00:01All of us, it is unanimous in all our thinking that every Filipino deserves access to quality health care.
00:10The nurses play a vital role in making this possible, providing care and comfort to patients and their families.
00:17So as we gather here today for the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc. National Annual Convention,
00:24we recognize the invaluable contributions of our nurses to the health of our people and the progress of the nation.
00:31Under the theme Filipino Nurses Shaping the Health of the Nation Through Collective Action,
00:37this convention provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge, to share best practices,
00:43and strengthen our efforts towards improving health care.
00:47This gathering also marks the PNA's 104th Foundation Anniversary and the 69th Nurses Week Celebration.
00:57These milestones honor generations of Filipino nurses who have served with a deep sense of responsibility,
01:05both here, at home, and across the world.
01:08Whether working in our hospitals, serving in communities in far-flung areas, or caring for patients abroad,
01:15Filipino nurses continue to demonstrate the skill, compassion, and professionalism for which they are known.
01:25Whenever I meet leaders from different countries, the first thing they tell us, always,
01:33they always come up to me and say,
01:36we are so grateful for the nurses that have been providing exemplary service for our people.
01:49So, I don't know if I can tell you where I am, but one of the countries that I went
01:54to is a very rich country.
01:56And when we are in the country, they say to me,
02:00do you realize that in all our ICU hospitals in my country,
02:0660% of the nurses and the doctors are Filipino?
02:13So,
02:14this is a king.
02:18Sabi niya sa akin,
02:19kaya you always please look kindly on us,
02:23because you have the switch.
02:24If you stop sending us,
02:26your healthcare workers,
02:28then the whole healthcare system in my country will stop.
02:32And so that is how important you have become,
02:35not only to the Philippines,
02:36but also to the rest of the world.
02:38Because your leaders and all the people that we talk to that are abroad speak of the hard work,
02:44the skill,
02:45and the dedications that our nurses offer and demonstrate wherever they go.
02:51I'm very proud to hear this,
02:53because I know how much our nurses contribute to our country,
02:59but also to the countries where they serve.
03:02Your contributions deserve our recognition
03:05and our continued commitment to advance the welfare and professional development of nurses.
03:11So we work very, very hard to strengthen our healthcare system now.
03:15We must also work towards improving nurse-to-patient ratios,
03:20filling vacant positions,
03:21providing more opportunities for our Filipino nurses' growth.
03:26All of this is necessary so that our nurses can carry out responsibilities more efficiently
03:33and ensure that our healthcare institutions better serve our people.
03:37To this end,
03:39this administration continues to work with the Department of Health
03:42to strengthen the healthcare workforce
03:45and improve the working conditions of our medical frontliners.
03:48We are working with CHED and TESDA to expand opportunities for healthcare training
03:53through the development of alternative pathways for nurses.
03:58Our goal is to help more qualified Filipinos enter the profession,
04:04strengthen the capabilities,
04:05and protect the welfare of our nurses
04:08to ensure that our healthcare institutions have the workforce
04:12that they need to serve our communities.
04:16To translate these commitments into concrete results,
04:20we have pursued several measures to support our nurses
04:23and expand the country's nursing workforce.
04:26First, we have increased the allocation for the health emergency allowance
04:31from P6.8 billion in 2022
04:34to over P110 billion pesos in 2026
04:40for public and private healthcare workers.
04:45Secondly,
04:47through the Clinical Care Associates Program,
04:49we have extended employment opportunities
04:52and review assistance to nursing graduates
04:54who have yet to pass the licensure examination.
04:58And third,
04:59in 2022,
05:01we lifted the moratorium
05:03on the offering of new Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.
05:07Consequently,
05:08the number of higher education institutions
05:11offering nursing programs
05:12increased from 354 in July 2022
05:17to an estimated 425 now in June of 2026.
05:23We have also developed
05:25an enhanced one-year master's degree program in nursing
05:29to help produce more qualified clinical instructors and educators.
05:34With these initiatives,
05:36we address important parts of the challenge.
05:39But we also acknowledge
05:41that building a resilient healthcare system
05:44requires sustained effort.
05:46This calls for the cooperation of government agencies,
05:50the private sector,
05:51academic institution,
05:52professional organizations,
05:54and the communities that we all serve.
05:57In this regard,
05:58I commend the PNA
05:59for its continuing role
06:01in advancing the competence,
06:03welfare,
06:04and professional standing
06:06of our nurses.
06:07We hope
06:08that more organizations
06:09will join us
06:10in this undertaking,
06:12bringing their expertise,
06:13their resources,
06:14the commitment
06:15to a common goal
06:16of building a stronger,
06:18more responsive
06:20healthcare system.
06:21To our nurses,
06:23maraming salamat po
06:24sa inyong taus-pusong paglilingkod.
06:28Ang inyong husay,
06:30ang inyong malasakit,
06:32dedikasyon,
06:33ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng pag-asa
06:35sa ating mga kababayan
06:37na nagpapalakas sa ating sistemang pangkalusugan.
06:41Patuloy po kaming magsisikap
06:43upang maibigay ang suporta,
06:46benepisyo,
06:47at oportunidad
06:47na nararapat
06:49para sa inyo.
06:51So together,
06:51let us build a bagong Pilipinas
06:54where every Filipino
06:55can access quality healthcare.
06:56Every healthcare worker
06:58receives ample support.
07:00And every act of service
07:02contributes
07:02to a healthier,
07:04more prosperous nation.
07:05Maraming salamat po.
07:07Mabuhay ang ating mga nurse.
07:09Mabuhay ang bagong Pilipinas.
07:14Mabuhay ang bagong Pilipinas.
07:15Ampliay ang bagong Pilipinas.
07:18An I carpasan link
07:18So together.visitaha
07:22SW backgrounds.org H.
07:25O
