Department of Health (DoH) must fill thousands of vacant positions in the public health system, as stable jobs at home could encourage more Filipino healthcare workers to stay in the country rather than seek employment overseas.

During the Senate hearing on the proposed 2027 health budget on Friday, Senator Bong Go raised concerns over staffing gaps while expressing support for the DoH and its attached agencies.

“There are almost 100,000 positions in the DoH, with more than 9,000 positions remaining unfilled. I hope this will also be addressed,” Go said.

Senator Bong Go urged the DOH to fill over 9,000 vacant positions to retain Filipino healthcare workers and strengthen the public health system.

He said filling the vacancies would give doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals more opportunities to serve locally.

“I hope this will also be addressed so that there will be more opportunities for our health workers who want to serve our country here,” he said.

Go acknowledged that many Filipino healthcare workers go abroad for better career opportunities and compensation but said overseas employment often comes at the cost of prolonged separation from their families.

Family must come first.

Sadness cannot be paid for. I know that some of them do not want to be separated from their families. If they have decent and stable jobs, especially our health workers who want to serve our country here, they would have an opportunity to stay,” he said.

He said government investments in hospitals, health centers and other medical facilities must be matched by enough doctors, nurses, medical technologists and other personnel to make these facilities fully operational.

Go also called for the completion and operationalization of health facilities, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where residents often travel long distances to access medical care.

He renewed his call for the government to release unpaid Health Emergency Allowances to qualified healthcare workers who served during the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that the Senate Committee on Health had held several hearings on the issue.

“If their claims have been validated, if the services were rendered and our health workers worked hard for them, I hope we give them the importance they deserve,” Go said.

He paid tribute to medical frontliners for their sacrifices during the pandemic.

“You are the heroes of the pandemic. All of you medical frontliners, all the doctors — you are the heroes of the pandemic. We would not have reached where we are today if not for you,” he said.

Go, a former chair of the Senate Committee on Health and its current vice chairperson, said retaining Filipino healthcare professionals is crucial to achieving Universal Health Care.