By Prince Golez

Healthcare workers with overseas work contracts as of March 8 will be allowed for deployment abroad, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said.

IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, however, said doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals must sign a declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved.

“Nung isang araw po, may announcement ukol sa temporary deployment ban ng ating medical health professionals tulad ng doktor at nars. Nililinaw po natin na di po kasama dito ang mga doktor, nars, at iba pang medical health professional na may mga kontrata na po para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa,” Nograles said during his virtual briefing Tuesday.

“Papayagan na po silang umalis; kailangan lang po nilang pumirma ng deklarasyon na batid nila ang mga panganib sa paglipad papunta sa ibang bansa,” he added.

The IATF also directed the Department of Health to facilitate the emergency hiring of additional healthcare workers to assist in the local healthcare system.

Earlier, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration temporarily suspended the deployment of healthcare workers abroad “until the national state of emergency is lifted and travel restrictions are lifted at the destination countries.”