MANILA – Newly-appointed Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa on Thursday said he wants to fill up 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in the Philippines by helping more aspiring nurses pass the board exams.

Herbosa noted that only about half of all nursing board exam takers pass the government’s qualifying test. Some of those who flunked the test shift to other careers, he said.

He said he would ask the Professional Regulatory Commission to grant temporary licenses to practice to those who failed the test so they could be hired by public hospitals. From there, they will be given four years to pass the nursing licensure exam.

“Yung ating mga walang kaya na kababayan, nakatapos ng nursing…walang trabaho, tapos walang pambayad ng board review. Eh paano makakapasa yun? So feeling ko, patrabahuin ko siya as a nurse, nakatulong pa siya doon sa vacant position, malamang 'pag nagtrabaho siya as a nurse, sigurado ko in one or 2 tries mapapasa niya yung board exam,” he said.

(Some nursing graduates have no means, have no jobs, and cannot pay for the board review. So how will they pass the test? I feel that they should be allowed to work as nurses and help fill the vacant positions. One they have work experience, I am sure that in one or 2 tries, they can pass the board exam.)

The official said some private sector representatives have already offered to sponsor the nursing board exam review of these nursing graduates, which costs about P25,000.

He noted, however, that a return service agreement would be put in place should this plan of his push through.

“Tingin ko, wag naman sila umalis doon sa higher pay. Dahil tinulungan ko silang makapasa, tinulungan ko silang magtrabaho, eh magbayad din sila ng 4 na taon sa pamahalaan at magserbisyo, bilang public health nurse or public hospital nurse,” he stressed.

(I don't think they should leave right away for higher pay. Because we helped them pass and get a job, they should work for us in return for 4 years as a public health nurse or public hospital nurse.)

An expert in April urged government to immediately "slow down" other countries' recruitment of Filipino healthcare workers, noting that foreign recruiters go directly to hospitals and schools.

• 'Critical shortage' of PH healthcare workers seen as foreign countries 'recruit whole teams'

— TeleRadyo, 15 June 2023