and about 400 have left. — Gillian M. Cortez
Duque appointed chair of WHO Western Pacific committee
HEALTH SECRETARY Francisco T. Duque III has been appointed to lead the Western Pacific Region committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a year. The appointment was made during the WHO regional committee’s 71st session held Tuesday, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire. In an online briefing, Ms. Vergeire said Mr. Duque, as chairperson, will lead discussions on the coronavirus pandemic, and vaccine preventable diseases and immunization. Discussions will also tackle aging and health, safe and affordable surgical intervention and program budget for 2022 and 2023. The appointment comes as Mr. Duque faces corruption allegations amid investigations on anomalies within the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. Members of the health sector as well as lawmakers have also called for the health chief’s resignation over his alleged mishandling of the country’s coronavirus response. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Online platform eyed for civil service exams
THE CIVIL Service Commission (CSC) is eyeing to hold its career service exams online as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a threat. In a briefing on Wednesday, CSC Commissioner Aileen A. Lizada said they are currently assessing the shift. “To the new normal, we need to restructure our pen and paper test so that’s why we gave a directive to the examination recruitment and placement office of CSC that we want to go online. And in transition, we will find a way on how to bridge the gap going to online,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino. The CSC postponed the exams scheduled in March, then announced in June the suspension of all exams for the rest of the year. Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, the CSC was already offering the computer career service examinations (COMEX), a computerized version of their pen and paper exams, usually held at the agency’s headquarters in Quezon City and in selected regional offices. — Gillian M. Cortez
