Spox Roque defends ban on health worker deployment

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque defended the government's temporary ban on deploying health workers abroad, citing the need for their services domestically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roque emphasized that the primary concern is the safety and health of Filipino health workers in countries with higher coronavirus case numbers, such as the United States.

He urged health workers to prioritize serving the Philippines, invoking the principle of 'charity begins at home'.

The ban, an exercise of the President's police power, is meant to uphold public health.

Roque suggested that gaining clinical experience in the Philippines could make them more attractive to foreign recruiters in the future.

Health workers with perfected and signed work contracts as of March 8, 2020, are still allowed to be deployed abroad, while those whose papers were processed after this date must stay.

He also implied that working for the government's emergency recruitment program during the pandemic could benefit their careers by attracting headhunters.