The Manila Hotel, City of Manila
September 1, 2022

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed to continue pursuing programs that support the development of Filipino nurses during his attendance in the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc. (PNA) 100th Anniversary Celebration at The Manila Hotel in the City of Manila.

“Certainly, we will not stop with just providing programs that improve your capacity as nurses. We will continue to provide you with the benefits that you deserve as healthcare workers,” said President Marcos Jr., citing that the government has already disbursed PhP25.82 billion worth of benefits to healthcare workers.

Among the programs cited by the President to further enhance the skills and competencies of Filipino nurses are the Nursing Certification Program; Primary Care Workers Certification Program; Leadership Development Courses for Public Health Nurses; and In-Service Post-Graduate Scholarship Program.

He also expressed his support for the passage of the New Philippine Nursing Act that “seeks to protect and care for nurses through just employment, welfare compensation and practice environment”.

“This Executive department, together with Congress, will work with you to achieve these goals. As part of our goal to raise the profile and improve the working condition of nurses, we seek to address the disparity in salaries between nurses in government hospitals with those in the private sector,” he said.

The Chief Executive acknowledged their significant contributions to society, and assured them that the government remains open to dialogue to address the issues concerning the nurses and healthcare professionals.

“Please know that we understand this, that we know what you have done. We know the value of your work. And this is something that we know not only because of our personal experiences, but because of the experiences of everybody around the world,” said the President.

Boasting a 40,000 strong membership, the PNA was initially established as the Filipino Nurses Association in 1922 seeking to promote professional growth towards the attainment of highest standards of nursing.

The 100th anniversary celebration coincided with the 65th Nurses’ Week Celebration and the PNA National Annual Convention 2022.

*  *  *