MANILA - Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday said there is a proposal to allow the overseas deployment of 500 more Filipino health workers before the end of the year, even after the cap has been reached.

“Kahapon, kausap ko ang Technical Working Group. Sabi nila, bagama't naabot na namin yung limitasyon, baka dadagdag sila kahit 500 na palabasin nating nurses hanggang katapusan,” Bello said.

(Yesterday, I talked with the Technical Working Group. And they said that although we already reached the limitation, they may allow around 500 more to leave for work abroad before the year ends.)

• DOLE mulls raising nurses, health workers deployment cap

The Philippine government raised the annual cap of nurses and other healthcare workers being deployed abroad from 5,000 to 6,500. The limit was set to ensure that the country has enough workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Sa mga nurses at healthcare workers, ubos na. Pero sa dami ng humihingi, yung technical working group nila proposed na for the last portion of this year ay pwede tayong magbigay ng 500,” said Bello.

(We’ve reached the cap for healthcare workers and nurses. But due to the number of requests made, the Technical Working Group proposed to send 500 more during the last portion of this year.)

Bello said they may include here the special request made by Brunei to send them 200 health workers.

“Maganda trato nila sa OFW, kaya kumpiyansa kaming pagbigyan yung bansang Brunei,” he said.

(They treat our OFWs well, so we are confident to allow the request of Brunei.)

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