But DOH-7 belies allegation: Nurses ‘forced’ to join mission

CEBU, Philippines — At least 50 healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, from Central Visayas have been deployed to help in the effort to contain the COVID-19 contagion in the NCR Plus but was it out of their own volition?

Joseph Stephen Descallar, the president of the Cebu chapter of Philippine Nurses Association, told The FREEMAN that some of the nurses went because “they were left without a choice.”

“Regarding sa deployment for NCR kay naay uban pinugsanay nga i-part sa team nga ipadala (some were forced to be part of the team to be sent),” Descallar said.

Eleven doctors, 35 nurses, and four medical technologists from Central Visayas were part of the mission. The initiative initiated by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, in coordination with the Department of Health-7 and Project Balik-Buhay.

Descallar did not specify which hospital in Central Visayas the “forced” nurses came from. He said some have already left for Manila.

A nurse who spoke to The FREEMAN on the condition of anonymity elaborated that most of those who joined the mission were left with no choice as they are job order personnel or not regular employees and were afraid that their employment will no longer be renewed or that they will not be regularized.

Others, the nurse added, also had no choice but to follow orders from their superiors after no one had volunteered.

“Way pugsanay, pero walay balibaray,” said another source, a doctor whose colleagues also went not out of their will.

The source said that others volunteered thinking that they will only be deployed for at least 14 days and return to Cebu immediately, only to be told during the send-off that they will be gone for three months.

While Descallar clarified that the nurses are in solidarity with the national government, he said that the nurses’ decision should also be respected.

“The context of volunteerism must be upheld for in the end, nursing care with the heart is still the best service we can give for the patients,” said Descallar.

DOH-7: No coercion

Meanwhile, DOH-7 spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche denied reports of coercion.

“We categorically deny this. When there was a call to help NCR Plus with deployment of healthcare workers, there was an invitation for them to volunteer and join,” said Loreche.

Loreche added that DOH-7 is very proud of those who volunteered.

“We are very proud of them and we salute their dedication to help in this time of crisis,” she said, adding that communication should be open, especially those who “volunteered.”

“Should there be issues and problems while they are there, we have to set an open communication so we can address them as soon as we can,” Loreche said.

Based on DOH’s press release, those from Central Visayas will be deployed to either the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and the off-site extension of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center at the Quezon Institute in Quezon City, San Lazaro Hospital and Tondo Medical Center in the City of Manila, and Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City.

Under this program, all redeployed healthcare workers are entitled to RT-PCR testing prior, during and post deployment, per diem, work transportation expenses, accommodation and meals, among others on top of their salaries and other emoluments from their mother offices.

The Cebu City government, OPAV, Cebu provincial government, and DOH-7 have also promised to give additional incentives for them per month totaling about P25,000 per worker.

OPAV Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino earlier said the initiative is about “helping each other in the darkest of times, where our Filipino values of malasakit and bayanihan would really emerge and with a ready hand, come to the aid of our ailing countrymen.”

Dino refused to comment yesterday about the alleged coercion of some nurses. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMD (FREEMAN)