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The UK will not commit to the Department of Labor and Employment’s proposal that Filipino nurses and healthcare workers be exempted from the 5,000 annual limit on deployment in exchange for obtaining a secured supply of Covid-19 vaccines, a alleged barter that the Philippines have cleared up officials.
“In my last talk with (DOLE Secretary Silvestre) Bello, I said that we had no plans to link vaccines with these conversations about recruiting nurses,” said UK Ambassador Daniel Pruce in an extended meeting with journalists.
The DOLE has tried to clear up the matter, saying it was not a physical supply of vaccines but simply wanted the foreign governments of the UK and Germany to bear the cost of inoculating the Filipino health workers deployed to them.
Pruce said he hopes to speak again on this topic in the coming weeks to continue a broader discussion on the topic.
He said the UK has two separate avenues of discussion on the matter: one, the issue of Filipino healthcare professionals in the UK, where they have a very successful and productive relationship, and two, “a separate issue from work in the United Kingdom”.
“The embassy supports the Philippines to ensure access to vaccines that have been developed independently,” he added.
Two days ago, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III asked the UK and Germany to provide the Philippines with Covid-19 vaccines in exchange for an exemption from the 5,000 annual limit on the deployment of Filipino nurses and other healthcare workers.
The director of the Office of International Labor Affairs, Alice Visperas, said that Bello has spoken with the UK ambassador to the Philippines about the matter.
Among the requests made by Bello to the United Kingdom, according to Visperas, was an exchange for the exemption of the deployment limit, and the renewal of the bilateral labor agreements of 2002 and 2003 between the United Kingdom and the Philippines, as well as the supply of vaccines. .
Meanwhile, Pruce announced that the Philippines received 10 million doses of the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine developed in the United Kingdom, after the country was included in the first round list of countries that will receive free allocations of the Covax vaccine. The Philippines, embroiled in a lengthy discussion about the acquisition of Covid-19, has finally approved the emergency use allocation (USA) for various vaccines and expects the doses to arrive by the end of this month.
COVAX, Pruce emphasized, “is the best mechanism to ensure equitable access to vaccines throughout the world,” referring to the facility that has received the name of the World Health Organization to guarantee equitable access to vaccines throughout the world. the world.
The ambassador confirmed meeting with Labor Secretary Silverstre Bello IIII a few weeks ago on the Philippines proposal, but said the UK prefers to help developing nations access Covid-19 vaccines through Covax’s facilities. the WHO, where he said that his country has taken the initiative. paper.
“As you know, the UK has made emphatic commitments that will be passed on to the Covax facility that the distribution of surplus vaccines to developing countries will be managed.”
He added that the UK “was doing it because we are committed to ensuring that vaccines, as they become available, are distributed fairly and equitably.”
The UK is one of the top deployment destinations for Filipino nurses and healthcare workers in the world.
Pruce praised the professionalism, competence and significant contributions of Filipinos to Britain’s healthcare system, particularly during the pandemic, when a couple of them even received awards from the British government.
“They bring enormous compassion and empathy and care for the patients they serve. We consider ourselves blessed, “he added.
Work reacts
Meanwhile, labor groups criticized DOLE’s tone, framed by critics as a “barter” of health workers (TS) for vaccines.
The agency was quick to deny the allegation, calling it a misunderstanding of its intention to ensure the protection of health workers and their host country against infection.
The Nagkaisa labor coalition did not believe DOLE’s explanation in requesting vaccines for some 600,000 Filipino Overseas Workers (OFW) as a condition before considering exempting the UK and Germany from the deployment limit for healthcare workers.
The group argued that the government should simply remove the deployment restriction without any conditions, especially as it hinders employment opportunities for health workers.
Of mutual benefit
In an online press conference on Wednesday, DOLE spokesman Rolly France said the government is unlikely to lift the deployment limit during the pandemic.
To recall, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) imposed the 5,000 deployment quota to ensure that the country has enough TSs to assist in the government’s ongoing response to Covid-19.
However, he said the government may increase the quota for some countries, which can ensure the protection of healthcare workers against infection, as Bello is negotiating with the UK and Germany.
He clarified that the DOLE is not asking for physical doses, but to assume the cost of the Covid-19 vaccines, which will be used for OFW.
Italian Labor Attaché Maria Corina Padilla-Bunag said the measure will provide the necessary protection to OFWs during the pandemic.
“It really is just one part of the process for protecting not only workers, but also employers and families,” Bunag said.
Consistent policy
While emphasizing that the country already has enough vaccines to inoculate 70 million Filipinos, presidential spokesman Harry Roque praised DOLE’s initiative, which he said is consistent with national government policy, to ensure vaccines for more Filipinos.
