Neglect of their working conditions, more than the extremely low pay, is the main reason nurses choose to work abroad, according to a study conducted by senior high school students of the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The paper titled “Restoring the Nation’s Pulse: Giving Life Back to Those Who Keep Us Alive” underscored that the healthcare workers (HCWs) who were once hailed as “heroes” are being ignored. 

The study was released exclusively to Daily Tribune which has a partnership with UST to publish its research output.

 “A nation’s soul relies on its people — the citizens who protect, heal, and sustain their home. In the Philippines, this truth becomes a painful irony: those who safeguard the health of others often struggle to preserve their own,” the paper stated.

It cited data from the Department of Health indicating that the Philippines faces a shortage of nearly 19,000 HCWs, despite the thousands who graduate each year.

According to the paper, the numbers of nurses and doctors leaving the country continue to outpace those who choose to stay. 

The paper cited low wages, poor working conditions, and a lack of government support as the reasons.

“With thousands of Filipino nurses and doctors leaving the country each year in search of better opportunities abroad, the nation is slowly losing its lifeline,” the paper said.

Wide disparity in pay

A comparison of nurses’ average annual salaries showed that they earn from P200,000 to P500,000 in the Philippines, while in the United States they can earn $80,000 to $95,000, or P4,695,440 to P5,575,835.

Recent Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) data indicated that thousands of Filipino nurses continue to seek employment in the United States, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

“This constant migration pattern reflects the desire of Filipino HCWs for dignity, stability, and respect elsewhere — viewing migration not as a choice but as a necessity,” the paper said.

The position paper noted, for example, the DLSU Medical Center which has a 250-bed capacity but can admit only around 170 patients, or 43 percent, due to a lack of nurses at the facility, which requires 340 nurses to operate smoothly.

The migration has led to a shortage of skilled professionals, threatening the quality of the healthcare patients receive in the country and putting the  economy at risk, despite the remittances from HCWs abroad.

According to the paper, recent laws such as the Philippine Nursing Act and the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, alongside nursing specialty programs, scholarships, and free medical care, are not enough to match the better quality of life and pay offered abroad.

Bill brings hope

There is hope, however,  for local HCWs if House Bill 6132, or the Magna Carta of Private Health Workers, is passed. 

The bill would provide  a P50,000 base salary and a P1,100 daily compensation for HCWs.

“The measure could harmonize public and private standards while preventing exploitative working hours,” the position paper said.

Further, the students underscored that the weak implementation and poor support for the existing laws for HCWs are not enough to keep them at home. 

They hope the government will take the necessary steps to make the HCWs,  considered as “silent heroes,” feel their country  cares for them.

“A country cannot heal if its healers are forced to leave home to survive. It is time for senators, companies, and citizens alike to demand lasting reforms that value, protect, and empower every Filipino healthcare worker before it’s too late,” the students emphasized.