Photo shows a nurse waiting for patients in a diagnostic center in Makati City (Photo from THEPHILBIZNEWS/MAS)
With the growing demand for Filipino Healthcare Professionals to bolster the German healthcare sector, the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) renews the call to reconsider the deployment cap on Filipino healthcare workers (HCW) to Germany. These was the discussions surrounding the recently organized dialogue of the Chamber on November 17, 2021, with German healthcare sector stakeholders and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Administrator Bernard Olalia.
“The deployment of Filipino HCWs in Germany is one of the priorities of the German government under the bilateral relations with the Philippines. We understand that the triple win program has been success, however we also note that the majority of the health care workers deployed to Germany comes from the private sector deployment.”, says German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel. “While we see other countries are also responding to this growing need for HCWs in Germany, it is important for us to continue the cooperation with the Philippines in order to keep them the top partner in this sector. Moreover, the German government and the German Embassy are willing and prepared to provide every support that is needed by the qualified HCWs.”
In the meeting, POEA Administrator Olalia gave a speech on the progress of deployment of HCWs during the pandemic. He reports that from 1 January 2021 to 16 November 2021, the Philippine Government was able to deploy 507 nurses under the triple win project, deploy 1,178 nurses in the private sector, 355 under the “balik-manggagawa” program, in which about a total of almost 2,000 nurses bound to Germany.
Mr. Olalia also notes that there may be a silver lining in the near future as the Philippines presents a growing supply of nurses and that the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases only applies the current cap of 6,500 until the end of 2021 and will refresh its numbers by January 2022 with 5,000.
“Overseas remittances from Filipino HCWs, as we all know, is one the key drivers of the Philippine economy so it is important for us to reconsider the deployment ban in place.” says GPCCI Executive Director. “It is important for us to work together, so that the to help the economy to get back on its feet faster and stronger.”
GPCCI belongs to the international network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs) that is represented by 140 offices in 92 countries. GPCCI is the official representation of German businesses in the Philippines; a bilateral membership organization with around 300 members; and a service provider to companies in their market entry and expansion.