STOP THE FILIPINO DOCTORS FROM GOING OUT OF THE COUNTRY
This is what Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said:
Filipino doctors would be barred from migrating and working abroad to avert a possible shortage of medical practitioners, if Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had his way. “You don’t expect Indians and Cambodians to treat Filipinos,” Duque Thursday told reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with provincial governors and his counterpart in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on the “FOURmula One for Health” strategy of the Department of Health (DoH). “While we’re out there treating other people, the irony is we don’t have anyone to treat our own people. Of course, the authorities will not allow it. Political leaders will not allow that. I will not allow it. If I have to respond to it today, I will close the door,” he said. According to Duque, the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 8043) allows the government to implement this extreme measure, especially “when the profession is deemed mission-critical.”
“The government has the authority, the power, to close the exit doors,” he said.
The ban on deployment is in Section 5 of the law, which states that the labor secretary, “in pursuit of the national interest or when public welfare so requires may, at any time, terminate or impose a ban on the deployment of migrant workers.”
DANG!!!
Yes! I understand! That the Philippines is on the brink of a shortage of medical doctors!
Yes! I understand! That the country has lost from 5,000 to 6,000 doctors since 2001!
Yes! I understand! That a big number of doctors have also studied or are studying to become nurses for them to be able to work overseas!
But is this how you solve the shortage of doctors in the Philippines? By a heavy-handed WE WILL CLOSE THE DOORS ON YOU! Do these people understand how much it cost to get a medical degree in the Philippines? Do these people understand that right after graduation, salary alone is not even enough to even feed themselves let alone send monies to their parents in the province? I can’t believe that this is the solution that Doque could come up with!
Just what is the intended result of this solution? This is almost telling future medical students not to take medical degree anymore! More and more students will be shying away from the medical profession. Why? What’s the incentive? Is this the incentive that awaits them after college? Barred from finding a high paying job for an expensive degree?
I don’t think the government is seeing this problem properly. I don’t think the government understands the issue or the problem, either! Problem resolution is understanding the problem – that’s basic – and that’s almost a given. For if you don’t understand the problem, any solution will always be ineffective.
What the government should study, research and understand is why the doctors are leaving. Let’s see… honestly, you don’t even need a research company to figure this out. Do you? Would you call big named universities in the Philippines to study why doctors are leaving in droves? What’s the main reason? Kailangan pa ba nang national debate nito?
The issue is MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! That’s all. And that’s the main problem that the government has to fixed. What do you do to fix the Filipino doctors salary such that they are at least at par with the average doctor’s salary at least in Southeast Asia! I understand it is very challenging to the government given the per capita income in the Philippines which is almost six feet below the ground! If you can’t match doctor’s salaries in Southeast Asia or Europe or the United States, then create incentives to the doctors. Can’t we get creative? But with all the monies being thrown at the endemic corruption, then why can’t the government subsidize part of their salary? If you will bar the Filipino doctors to lead a decent life and get a decent salary – then offer the medical studies to Filipinos FOR FREE! Isn’t that just fair?
Heavy-handedness to the very people we care to take care of us won’t work Mr. Secretary! Isn’t that what the dictator Marcos did to the Filipinos? Should we still be reminded that iron fist management never ever work?
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Punyetang Duque yan, ambobo bobo ng naisip na solusyon, siyet! Nuknukan naman pala ng katangahan ang taong yan eh… Alam mo ba kung ano na lang ang natitirang willing na willing mag stay sa Pinas kasi they can travel naman anytime? Mga congressmen at senator!@ Eh kung compensated ba ang mga doctors pati teachers at nurses ng katulad ng sweldo at benefits ng senador di nag stay lahat yan!!!
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Hi Kutz,
This must be very difficult on you having just seen the fruits of your sobrang pagtitiis to pay for medical schooling tapos ganito maririnig mo!
That statement of barring the doctors I believe is reckless and irresponsible. There’s a professional organization that cares for the medical profession – eh ano kaya kausapin nang health department and sort out the problem at tulungan nang gobyerno magbigay nang perks sa mga doktor as an incentive para mag-stay sila at hindi yong tatapunan ka nang granada? Napaka moron naman nang desisyon na yan!
Then look at what Alecks blog has, eh milyon milyon pala ang expense accounts nang mga Senators at Congressman and you’re right!
They should pass a law: BARRING ALL GOVt and EX GOVT officials in seeking medical treatment abroad. In otha wurds, magtiis sila nang penicilin at quack quack doktor sten para mapilitian silang ayusin ang state of mental health nilang mga politiko para maayus ang health professionals salary para di na magsialisan ang mga yan
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Well…Dr. Duque is not sane enough to say those…just because he himseft did not have an opportunity to go abroad……in fact he doesn’t have a family of his own.
I believe he has bad stench of a filipino crab mentality…..as the saying goes…misery loves company……
Studying in a medical school is so expensive that its so damn hard to compensate it here…..specializing for long years with almost no pay at all……working for extremely LONG hours of work…..the hazards of afflicting diseases……looming malpractice and distrust. This all come to the end…saying the doctors are definitely leaving well to say for most of us…..
We love our country but we love our family more who so persevered for us to graduate as a doctor…..it is a selfless calling but a selfless calling to help our FAMILY first above all…..
If we can serve our family…..then we can serve the people…..
If we cant seve our family….then we have to leave to serve them first….that sounds VERY LOGICAL enough why doctors are leaving.
We dont complain, we dont brag……suggestions were handed down…but we werent heard………well if nobody lends an ear in this democracy……..then its about time we hand our ideas to others…
His statement of stopping us from leaving …. definitely holds our rights as citizens…. who are sound in our ideals to help our basic unit of society which is our family
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yung punto nya yata eh, umaalis ang mga doktor dahil they are un-filipino.
kaya Dok! pag nagpa-opera sayo si Duki, alam mo na kung ano ang papalitan sa kanya.
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This article agrees with my opinion:
By Nikko Dizon
Inquirer
Last updated 07:59pm (Mla time) 08/05/2007
MANILA, Philippines–An organization of doctors said over the weekend that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III would be implementing only a “stop-gap” measure with a ban on the migration of Filipino doctors abroad to prevent a shortage of medical practitioners in the country.
Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) said in a statement that keeping doctors from leaving the country by invoking the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 would not solve the problem of the dwindling numbers of Filipino doctors.
“The DoH (Department of Health) is proposing solutions without recognizing the roots of the problem,” said Dr. Gene Alzona Nisperos, Head secretary general. “This is why their solutions are untenable and token at best.”
Head said the decline in enrollment in medical schools and the government’s lack of support for the health care delivery system have been the bane of the country’s medical field.
The decline in medical school enrollments is as high as 50 percent, according to the group.
Head pointed out the lack of government support for the country’s health care delivery system forced doctors, particularly in the public sector, to seek greener pastures overseas.
Earlier, Duque told reporters that if he had his way, he would bar Filipino doctors from migrating in light of a possible shortage of medical practitioners in the country.
YOU CAN READ THE ENTRY HERE: This appeared 08/05/07 on the Inquirer:
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=80735
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IS BAN ON DOCTORS’ MIGRATION SYMPTOMATIC OF LACK OF ECONOMIC EXPERTISE,
INNOVATIVENESS, AND FAIRNESS?
Presented hereunder are certain points to consider on the prospect of
restricting the migration of doctors, as revealed in a Philippine Daily Inquirer
(PDI) news item posted to the Internet, from which I quote, as follows:
READ MORE AT
http://philippinenurse.blogspot.com/2007/08/is-ban-on-doctors-migration-symptomatic.html
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West Visayas State University
College of Arts and Sciences
La Paz , Iloilo City
February 28, 2008
Dear Dr.______________:
We are the third year BS Biology students of the College of Arts and Sciences, West Visayas State University , Iloilo City , Philippines . We are conducting a study on ?Exodus of Medical Doctors?.
As one of the chosen respondents of this study, please be kind enough to answer the following.
Part I. Personal Data
Name (optional):
Place of work/Residence:
Place of residence in the Philippines :
Age:
Gender:
School/ University graduated:
Present Occupation:
What is your main reason for leaving the Philippines ?
How did you get your current job?
What profession/professions do you practice in this country where you are in now?
Why did you prefer to migrate in this country?
What are your most memorable moments in your present job?
What consequences do you experience in these countries with regards to your present job?
Any words of wisdom/advice for the would be doctors and those planning to work abroad?
Other experiences you would like to share?
Thank you very much in anticipation of your positive response.
Very truly yours,
CYD F. ARELLADO
TWINKLE GRACE GERMIA
Researchers
Noted:
MA. ARLEN F ARELLADO, Ed. D.
Adviser
*pls reply to
bonbon_cyd_29@yahoo.com
thank you!!
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…on the article of DOH sec Duque banning doctors to migrate is UNPROFESSIONAL….why ban people who seeks good life for their families and their generations..??. do we have NO RIGHT to lead our own life on the way we want it to be..?? Can sec Duque give the financial supports to all doctors who are truly poor and earn only a 20 thousand per month salary to a family of four or more..?
… I cant imagine people like Duque to behave like that,in fact for GODs SAKE… he actually knew WHY this is happening… coz he is also a doctor… let him work in a government hospital not as a secretary in DOH before he say anything not humane enough…
In fact as a secretary… HE must find ways to upgrade these doctors who have not undergone training, to make these doctors be specialist on the field they want to be…so as not to feel inferior and just wait for their very degrading salary…!!!
Honestly speaking, i have a friend doctor who cannot build a house for his family, ride only on a passenger motorcycle coz he cant afford to have one..works in the hospital for 18 years not given a chance to train.. just a medical officer 3 with a salary of 18thou pesos…!!! He told me he finished medicine as a scholar but did not train coz he wants to earn a living right after the board exam for his family ..and …only to have a salary very degrading and disappointing…and that he cannot afford to let his son go to a medical course coz… TUITION rates per year is almost 100thou…thats 10thou per month , how can he pay his son board and lodging, his health insurance, their food to eat..??? Now Duque… ANSWER please….for ALL DOCTORS grievances….!!! GOOD for you duque coz you’re not waiting for your salary q 15th day … of course you have some millions from malacanang and the medicines that passed tru your pen….!!!! LOOK at all the medicines you have approved but already expired and were not delivered and distributed to all govt hospitals and RHUs.!!! your Accountable for that also as a sec in DOH….
..i encourage media to go around health centers and you will know patients are only given prescriptions by docs coz no medicines available..they cannot even have a nebulizer and meds for asthmatic patients….!!!..Had duque monitored this and the mayors corruption on buying medicines just 10 to 20 % from the allocated money, he will know ALL the aspects why these doctors have LOSE their HOPES….!!!
..media please ..help these docs shout for their rights..!! compare the benefits of a devolved govt hosp and the hosp funded from the national… how pity they are…??
you know friends… i went with my friend doc in one of the GSIS building only to know that a regular guard salary is between 20 thou to 25 thou compare that to a govt doctor of 18thou to 20 thou who works 24hrs on call and do operations till dawn…???..shocking…duque…!!!
a doctor in GSIS is paid about 40 to 60 thou… no operations done coz thats an office , right…???? why these differences…???
NOW….. Duque do you have the heart to ban these doctors who just want to live longer and give good lives for theirs love ones…???.. i know you have a heavy heart now… are you crying for this…??
….+++++++…….+++++++…….++++++……
GOD bless ALL the DOCTORS involve pls…. have mercy…!!!!
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i agree. they should not ban medical professionals from excelling on their crafts. this is their freedom. and they can establish a rotational system rather. wherein they can be allowed to go to abroad for a certain period of time and go back again and be of service to the country. this is a matter of nationalism and respect.
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i think ths problem would only boil down on the governments unabashed corruption. they try to fix the problem by banning doctors abroad. its not such a good idea!!
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i would have to agree with most of the comments. the truth is…doctors like people also need to live…decently. and how do they live decently? M-O-N-E-Y. lets us not be hippocrites when it comes to this thing because it all boils down to this. i am also a doctor and if i have it my way i would get out of the country also because there is not so much to expect here. it is quite disheatening becuae i love my country but ith all the corruption going on in all branches of the governement there is not any glimmer of hope left.
doctors are paid well below the minimum here in the philippines. with a resident’s pay here, he cannot live decently let alone support a family. it is really more than pathetic. i do hope the government or somebody will find a solution real quick because if this trend does go on, you can expect a lot more MD’s to get of the Philippines before you can say….Philippines.
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Who gives you the right to ban a doctor from pursuing a better life for himself and his family? I am a diplomate, and a fellow of a society here and in private practice for almost six years now and right now, I have debts left and right. I am supporting my parents and my wife to is also supporting hers, now I am expecting to have children. The only way i could address this is by going abroad. Maybe you thought that doctors in private practice earns more? yes they do, but those are the oldies and had training abroad. Most private patients are now choosy. We have HMO, but the rate is lower and pay us after than 3 months and the doctors handling these HMO’s have preferred doctors to refer to. In private practice, you have to have the ability to sale your product also and I am not good in that.
Yes, doctors are supposed to help sick people even if they dont have money. But how about us doctors? Whos gonna help us, where are we going to get money to feed our family, pay our bills, send our children to DECENT schools.
You, know what hurts me more is everytime I meet my old friends Med Techs, Nurses, Businessmen etc…, is the kind of life they are now living. I pitty myself thinking that I have made a huge mistake in taking up medicine. When I was asked before why do I want to be a doctor? I always answered “to help sick people”. I never thought about that besides being a dcotor you also have to deal with ECONOMICS, an old rich doctor once told me, the practice of medicine should be done by rich people, and now I understand him why he said that.
What secretary Duque is trying to do is kill us and our family. Thats crab mentality. You did not send us to school, our parents paid for our tuition and its about time we pay them also but with thwe present situation? I cant do that.
Now if secretary Duque will pursue his plan, which I think is unconstitutional by the way, then he should also recommend banning everyone from migrating also. Dito magsamasama tayo. Whats the logic here, hospitals also are running out of experienced nurses, filipino Businessmen who has money should spend their money here to provide more employment and etc…
If this secretary will push through with his plan, then its time for me to give up my practice and study welding, butchery or automotive mechanics in TESDA, so I can leave this country.
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