Labor chief proposes scrapping board, bar exams

CNN Philippines | July 7, 2021

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III believes there’s a need to review the necessity of holding professional
licensure examinations.

In a media briefing on Wednesday, Bello proposed that the country do away with board and bar exams,
saying the several years of education and the accompanying tests students go through before
graduating are enough to prepare them for work.

Bello said he also floated the idea during a meeting with the Philippine Nurses Association and the Board
of Nursing. He added he is considering recommending the measure to Congress.

“Sabi ko pag-aralan niyo ‘yan, and then we can recommend to Congress na tanggalin na ‘yang exam
exam na ‘yan. Gastos sa ating mga nurses,” he said.

The same thing applies to other professions, such as law, engineering, and dentistry, according to Bello.

“Katakot-takot na pag-aaral ‘yan,” he said. “Imagine, ‘yung eight years of studies mo will be brought to
naught just because you failed in passing the bar. Wala akong nakikitang katarungan doon eh.”

Further explaining his proposal, Bello said schools already accredited by the Commission on Higher
Education should be trusted that they can produce competent graduates.

Should he become part of the nation's legislative branch, Bello said the proposal would probably
become his “pet bill.” He later on added, however, that he still hasn’t made up his mind if he will run in
the 2022 elections.

[Bello]

Philippine Nurses Association rejects Bello proposal to scrap board exams

GMA News | July 8, 2021 10:40am

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) on Thursday rejected a proposal by Labor Secretary Silvestre
Bello III to scrap licensure exams, maintaining that the competency of health professionals must be
ensured.

PNA national president Melbert Reyes said they and the Board of Nursing "immediately rejected" Bello’s
proposal when the secretary raised it in a meeting on the health worker deployment ban earlier this
week.

“Hindi puwede ‘yan, buhay kasi ang hinahawakan namin eh. We need to ensure that health
professionals are competent enough,” he said.

“Bababa po ‘yung quality, actually, ‘pag hindi tayo nag-board exam. Bababa ‘yung level natin,” he added.

Reyes also said board exams serve as the check and balance for the quality of education, noting the
existence of “fly by night” schools.

Chief Justice Gesmundo rejects proposed abolition of Bar exams

GMA News | July 8, 2021

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Thursday said he is against the abolition of the Bar exams, as
proposed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
“I don’t see the need to abolish the Bar exam. We must continue having the Bar exam,” Gesmundo said
in an ambush interview at an event in Manila.

“I respect the view of Secretary Bello but as far as the practice of law, I think we should maintain the Bar
examinations so that we can sift those who are competent, considering the nature of the legal
profession,” he added.

“The legal profession is vested with public interest.”

Gesmundo stressed the need to ensure that only those competent should be allowed to enter the legal
profession.

“Aside from the tradition, it is important that we make sure that those who join the legal profession are
competent, that they can perform their duties as lawyers, not only to the court but also to their clients
and to society as a whole,” he said.

“So the qualifying exam for legal professionals should be therein continued.”

Gesmundo said the legal basis for the mandatory taking of Bar exams for those who want to become
lawyers is included in the Rules of Court.

Queen Elizabeth II hails PH nurses in UK

Philippine Daily Inquirer | July 06, 2021

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has acknowledged the contribution of Filipino nurses working in the United
Kingdom’s healthcare sector.

“We are fortunate to have many nurses from the Philippines in the National Health Service,” the Queen
said in her message to President Rodrigo Duterte in celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

“Our ties of friendship and affection are as important today as 75 years ago,” she added.

According to the Queen, Filipino nurses bring “exceptional care and comfort to their patients.”

“I wanted to express my sincerest gratitude for their work, especially in response to the coronavirus,”
the Queen added in a statement coursed through the British Embassy in Manila.

Queen Elizabeth also expressed hope that both the United Kingdom and the Philippines “may all look
forward to better times in the future.”

Last month, Prince Charles also expressed his “most heartfelt” gratitude to Filipino health workers in the
United Kingdom, calling them “wonderfully selfless people.”

“The bonds of friendship between us are stronger than ever. At a time when we have faced the
unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus, those links have provided the foundation for us to work
together toward a better future,” Prince Charles said in a video message posted by British Ambassador
to the Philippines Daniel Pruce on Twitter.

“We are more fortunate than we perhaps realize to have many thousands of nurses and other health-
care workers from the Philippines working in the United Kingdom, particularly in the National Health
Service. To these wonderfully selfless people, I wanted to offer my most heartfelt gratitude for the
outstanding care and comfort you give to your patients,” he added.

Early this year, the Queen also paid tribute to Filipino nurses.
Charito Romano and Minnie Klepacz, nurses from the Philippines, were given the British Empire Medal
(BEM) for their contribution to the coronavirus response.

A British Empire Medal is given to individuals for “hands-on” service to the local community. This could
be a long-term charitable or voluntary activity, or innovative work of a relatively short duration that has
made a significant difference.

Romano was cited for her “outstanding” services to nursing care in Surrey, while Klepacz, who received
the award in October last year, was also given a BEM for her “tireless work to support her colleagues
and community” during the pandemic.

Klepacz, a matron for ophthalmology, leads the hospital’s Black Asian Minority Ethnic Network at the
Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

The Philippine Embassy in the United Kingdom, citing a March 2019 report on the National Health
Service’s workplace diversity, earlier said that close to 19,000 Filipinos serve the foreign country’s public
health system either as medical professionals such as nurses and allied health professionals or as
support staff.

Saudi Arabia praises Pinoy healthcare workers’ professionalism

PNA | June 23, 2021

Saudi Arabia is all praises for Filipino healthcare workers in the country for their “excellence” and
“professionalism”.

This was the remark made by Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs (PAFA) and Special Envoy to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Robert Borje as more countries are seeking for exemptions on the
deployment cap on Filipino medical professionals, particularly nurses.

Borje said Saudi Arabia has yet to request for an exemption of the cap similar to what has been granted
to the United Kingdom (UK).

He noted that KSA is aware that the Philippines also needed their healthcare workers to boost the
country’s workforce amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Saudi government has reaffirmed magaling ang ating mga healthcare professionals. I think they
also understand that we also need our healthcare workers. There has been no formal request yet but in
so far as recognition of what Filipino healthcare professionals can do and can contribute to Saudi Arabia,
that has been a resounding yes,” he said in a virtual presser organized by the Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

Borje said Saudi Arabia also acknowledged that Filipino healthcare workers have played a huge part in
caring for the health and welfare of their people.

“Ang sabi nila is magaling talaga ang healthcare professionals ng Pilipino and they’re depending on our
healthcare workers for their excellence and professionalism,” he added.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)
increased the annual cap on the deployment of healthcare workers abroad from 5,000 to 6,500.

The IATF-EID said the cap was needed due to the demand for healthcare workers abroad amid the
health crisis.

Besides UK, more countries have reportedly requested an increase in the deployment of healthcare
workers.