Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas
Photos by Sarah Hazel Moces Pulumbarit
With the theme “Strengthening Nursing Education Towards Advanced Practice Nursing in the Philippines,” the University of the Philippines Manila College of Nursing brought together nursing leaders, educators, and policy stakeholders in a momentous national symposium to enhance nursing education and set the stage for the institutionalization of Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in the Philippines, on July 16, 2025, at the UPCN Auditorium.
Dr. Latina M. Brooks, Fulbright specialist, director, Master of Science in Nursing & Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University described Advanced Nursing Practice as a field of nursing that “extends and expands the boundaries of the nursing scope of practice” even while promoting the advancement of the profession.
“It is characterized by the integration and application of a broad range of theoretical and evidence-based knowledge that occurs as part of nursing education,” she emphasized.
In her keynote address, she also shared global insights and practical strategies on developing faculty for Advanced Practice Nursing (APN). She emphasized the importance of role clarity, faculty development, collaborative practice, and phased implementation of APN in the Philippines.
She outlined the international definitions and distinctions between Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), focusing particularly on the two most recognized roles: Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
“If it confuses us as a profession, it’s going to confuse our other healthcare professional colleagues—and it’s going to confuse the public and your patient populations, which will be problematic,” said as she stressed that role delineation, common language, and strong physician-nurse partnerships are critical to institutionalizing APN.
Brooks acknowledged the Philippines’ unique context but underscored that lessons from the U.S. and other countries can help accelerate progress. She highlighted the need for “culture shift that has to happen—not just with our physician colleagues, but also within our nursing community.”
She also discussed how APN education must integrate advanced clinical knowledge, evidence-based practice, leadership, and policy engagement.
“Understanding regulation, licensure, and accreditation will develop as APN practice is approved. And ultimately, you need faculty to complete APN programs in order to move the profession forward—so they become advanced practice nurses,” she emphasized that success should start small but strategically, and faculty must be prepared to lead this change by becoming both educators and practitioners.
Meanwhile, Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) Executive Director Paul Cyrus Parlan, expressed strong support for the advancement of Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in the Philippines. He affirmed the PNA’s commitment to working with stakeholders to move APN forward, noting that while the process will be challenging, unity and a clear direction are essential to its success.
Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi also expressed his support to APN and emphasized the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing nursing practice. He acknowledged that while PGH has long relied on the expertise of nurses, the institution must now recognize, and support expanded nursing roles such as advanced practice nurses.
“We’re fortunate to be in a position to actually launch this. PGH just got an additional 316 nurse positions. So, we now have the opportunity to create Nurse V positions for academic nursing within the hospital.”
Also in the symposium, Dr. Ruth Politico, director of the Policy and Standards Division of the Department of Health, emphasized that advancing APN must align with the realities of the Philippine health labor market and the urgent needs of underserved regions. Politico also highlighted the importance of decent work in retaining nurses and called for inclusive policy design.
“Let’s not forget that nurses are individuals. They make choices for themselves. So when we design an APN, it should be co-designed with them. We need to ask them what they want, how they want it to happen, and what incentives matter to them.”
CHED Technical Panel for Nursing Member Dr. Annabelle Borromeo shared both her personal insights and delivered the remarks of Dr. Milabel Ho, chairperson of the CHED Technical Panel for Nursing Education. Speaking for Dr. Ho, she emphasized the need to align advanced nursing education with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals, particularly in producing nursing cadres who are equipped and willing to serve in underserved areas. In her own remarks, Dr. Borromeo advocated for less classroom-based and more practice-intensive training, stressing that final assessments should be practical in nature. She also pointed to the persistent challenge of retaining Filipino nurses, given the country’s role as a global source of nursing talent and emphasized that the symposium marked not just a discussion—but the beginning of concrete action.
Dr. Leah Primitiva Samaco-Paquiz, Chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing, expressed strong support for advancing Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in the Philippines, emphasizing the need for collaboration among regulators, educators, and policymakers. She underscored the importance of legislation, stating, “The Philippines must legislate a clear APN Act—or strengthen the provision for APNs in our existing laws. We must align education, licensure, and scope of practice with global competency frameworks and professional nurse practice standards, like those of the ICN [International Council of Nurses].”
Breakout sessions facilitated by UP College of Nursing faculty tackled themes such as curriculum redesign, clinical training innovations, faculty capacity-building, and regulatory considerations. These sessions fostered collaboration among participants and generated strategic recommendations to support the development of APN programs nationwide.
The event concluded with a plenary synthesis led by Prof. Brooks, reinforcing a collective commitment among participants to advance reforms in nursing education. The symposium served as a call to action for educational institutions, government agencies, and professional organizations to work together in empowering Filipino nurses to take on advanced roles in the health sector.
During the discussions in the breakout session, participants outlined concrete next steps to support the advancement of Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in the Philippines. They emphasized the need to invest in faculty development by encouraging and supporting educators to pursue further studies, such as APN programs, doctoral degrees, and professional certifications both locally and internationally. In the short term, collaboration with physicians and experienced APNs was recommended to support teaching and clinical training until more APNs are available in the country. On curriculum development, participants proposed integrating a stronger focus on primary care, Universal Health Care, leadership, systems thinking, and interprofessional collaboration. They also called for regular curriculum reviews and consultations with stakeholders to ensure that APN roles and responsibilities are clearly reflected and appropriately integrated into academic programs. In shaping a guiding framework for APN practice, the group highlighted the importance of an advocacy plan with mechanisms for tracking progress, identifying gaps, and co-designing graduate programs with stakeholders. They also stressed the need for data-driven policy and legal reforms, including the formal recognition of APN programs within national qualification frameworks. Finally, participants underscored the value of building strong partnerships with various stakeholders through a unified coalition for joint policy development, academic-industry collaboration, training on collaborative practice agreements, and the development of clinical training models with the support of hospitals and community health centers.
“Advanced Practice Nursing has proven its value across the globe. Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and other APN roles have helped expand access to care, especially in underserved areas. Advanced practice nurses have led improvements in patient outcomes, addressed workforce shortages, and helped deliver high-quality, cost-effective care,” said Dean Shiela Bonito.
“If we are to institutionalize Advanced Practice Nursing in the Philippines, we must do it together with discipline, urgency, and resolve.”
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