I worked in Saudi Arabia , in a gov’t hospital for 8 years , manned by ARAMCO- Arab American Co. . I was there during the gulf war . GOOD THINGS WERE ; 1. We had our vacation every 6 months , free ticket , with same vacation benefits like the foreigners ( Americans, Canadians , etc) 2. We had salary increase every year like the others. 3. We can be nominated as Employee of the month / year with same benefits like the foreigners . 4. Educational developments for the staff were the same. BAD THINGS WERE ; 1. There was a RACIAL descrimination : a. Filipinos with Phil . passport were only ranked as (SN2)Staff Nurse 2 and can not be promoted to SN1 though they were qualified in terms of competencies. b. Filipinos with American passport, Americans , Canadians were ranked as Staff Nurse 1 / charge Nurse. c. Staff Nurse 2 were doing the job of Staff Nurse 1 ( they do the job of SN1 though they were SN2) d. SN2 (Filipinos) were utilized also as Interpreter but Foreigners can not but still they received lower salaries.

Date of Posting: 20 July 2010
Posted By: jo cer

"ANG NARS" LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!: we need your help in pushing for INDEPENDENT NURSING PRACTICE - what will be the services that we will offer and charge according to our professional level. how much? Please give specifics: Novice, Advance Beginner, Competent, Proficient, Expert. What guideline will you contribute to ......protect both clients and the NARS from malpractice and negligence? Thank you very much!

Date of Posting: 14 June 2010
Posted By: Honey Chille Tolentino
ANG NARS BOARD 2010-2012, MANILA

I was a volunteer nurse for about 5 long years. I cannot get even a JO status because as I was told "Lumapit ka kasi sa Governor." My principle is that I want to have an item because I know how to work not because may backer o lumapit ako kung kanino. Akala ng marami regular Nurse ako sa hosp na yon kasi lahat ginagawa ko. Nagugulat sila pag nalalaman nilang volunteer lang ako. A lot of newly grads, not board passers, pag dating sa hosp may bitbit na papeles na JO or Casual sila. The

Date of Posting: 12 June 2010
Posted By: Ma. Reynafe Castillo
Isulan. SK

one schoolmate of mine told me this story. Maybe right now, she is already a staff nurse in a medical center in tondo. now here's the very sad story before she managed to be a staff nurse. so she applied as a staff nurse in the said hospital in 2007. Having graduated from a prestigious university in manila, she had high hopes. So she asked one of the nursing supervisors in the medical center in tondo that she was applying as one of its staff nurses. the nursing supervisor bluntly replied, "may backer ka ba? kasi kung wala ndi ka talaga makakapasok. kung gusto mu trainee ka nlng." then she asked, "may paraan po ba pra makapasok as staff nurse? pano po makakapasok as staff nurse?" the nursing supervisor had it again, with a crazy reply, "perfect-in mu un exam." to cut the long story short, she took the exam. twice she failed. and in between those exams, she volunteered as a nurse trainee in the medical center in tondo paying 500 Php every month in order for her to be hired as a nurse trainee. from 2007-2009, she did so. finally, in her third take, she managed to perfect the exam. do registered nurses really have to undergo purgatory and hell just to be hired to be a staff nurse? what about those who can't perfect the medical center in tondo's examination? are they going to be trainees forever? that's totally insane. something really must be done. and we, Filipino nurses, have to do it right now, before it's too late. we should reclaim what is rightfully ours right now. Sulong, FILIPINO NURSES, Sulong!

Date of Posting: 31 May 2010
Posted By: f y

Iisa Lang ang dapat ipaalam namin sa mga kababayan naming nurses,if you have other options ,make this Japan thing be the last one.Nagsisi ang karamihan because we resigned from our job at wla na Kami babalikan pero titiisin na Lang kahit hirap na hirap,pago na pagod at wlang career growth .Hindi rin kalakihan ang matatanggap nyo ...yun ang maling pagaakala nyo...at NAMING nauna.We thought Pna is just making noise when this JPEPA thing was put into birth para magpapansin .They are indeed true about the scenario which we are facing right now.Don't say we didn't warn you .We are on the deciding phase,while you are applying now...many of u are contemplating to go home ...in fact some went home already and others will also follow.Japan is not honest in what they are saying..dealing with these agreement only shows how deaf and blind the japaneese govt on the pressing issue of exploitation.it's a cheap labor masquerading as help to give us Filipino nurses job when in fact they are benefiting from us while we receive an amount similar to just "pakain ,palamunin itinira sa japan para Lang magtrabaho" for them.The GOAL to reach RN stature by passing kanji nurse licensure exams is a hidden agenda of manipulation .if indeed they cared for us...they should take the initiative on treating us professionally with proper program and welfare .But it wad not the case .don't be excited....first world country it isbut the hospital world is way behind hospital in middle east and other countries .Walang growth professionally.you will end up ,your three years realizing ...ano nagyari sa amin??wla na pala ang nursing skills ko kasi naging helper ako forever?!!!!I was physically drained away from family pa tapos wlang masyadong naipdala.?? I told you...Khitai mg-ingay Kami ngayon ..it will not create changes because their culture does not accept critisms.They even hide the true news and scenario of Indonesian nurses..they are even in denial their system have flaws.We are sharing you ....this was our mistake...we can be culprits of making the VALUE of nurses in the whole world to the level of helpers.If we let this happen...others can tell we are just helpers later on.Sounds pathetic but it can be a general consequence of this flawed agreement.Japan have no job description,so brace yourself.Again,we are telling you,we were once like you .wanted the snow,wanted high technology,wanted the Tokyo life,intrigued by japayuk life...BUT MY GOD we were wrong. ___________________________________________________________________________ Let us give you more background to this JPEPA project. You should be more aware of the points made by the Philippine Nursing Association (PNA) before this project had ever been ratified, than many of us here in Japan. We were somewhat glad last year, that no matter how much local opposition there was in Phil. over the past years, due to the sudden economic downturn, our government sent workers to Japan including our relatives. What a relief, we thought! But contrary to our expectations, while some of the first batch are now satisfied with their tight budget, many are STARVING, as in S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G.... How could they possibly apply their "patience" and "endurance" learned (also after working in the Middle East) to survive in this 2nd biggest economy in the world with a meager pay given only to student workers? Has the Phil. governement ever questioned why they are granting this lowly pay to our professinals? or was it our officials who set the very high standard of experienced and board passers only qualification, when in fact, that was not expected as the Indonesians had only 3-yr vocational course attainments and need not pass their board exams? How did our own people VALUE or degraded our worth?Please don't be blinded by the "zeroes" in the yen salary. Hey, wake up! THINK IN YEN, NOT IN PESOS! You can't possibly live decently here without 230,000 yen (140,000 yen et) combined family salary. But with 80k to 60k yen net wages, let us see what you'd become...You need to have your spouses work with you to survive a decent life here. Sending agencies must consult with the local residents before they agree with remuneration packages. What actually happened? Deployment should be done with strict consultation and study before signing, PLEASE! Have you ever pondered deeply on the issues raised by the PNA? Now we say, the PNA are truly concerned of the healthworkers' welfare. Are they the only ones truly concerned? What are the other institutions doing? We never thought many of their claims would come true. Now you'd say, those officers of yours at PNA have really smarter minds to have seen all these coming, and our government still grasping and misinformed. Now many of the health workers realize the truth in the PNA arguments.

Date of Posting: 26 May 2010
Posted By: john 26 26

I'd like to say to all the NARS-es out there that it is truly inspiring to know that there are still people like you who are not in it for the money. i believe that the real heart and essence of this profession is being able to change people' lives and being out there with the people. Sana ganon din sa lahat ng mga future RNs.

Date of Posting: 29 April 2010
Posted By: janis ariane nunez
Ilagan, Isabela

thank you po ma'am for some words of encouragement. susunod po ako sa inyo. but how can i make them agree with me to put an end to this relentless trend? how can i make them realize that we should not let the hospital administrators 'rape' our humble profession? at the same time, how can we reach our colleagues in the provinces to do the same? info dissemination is the key but how can we do that? i shared a the same story about your stand against RN volunteerism with a colleague yesterday. she said, "sana umabot sa media yung video ni ma'am leah.." i hope and pray that someday everything will be exposed so that we can claim what is rightfully ours, the lost dignity of the our beloved profession.. maraming salamat po sa pakikinig sa aking munting kwento ma'am leah.

Date of Posting: 23 April 2010
Posted By: mat lum

Dearest Ang Nars Ang LADLAD was approved to be a party-list by the supreme court. Why can't they do the same for the ANG NARS party list. I know it's not that simple but it's just so frustrating! Have we filed the same appeal. Elections are just around the corner. It's time for us nurses to be well-represented. I hope that we are continuing this fight. We are 500,000 strong. Not to mention our families. Keep fighting. God bless Ang Nars. Especially to you Mrs. Paquiz.

Date of Posting: 23 April 2010
Posted By: ade laws

its really saddening lang din na we cant "work" sa hospitals now.. 80% po sa batch namen e nasa call center ngaun, i myself is working in a call ctr

Date of Posting: 23 April 2010
Posted By: jan dv

gud evening po, ang nars. i've been applying for the last 7 months since i got my license in october. i'm a june2009 nle passer. unfortunately, i am still going to be until lady luck smiles on me. from applying as a staff nurse, i tried applying as a nurse trainee aka nurse volunteer. my friends told me so because clinical experience is the key abroad. i gave it a try. today, i applied in Tondo Medical Center as a nurse trainee (500php/mo, first come - first serve basis). I was surprised that 290 of my colleagues applied for the same position. i didn't know that it is kind of popular. Both of my friends have their connections up their sleeves, a nurse trainee supervisor and a congressman. i have none. from 630 am - 430 pm, most of us fell in line, hoping to be given a chance to have our first post-grad clinical experience. 115 was selected, excluding those who have connections (those who have connections don't have to pay the fee, some of them are even offered of the Nurse 1 position). I don't know if i am fortunate or not, but i wasn't selected. though i have watched some of your commentaries in youtube against RN volunteerism, i just can't understand why it won't stop despite of the constant calls to stop the unfair treatment of RN's. pasensya na po, sa inyo ko po ito naikwento. mjo mabigat lang po ang loob ko dahil sa mga nangyayari. ano po ba ang dapat naming gawin? pls guide and enlighten us. salamat po sa kaunting oras na nailaan ninyo para basahin po ito. God bless po.

Date of Posting: 23 April 2010
Posted By: m Y

Thank you for being an inspiration to us Nurses. Ang LADLAD was approved to be a party-list by the supreme court. I have nothing against them. They have their rights. However, why can't they do the same for the ANG NARS party list. I know it's not that simple but it's just so frustrating! Have we filed the same appeal? Elections are just around the corner. It's time for us nurses to be well-represented. I hope that we are continuing this fight. We are 500,000 strong. Not to mention our families. Keep fighting. God bless Ang Nars. May God continue to give you the strength and wisdom to keep fighting for our rights. Thank you so much for your unmatchable efforts!

Date of Posting: 09 April 2010
Posted By: adrian lawsin

It is said that there is power in number, it is quite ironic though that the largest group in health care industry is powerless, as evidenced by the current problems the profession is facing such unfair labor practice as well as different types of professional exploitation. I have experienced first hand what nurses have to go through to be employed in hospital,and true to a lot of nurses. It took me 1 1/2 years long wait before I was able to work as a staff nurse with a salary that is just enough to feed myself and everyday fair. I am grateful that somebody, in the person of Dra. Paquiz together with all the men and woman behind Ang NARS, have the courage to stand up against exploitative labor practice, as well as fight for the welfare of nurse in the country. I hope through this advocacy, us nurses shout as one big voice and be heard by government, so that once and for all, the rights of nurses to achieve humane working conditions, better career prospects and a dignified existence, as stated in the Nursing Law.

Date of Posting: 07 April 2010
Posted By: rhyan pardilla

hellow good day to each and every one ...I m Mary Grace Rosas a Candidate for Master of Arts in Nursing at St. Jude College we will be conducting a seminar..i would like to invite all of you to please attend our seminar on March 20, 2010 7am-12nn to be held at Espinili Pavillion in Balayan Batangas, with P400 registration fee including CErtificate, food and seminar kit..entitled FILIPINO NURSES RIGHTS and SOCIO-POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES our guest speaker is our beloved president of ANG NARS Dr. Leah Primitiva G.Samaco- Paquiz we would like also to serve this seminar as one way to meet our colleagues for us to be unify in pursuing our movement of ANG NARS partylist.. we are hoping all of you to attend on this said event as we have the opportunity to meet our great leader in our profession of Nursing Dra. Paquiz its an honor for us as she is our Guest Speaker..Hope to see you there my contact number is 09174695038 0r 09393731650,,,its our pleasure to be with you..GODBLESS

Date of Posting: 01 March 2010
Posted By: grace rosas
registered nurse taking a master of arts in Nursing at St. Jude College, lemery, batangas

i hope we can be a party list the next time... if all nurses knows about this, i believe we can work hand in hand to make this organization known to all...

Date of Posting: 23 February 2010
Posted By: Daniela Pamplona
FCC College of Nursing, Roxas city capiz

Good day Maam! I am Livy Custodio, a registered nurse. I am writing this email to inform your good office about some clamors of Filipino nurses currently working in Japan under JPEPA visa. Few days ago I had visited the forum at POEA site and some posts were about the claims of the nurses in Japan that they had been "exploited" as they termed it... Though I haven't validated the informations posted in the said forum, I have decided to call the attention of your office about the said issue believing that your office is also concerned about the advancement of the welfare of nurses here and abroad. The said posts can be found at www.poea.gov.ph entitled Caregivers in Japan and JPEPA updates.... Anticipating for your favorable response in this matter. Thank you and more power! Sincerely Yours, Livy Custodio

Date of Posting: 22 February 2010
Posted By: Livy Custodio

I think the party should include its campaign to nursing schools to widen its network, coz not everyone know this party :p

Date of Posting: 18 February 2010
Posted By: john michael peralta
still a student nurse, be graduating on 2011 :p, QC

This party list will be a great help to Filipino Nurses. We should make it this 2010 Elections for REFORMS.

Date of Posting: 17 February 2010
Posted By: Calixto Trillanes VIII
FEU-IN Batch 2011, Quezon City

I do hope that ANG NARS will make it in congress so that the Nursing profession may be uplifted especially at difficult times like this...

Date of Posting: 20 December 2009
Posted By: abby b.
city of san fernando pampanga

Co-Nurses, Do not lose your HOPE..May 'BUKAS PA' na magkaroon na tayo ng job...Merry Christmas to all... +639054865635

Date of Posting: 16 December 2009
Posted By: Emmanuel Labastida
RN, Nurse Trainee

2007 pa ko nakagraduate, passed the exam in the same year.. took training for 10 months na nagbabakasakali na maging magandang credentials na gamitin pag nag-apply sa different hospitals but until now, still no work pa rin...sana may maitulong ang ANG NARS sa mga nurse na tulad ko na handang tumulong at mag aruga sa mga taong nangangailangan..

Date of Posting: 08 December 2009
Posted By: babykim 2302
unemployed nurse, binan, laguna

TO ALL THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO VOLUNTEER, FOR YOUR UNENDING AND UNSELFISH DEDICATION TO HELP THE NEEDY AND FOR YOUR TENDER AND CARING HANDS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU ARE WHAT ANG NARS MISSIONS ARE ALL ABOUT.

Date of Posting: 03 December 2009
Posted By: AMOR COLLERA
CONCERNED RN, VA, USA

I thought this is good for us nurses in order to uplift our dignity regarding our profession.This is a way where we can voice out in the whole world who we are and what's our feeling and condition. I hope this will help to improve our life. Good to all of us.

Date of Posting: 28 November 2009
Posted By: Kerby delos Santos
nice, Santa Rosa, Laguna

I hope Ang Nars would make it to a seat in Congress. There are many problems about nurses in the country that should be addressed. God bless Pinoy Nurses!

Date of Posting: 28 November 2009
Posted By: daniela pamplona
nursing student, filamer christian college, roxas city, capiz

please continue updating us of the activities of ang nars. we are from Cagayan Valley Chapter - Region 2. we want to contribute also to the betterment of this organization. thank you.

Date of Posting: 20 November 2009
Posted By: Bryiane Medina
a clinical instructor, St. Paul University Philippines Tuguegarao City Cagayan

I support the advocacy of ANG NARS, I salute Dr. Leah Primitiva Samaco-Paquiz. I am a Nursing Student of San Juan de Dios Educational Foundation, Inc. (College), I am joining all of the Nurses and Student Nurses out there who are hoping for a BETTER FUTURE for NURSE here in the Philippines, so that we shall not be choosing to work abroad for greener pasture. It is not wrong to work abroad, but what I want to say is that it is hard to be away from your family, but since we opt to find where we could have the best for our family and love ones we tend to go abroad for that dream. Ang NARS for a CONGRESS SEAT!

Date of Posting: 10 November 2009
Posted By: Nikko Dave Panti
Student Nurse, Parañaque City

To all RN, please don't be so very dependent on others. God bless us all!

Date of Posting: 09 November 2009
Posted By: secret secret

dapat kalampagin ang MEdia eh nang matauhan naman ang gobyerno sa lumulobong unemployed RNs sa bansa.... I will support this..... Calling all aspirants President of the Republic...ano balak niyo sa mga unemployed Nurses ng Pinas sa ngayon...lumulobo na po... yun lang....

Date of Posting: 06 November 2009
Posted By: Ronald Regajal
RN, Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital, Borongan, Eastern Samar

I AM SO VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU ARE ALL DOING IN THESE TRYING TIMES IN OUR COUNTRY! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, INGAT KAYO! --NARS AMOR

Date of Posting: 04 October 2009
Posted By: AMOR COLLERA
RN FROM, VIRGINIA, USA

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE JOINED ANG NARS INC, IN RENDERING SERVICE TO OUR FELLOWMEN AFFECTED BY ONDOY. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!"

Date of Posting: 02 October 2009
Posted By: AMOR COLLERA
RN, VIRGINIA, USA

2 years ng walang work. yet stil updating myself with all the trainings needed to be a qualified nurse to some hospitals training dun, training dito iniisip ko nalang na yun mga nakakasama ko nga sa training 3 ... 4 years na wala padin work.. take note! ang training thank you lang in return parang sinusugal mo lang yun licensya mo na pinaghirapan mo ng 4 years and 1 year prep. para makita ang pangalan mo sa newspaper or parang medical mission pag nagkamali kapa kaw pa sisihin ng doctor dahil alam nila lahat at ikaw bago lang. ang masakit bilangin mo ang nurses sa callcenters.. sa mga opisina sa makati sa ibat ibang field puro grad. nurses or Registered nurses.. pano nga naman pagkagraduate mo training ka sa ospital 6 months pinakamabilis wala allowance samantalang sa callcenter 20k na after 2 to 3 months lang, pero madami padin ang mga nurses na nagchachaga para lang maging nurse kasama nako dun chachaga mahintay ng oppurtunity na mahire, diko magets madaming hospital konti ang nurse nila madami patient pero mababa sweldo sobrang unfair...we really need someone para magrepresent satin. kasi tayong mga filipino nurses stand out sa mga hospital sa ibat ibang bansa eh bakit hindi dito? hindi manlang nagumpisa dito na nagstandout ang paging nurse kundi kabaliktaran

Date of Posting: 21 September 2009
Posted By: anonymous anonymous
RN, MAKATI

matagal na panahon na rin nung mayroong nagtanong sa amin. estudyante pa ako noon, nasaan ang boses ng mga Nars? tunay nga marami ang mga grupo na nagsususulong sa kapakanan ng kinabibilangan nilang sektor. nasaan nga ba ang para sa ating mga narses? marahil ay panahon na upang tayo naman ang marinig. dinggin ang aming tinig sa isang mapayapang paraan. puno pa rin puso, malasakit at sakripisyo tulad ng sa isang mapagarugang Nars. mga kapatid kong kabataan sa serbisyo. maki-alam at makibalita.

Date of Posting: 09 September 2009
Posted By: suzanne resurreccion
RN, Bulacan

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke, Irish political philosopher We have long heard this quote and its many forms. We have all silently nodded in agreement to it again and again. But do we really understand what we claim to affirm? Companies, hospitals, organizations, and agencies are taking advantage of us. They put us against each other, and we in turn grab for each others throats in every possible way we can. We let ourselves be slaves and inferior than what we were really meant to be. In this we have failed, but there is still hope for our beloved profession. Now that we have a leader that can lead us, it is now our job to heed the call. Take up the stand. In our own ways we can right this wrong and bring glory to our noble profession. I, Jann Decano,RN, UST Batch 2009, pledge my full support to the Ang Nars cause.

Date of Posting: 31 August 2009
Posted By: Jann Nicklaus Decano
UST Graduate, Registered Nurse, Balanga City, Bataan

I took the accreditation exam in renap last aug. 30, 2009. Ma'am Paquiz went there to discuss about ang nars. i am very willing to be a part of this. i am from la union.. i am willing to be one of your coordinator in la union if you still don't have a coordinator there.

Date of Posting: 31 August 2009
Posted By: Lovely Fave Sandra Juloya

Dear Friends, I have just read and signed the online petition: "Justice for the Sentosa 27, Justice for all Overseas Contract Workers" hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/j4s27/ I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself. Best wishes, leah primitiva g. samaco-paquiz

Date of Posting: 16 August 2009
Posted By: leah primitiva samaco-paquiz

I am a fresh graduate from UERMMMC and a board passer. Now that my situation is in hiatus, I went unto training seminars to enrich my skills and add credentials to my profile. But as I have learned long ago that the real challenge is finding a suitable job here in our country. With hospitals requiring training of 3,000-8,000 php, volunteers paying 1500-4,000 per month to work (even this time is not regarded as expeirnce), or the habit of requiring a strong backer to get even miniscule chances on getting hired. What has our profession come to? Where the standards is not based on skills and competence but through money, influence and pure luck. I am deeply bothered on where the future lies with our new generation.

Date of Posting: 10 August 2009
Posted By: martin ebon

SIGURO ANG DAPAT ITURO NG MGA DALUBHASA AY ANG PAGKAKAROON NG SOCIO-ECONOMIC-POLITICAL AWARENESS. LALONG LALO NA SA BAWA'T ISA. MARAMI SA PILIPINAS AT DITO NA RIN, ANG NAG-BUBULAG BULAGAN SA MGA ISSUES NA PANG-NARS. ULTIMO OPISYAL NG MGA ORGANISASYON NA DAPAT AY BOSES NG MGA NARS AY NANAHIMIK, NAGBIBINGI-BINGIHAN AT NAGBUBULAG-BULAGAN. ANONG HALAGA NA MATUTUHAN ANG KUNG ANO-ANONG THEORIES OR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE AT KUNG ANO-ANO PANG KAALAMAN AT TEKNOLOHIYA KUNG ANG SARILI NATIN AY WALANG PAKIALAM SA MGA BAGAY NA DAPAT AY MAY KABULUHAN. TAMA BA NA MABUHAY NA LANG TAYO NG PARA SA SARILI NATING KAPAKANAN AT SA SARILI NATING GLORY AND HONOR? (MAHIRAP TAGALUGIN YUN) ANG KAILANGAN NG MGA ESTUDYANTE AY MGA ROLE MODELS. MGA MODELO NA ME SIMPATIYA, ME PUSO, ME PAKIAALAM SA ISSUES, ME PAGKAKA-ISA. AT HIGIT SA LAHAT ME NAKIKITA SILANG EHEMPLO NG KABABAAN NG LOOB (HUMILITY). OPINYUN LANG, WALA PO AKONG PINAPATAMAAN.

Date of Posting: 07 August 2009
Posted By: mora arelloc
nurse, usa

Mga kapatid sa propesyon. Nuong 1986, marami sa atin ay naging bahagi ng People Power. Isang makabuluhang pag-sasama sama ng mga Pilipino para ipaglaban ang kalayaan at katotohanan sa pangunguna ni Tita Cory. Nakamit natin ang matamis na pagwawagi. Subalit ngayon, marami pa rin hadlang sa ating pagtatamo ng iba pang hustisya. Kasama na dyan ang hustisyang matagal ng ipingkakait sa ating mga kapatid sa propesyon at kabuhayan, ang ating mga Narses, na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa nakakamit ang sweldo na nararapat lamang sa kanila. Sa pagkawala ni Tita Cory,Ina ng demokrasya, sana ay hindi natin makalimutan kung papaano sya nagsakripisyo para matamo ang ating kalayaan. Hindi natin dapat hayaan na ang ating pag-asa ay sumama sa kanya. Bagkus, ay patunayan natin sa kanya na ang kanyang ipinagsakripisyo ay hindi masasayang, at ito ay ating ipapagpatuloy, lalong lalo na sa mga panahon na me nagbabalak na ito ay masira. Kaya mga kapatid, tayo ay mag-samasama at suportahan ang Ang Nars. Bigyan natin ng boses ang mga Nars sa pamamagitan ng Ang Nars. Sa mahinahon at matahimik, at maka-People Power na pamamaraan, tayo ay muling magkakamit ng matamis na pagwawagi. Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino Nars! Tita Cory, Salamat po sa pamana na inyong iniwan!

Date of Posting: 05 August 2009
Posted By: AMOR COLLERA
RN, FEUIN '85, VIRGINIA, USA

I was really amazed with Dr. Paquiz..She was our speaker last PNA convention Nueva Ecija Chapter.Thank's for emphasizing our role as nurses. I was very inspired with your thoughts.

Date of Posting: 02 August 2009
Posted By: Niña Teresa Verde
Nursing Student, Nueva Ecija

Isa po ako sa mga aplikante para maging isang nurse trainee ng isang Memorial Gen. Hospital sa San Fernando Pampanga. Bilang tugon sa nababalitaang "nursing fees" ay nais kong ipagbigay alam na ang ospital na aking nabanggit ay naniningil ng P500/buwan ng training. Bilang panimula ay pinagsumite kame ng mga requirements, tapos ang dokumentong ito ay dumaan sa assessment. At pagkatapos ay bibigyan na kame ng recommendation letter at pagbabayarin na ng P1500 para sa training. Ang P1500 ay para daw sa contract na 3 months training namin, kung maayos daw po ang performance namin maaari kame tumuloy sa another 3 months training at muling magbabayad ng P1500. Lahat ay maaaring makapasok kung mayroon syang P1500 dahil wala naman bumabagsak sa assessment at wala naman kameng exam o screening na dapat ipasa para makapasok. Ito ay aming nilinaw sa Director ng Hospital pero ang kanyang dahilan "Mura pa nga iyan kumpara sa mga sinisingil ng nga training hospital sa Manila na nagkakahalaga ng P3000" 70 po kame sa batch namin tinanggap at lahat ng iyon ay kinailangang magbayad ng P1500.

Date of Posting: 20 July 2009
Posted By: Nurse Ako

There are some dialisys centers as high as P15,000. for 3 months training. I have almost looked and visited all hospitals looking for work. One hospital center asks training fee of P20,000. inclusive of bls,ecg, acls, cardio and everything. Grabe talaga. My wmom is willing to sacrifice to shell out her last money. But I am embaraased alreayd . I should be working by now. when I graduated, I thought I can work and support myself and give a little to my family. Hindi pala. Some of my friends can not take NCLEX, because like me they can not find work as a nurse. Most of call centers have protocols not to accept nurses because they don't stay long, they resign at once. Hay naku! When can I find a legitimate job?

Date of Posting: 14 July 2009
Posted By: merceditas aglaurente

Mila is a nurse in her early 40’s who has been working in New York for 15 or so years now. Before she left, she had been involved in campaigns and activities for better work conditions for nurses and better health care services for the poor Filipinos. She however had been pushed to work abroad because of economic exigencies and the usual “family obligation.” She promised her friends that she will just work in the US until such time that she has earned sufficient funds to come back to the Philippines. She has been in the country once for a short visit. She claims, she still cannot come back because she still has financial obligations to fulfill. Meantime, she is living in with another Filipino in a “battered” relationship, as her friends learned. They surmised she was driven by loneliness and possibly alienation.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: rose encanta
friend of a nurse

I am a family man with two kids, works in the premier training hospital in Quezon City where the wage is considered the benchmark or highest in the industry. As a nurse-supervisor, I get roughly 16,000 plus benefits for a total of 22,000 or so monthly. Still, my take home pay cannot meet my family’s basic needs while the prescribed minimum income is Php27,000 monthly or roughly Php900 daily for a family of five.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: jose alarcon
nurse supervisor

I am among the new local board passers who cannot find a nursing job so I applied as a “trainee” in a government specialty hospital hoping that I will be shortlisted should there be a vacancy in the nursing plantilla. I was told that for the 6-months training period I will have to render work at the same time pay Php20,000 to earn a certificate that I may use for overseas job application. My mother, a nurse herself, was aghast. So she just took me in as part-time nurse receiving a nominal allowance. My mother receives a basic salary of Php7,000 a month as a chief nurse in a secondary private hospital north of Manila.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: juvy mata
new nurse

There was a termination or non-renewal of contracts of some 60 – 100 Filipino nurses at Al Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, L N. C. says, “This is the first time when Filipino nurses are said to have failed to qualify in the clinical assessment test.” It is unusual and surprising, he added.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: rg gomez

The newly ratified JPEPA or Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement treats Filipino nurses similar to New Zealand where they are considered merely as “trainees.” Under the JPEPA, a qualified registered nurse will be accorded the status of a mere “trainee” with a measly allowance of $400; with no employment rights because they are neither employees nor workers under Japan’s Immigration Control Act. This Filipino nurse who must have a 3 years of solid work experience can only be recognized as a full-pledged nurses after six months to three years of “training status” and only upon passing the Japanese licensure exams given in Nihonggo or Japanese language that she must master which is an extremely formidable challenge since it consists of 10,000 characters.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: myra nicolas

: Filipino nurses in New Zealand, who are being forced to work in what health officials describe as “slave labor” conditions in rest homes to pay off often exorbitant fees to recruitment agents and loan sharks.” This is the revelation made by a media outfit “Weekend Herald” that conducted an investigation of the Filipino nurses’ condition in New Zealand. Counties Manakau projects manager Sue Christie said she had seen some contracts for Filipino caregivers in a Northland rest home that were “tyrannical.” She says, “These are people who are skilled nurses in their own country, who have often been working in acute areas of health provision and what’s been happening is that the only opportunity being offered to them in New Zealand when they get registered is in rest homes. If they are bonded for three years --- then they lose a lot of their acute skills quite quickly and at the end of that time the acute services are not wanting to pick them up. So it becomes a double whammy.” Nursing Council chairwoman Beverley Rayna, who manages a Christchurch rest home said, Filipino nurses were being brought in on student visas by private English language schools and trained solely for aged care, instead of doing bridging courses to become New Zealand registered nurses. Paulo Garcia, a Filipino solicitor at Henderson’s Corban Revell, says he recently met six Filipinos, 2 nurses, 2 dentists and 2 accountants, who were brought by a Filipino recruiter who gave them rooms at the back of her house in Mt Wellington until she could find jobs for them. They call it the “Dog House”, he says. There’s no cabinet space, you have to live off your luggage. There’s no heating. The agent placed the six people in a 10-month homoeopathy course in Kingsland for which they paid a further $10,000 with the hope that this would help their residence applications. The rampant recruitment practice of bringing in Filipino nurses on student visas and made to do aged care effectively reduce our nurses to perpetual trainees on seasonal scheme.

Date of Posting: 07 July 2009
Posted By: newman q
newsman

LPN graduates of Philippine schools who went to the States hope that they will be able to land “nursing jobs.” This was the assurance made by the LPN school in the Philippines from where they received their certificates after an 18-month short course. They passed the NCLEX-PN licensure exams yet they were crushed when told that foreign LPN graduates cannot secure working or immigrant visas because they are not accredited. In Canada, they also cannot be issued work or immigrant visas under a new policy that says, if a Philippine-educated Practical Nurse would like to obtain a Canadian LPN license, one must undergo the “Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition” or PLAR to evaluate if the Philippine curriculum meets the standards. Only then can a non-US/non-Canadian educated Practical nurses shall be considered international nurses. To complete the required additional subjects to be an “international nurses” and challenge the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE), you need something like Php 250,000. But the bigger problem is the Canadian visa; will they be issued tourist visa to be able to take the CPNRE? Joel and Margaret

Date of Posting: 05 July 2009
Posted By: joel cruz

I am a nurse working in a specialty clinic in Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “This is to inform our fellow nurses to take necessary care in applying ----. They (the recruiters) are promising a bed of roses upon recruitment and when we were there already, they charged us exorbitant deductions for things which they promised to be free and to be shouldered by the employer.” Charlotte,KSA

Date of Posting: 05 July 2009
Posted By: charlotte z.
nurse

Another story went like this It was a an employment in the US. and the pay was slightly better than the others and the benefits and amenities were good. However upon reaching there the assignments were ALL in the Aids areas or department. It seems that Filipinos were found to be resistant to it. I could not back out because the contract was strict and so much money was spent and owed there was no way but to go on. The Filipino or Filipina nurses are often placed in the areas or departments that others especially refuse.

Date of Posting: 05 July 2009
Posted By: ceen h.
friend

Another is: in Saudi You have to work 8 or more hours standing. It is not permitted to sit or rest at anytime during work hours. There are no chairs nor stools and there is closed circuit TV watching at all times. The hardest part is when the men look at you, the eyes appear to be studying end removing all your clothes while looking at you. We never go out alone especially at night., we never go out. When we have to go out and only in extreme importance, we go in twos or threes. More later.....

Date of Posting: 05 July 2009
Posted By: ceen h
friend

A word of caution A graduate of our school in nursing narrated this: I was so lucky to have been chosen as one of a SELECT few to work in Britain. I had prayed for a chance to earn enough for my family, to save and see the world! At that time work in the UK was not easy to get let alone find because there were very few offerings. The pay was stupendous, the requirements steep and for a while I thought I would not make it. My surprise was even doubled when I was accepted that the benefits were wonderful! Lodging were individual flats and food with allowance and was also free in the hospital, paid annual vacation leave with uniform allowance. What more could I ask for and a chance to see Europe! The contract was flexible and and wanted a longer term however it was standard for all of us. I anxiously awaited for the day of my departure. We were welcomed at the airport and were each given our forwarding tickets and arrangements to our employers. I was to go to a town in the country where the hospital was located. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip by train and bus and found the town to be to my expectation. It was remote but the people appeared to be nice. T was again received by a hospital staff and shown my flat ( apartment) which had all the conveniences and amenities. The hospital was located around a 40 minute drive and she would show accompany me on my first day.. I fixed my belongings and took my rest after the long journey. I was fetched the first day of work as promised and proceeded to the hospital. The day passed so quickly with introductions and learning my duties and doing them. I was glad the day was over and anticipated a restful sleep. Upon arriving at my flat, the place was dark and I opened the light as I entered. A gust of wind, weird sounds and something or a few things flew past me. I was taken aback and stumbled into the apartment. To my surprise the place was filled with bats, most of whom were dangling from the ceiling. The all appeared to be staring at me and I immediately turned around and headed back to the hospital not knowing of any other place. I spent the night there and spoke of my ordeal. The other staff smiled and said it was common because the bats were like birds are to us. I then braved to go back to the flat and found them gone during the day. I tried to console myself that the pay was good etc. but my revulsion for bats was something I could not get over and immediately told my superiors my predicament. They completely understood and in retrospect, no wonder the contract was so flexible. But the thought of bats as possibly being vampire is something I could not reconcile with and promptly went home. Was I glad to be back. So she said I came back to inform my fellow nurses that they should take care especially when the pay is too good to be true. Know the place you that you are being sent to. ceen

Date of Posting: 05 July 2009
Posted By: ceen h.
friend, philippines

As a rural health nurse , I am voicing my sentiments on the effect of the devolution of the Health care delivery system of the DOH. My salary went lower than my counterparts in the government hospitals. I have been in the service for 12 years now. I am not young anymore, I can not transfer to other hospitals because they are just accepting young nurses who volunteer and are the ones paying P4,500. to the hospitals for a period of three months, then they go.. I am so frustrated, because I will just suffer to stay in my present position. Mrs. Amelia Casco

Date of Posting: 25 June 2009
Posted By: amy casco
nurse

I am in a pediatric hospital in Dumaguete. I am the only nurse in the hospital and was given by the hospital director the Head nurse position. I was normally assigned in the evening to function as a staff nurse. Other caregivers in scrub suits are doing the nursing functions like charting the nurse’s notes, giving medications and intravenous administration. I am worried about my employment status since there is no contract of employment. I am also receiving very low salary as compared to government hospitals. When will these woes subside? Karin Montemayor Nurse in Dumaguete

Date of Posting: 25 June 2009
Posted By: karin montemayor
nurse, dumaguete

I am a nurse working in a specialty clinic in Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “This is to inform our fellow nurses to take necessary care in applying ----. They (the recruiters) are promising a bed of roses upon recruitment and when we were there already, they charged us exorbitant deductions for things which they promised to be free and to be shouldered by the employer.” Charlotte,KSA

Date of Posting: 21 June 2009
Posted By: charlotte medina

Because of the meager salary, there are nurses who can not afford to live in a decent house. There are those who can not afford to rent and pay electric bills. So what they use are candle lights. A professional nurse who is serving his fellowmen can not afford a decent house? We can see that there is a low regard for the nursing profession because our society and the government can not see the hardships and sacrifices being given by these nurses to the Filipino people. The hazards they face are too numerous like they do not know the enemies called bacteria, virus and many organisms that causes sickness even cancer, tuberculosis that they can easily infect them and cause disease. Unlike the military who are given much decent salary, they know who their enemies are. I hope these brutal incidences and the low salaries be solved so that nurses can live decently as they serve the sick and the underserved. Merlita Paraiso,RN A hospital in NCR

Date of Posting: 21 June 2009
Posted By: Merlita Paraiso
nurse

Base hospitals are scarce now. Corruption is common in hospitals who accept colleges of nursing wanting to make their hospitals as base hospitals. The highest bidder who can give as much as millions of pesos or can give donations can be accepted to be the lucky college of nursing. The college who can not give will be eased out. Where are we going to? Can not the DOH do something about this? A beleaguered Dean

Date of Posting: 15 June 2009
Posted By: d j
dean

Nurses are the most neglected professionals in the country. Salary is menial yet the job description requires one to work with their sweat, blood and tears. And if one of the staff is absent, they would be asked to go on straight. Going straight will kill you. And the supervisors will say that you're being insubordinate. Insubordinate my foot. Nurses will end up dead after going straight. That will not be an issue if the hospitals hire and have the money to hire people. That's what they do, maximize people's strengths until they are dead. A starting pay of P 25,000 would suffice , not a measly P 6,000. We want the best care for the patient yet there is a failure to provide care to the workers who care for the patients. In customer service, in order to have satisfied customers, the workers must be satisfied first. Nurses here in the Philippines have low morale. What is even worse is that there is limited opportunities for practice because the hospitals are not hiring. It is just living proof that hospitals cannot afford to pay the people they are hiring. I thing the ideal ratio of nurse to patient is one is to one not one is to twenty or one is to forty. The government must seriously rethink the policies or else they will end up having nurses migrating to other countries just to work as a nurse.

Date of Posting: 12 June 2009
Posted By: Ana Liza Benetua

I am a poor parent who sent my daughter to a college of nursing. I mortgaged my farm in order to send her to school. She was able to graduate. When she reviewed for the board examination I borrowed money again. It is very good my daughter passed the exam. My wife and I were very happy hoping that she will earn money when she is employed. Alas, there is no job opportunity for her to earn. Instead most private and public hospitals practice accepting volunteers who pay for being volunteers. How can I save my FARM? How can I pay for my debt? A distraught father of a nurse

Date of Posting: 12 June 2009
Posted By: mario cantos
father, marawe

I am a nurse working inn a local government unit hospital in Zamboanga for eight years on a casual employment status receiving only P4, 000.00 as Chief Nurse of the said hospital. I am always worried because of the difficulties I have in coping with the present economic crisis as a wife and a mother to my children. When asked why I opted to stay in that casual employment status, “Nagtitiis na lang ako. Mabuti na lang ito, kahit kaunti, may kita.” It is so embarrassing when other nurses visit me. There is no Nursing Office. I stay only in the Information Section occupying one small table. Because of my being a casual employee, I was deprived of the benefits provided by the law given to regular employees. The hard earned salary of P4,000.00 monthly as a remuneration is irregularly given to every twon to three months adding to the the burden of making both ends meet in the daily subsistence of my family. Eliza Monte Zamboanga

Date of Posting: 12 June 2009
Posted By: Eliza Monte
registered nurse, zamboanga

For me, I paid P2,000 for 3 months training po...that's the cheapest actually..One specialty hospital conducts training for 3 months at the price of P7,000! And they won't hire you after coz "palakasan" po ng backer ang labanan...at least here in ……, the hiring would be based on my skills Pero unfair pa rin. dapat mahire na ako para mag-earn, pero ako pa ang nagbabayad. Nurse Pauline Novaliches

Date of Posting: 05 June 2009
Posted By: pauline novaliches

You are right Ms. Amor, we have to support our Ang Nars. You know most private and public hospitals practice “on the job training cum volunteerism“ in our country. I am now volunteer nurse who serve as volunteer so that I can have the chance to be known by the management and hopefully be given a job later. This is not accepted as hospital experience abroad. The sad thing is I pay six thousand to be accepted as volunteer for three months. Instead of the hospital paying me, I pay the hospital enriching the institution. The hospital where I volunteer saves because they don’t pay me. Kumikita na sila nakakatipid pa, di ba? There is no security of tenure, kasi hindi naman ako regular employee. E kung mag commit ako ng medication error, sino ang magtatanggol sa akin? Makukulong ba ako? Who likes to volunteer and pay? You know my father mortgaged our carabao in order to send me to school. Nagkautang-utang siya. Paano ko masesave yong sinangla ng tatay ko? E nangutang na naman siya ng pambayad sa volunteerism fee ko? This makes a poor nurse poorer loosing my creativity, assertiveness, critical thinking and the pride of being a professional Filipino nurse. Tanggalin ang “on the job training cum volunteerism” this is anti-nars! It is time for us Filipino nurses to assert ourselves as a profession. Support natin Ang Nars. Mag member tayo. Nars Sonia Navarro Isang malaking ospital sa Quezon City

Date of Posting: 31 May 2009
Posted By: sonia navarro
registered nurse, quezon city

I just want to say, "Ms LP you are a Patriot!" And I know there are more like you in the Philippines. I applaud your courage in speaking up. It's about time the government takes issue on the plight of the Filipino nurses in our own native land. It is a shame that until now this law, RA 9173 has not been implemented. This is a travesty! With the birth of Ang Nars, we hope to have representaion in Congress in 2010. So I am appealing to all the nurses in the Philippines and abroad to please be a member, invite your family and friends. Let us show that we will no longer take this sitting down and watch our nurses in our own land be abused like this. It is time to fight for what is right, for what we deserve. Mabuhay ang Filipino Nurses, Mabuhay Ang Nars, Inc! Join now and be a part of history, join now and be a Patriot! Join now because you deserve better!

Date of Posting: 19 May 2009
Posted By: AMOR COLLERA
Registered Nurse, USA

Nursing as my profession gives meaning to my life. SUCCESS for me is when I have fulfilled my desire to CARE and to SERVE God, country and people. Although I took up nursing to fulfill my father’s wish for me to become a nurse, I have learned to love the profession. When I started my professional life in 1992 in Roxas City under the supervision of a sister-nurse, I have internalized the feeling of dedication and commitment in my work. Whenever I am invited to Career Orientation Programs for 4th year high school students, I make it a point to emphasize that “Nursing is a Vocation and a Profession”. Only few are chosen to be a good nurse. “Our hands are the hands of God serving the people and saving lives”. When I transferred to another hospital, I was not given the correct salary, because RA 9173, the Nursing Act of 2002 states that the minimum starting salary of nurses working in the government is salary grade 15, equivalent to P16,0093. It has never been implemented since 2002. I am in a private institution, and is given a much lower salary. I was given a salary of P6, 000.00. I am appealing to authorities to look at the plight of nurses and the wrong practices in institutions be stopped in order to give safe and quality health care to the Filipino people. LP Roxas City

Date of Posting: 19 May 2009
Posted By: Ms LP