Text by: Associate Professor Floreliz Ngaya-an, Dean Sheila R. Bonito

The UP College of Nursing (UPCN), as a WHO Collaborating Center for Leadership in Nursing Development, assisted the Health Human Resource Development Bureau (HHRDB) of the Department of Health (DOH), chaired by Dir. Johanna Banzon, in a stakeholders consultative meeting and workshop in preparation for the State of the World’s Nursing and Midwifery Report of the Philippines. 

Headed by Dean and Professor Sheila Bonito, four faculty from the University of the Philippines College of Nursing (UPCN) namely, Associate Professor Floreliz Ngaya-an, Assistant Professors Irma Almoneda, Jo Leah Flores, and Aprille Banayat participated and served as facilitators in the said meeting held last July 15 to 17, 2024 at Via Appia in Tagaytay. 

The objective of this meeting was to gather comprehensive data and insights that will contribute to the global understanding of nursing and midwifery challenges and issues in the Philippines. These reports will form part of the 2025 country report to be submitted to the World Health Organization. By providing an accurate picture of the current state, challenges, needs, and advancements in the nursing and midwifery workforce, it is aimed to support evidence-based planning, policy dialogue, and decision-making at both national and international levels. The information gathered during this meeting play a crucial role in ensuring that the Philippine health workforce is well-prepared to meet current and future challenges and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes for the population. – DOH-HHRDB

About 42 Nursing and Midwifery leaders and stakeholders from multi-sectoral agencies attended the conference. Representatives from the different Nursing and Midwifery groups were present such as the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN), the Association of Philippine School of Midwifery, Inc. (APSOM), the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), and other esteemed organizations of Nursing and Midwifery. The Commission on Higher Education Department (CHED) was represented by both Technical Panels for Nursing and Midwifery Education, while the Board of Midwifery represented the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Other relevant government agencies that attended the event include the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (OFWs), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and Department of Labor and Employment-Bureau of Working Conditions. 

Guided by the four policy areas identified in the Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery: Education, Jobs, Service Delivery, and Leadership, stakeholders were divided and assigned into groups to discuss issues and concerns within the four policy areas and to provide recommendations, addressing the issues and concerns. 

For Education, there were two main concerns: the need for qualified faculty to teach Nursing and Midwifery, and the need for more RLE (Related Learning Experience) areas for students. Active recruitment of qualified faculty and capacity building were viewed as among the solutions. The role of CHED recognition of Nursing and Midwifery schools in upholding the standards was affirmed by the group.

For Jobs, two main issues also surfaced: the unfilled positions due to politicized selection and ceiling for budget and the misalignment of health workforce across the country, with GIDA extensively left behind. The call was to improve working conditions, upgrade salaries, and delineate the scope of practice in different healthcare settings. The team believe that amendments to the Nursing and Midwifery Law and the Magna Carta for Health Workers should pave the way for this. It was emphasized that in bilateral agreements, human resource development should always be considered in the negotiations.

For Leadership, it was identified that there are not enough formal senior leadership positions for both Nursing and Midwifery that can influence policy development. There should be a mechanism to drive and influence policy that is not personality-dependent. There is a need to invest more in leadership skills enhancement of midwives and nurses.

For Service Delivery, several issues revolve around the fact that nurses and midwives function beyond the scope of work and often take on jobs or positions that do not match up with their educational preparation. Training and capacity-building activities for midwives and nurses will help sharpen their skills and increase their value as professionals. There should be regular inspections and monitoring of health facilities to assess the practice of professionals as well as their welfare.

The consultative meeting and workshop accomplished the following: 1) Identification of data gaps and opportunities to enhance data accuracy for the State of the World’s Nursing and Midwifery report of the Philippines; 2) Coming up with actionable steps towards ensuring that the Philippine health workforce is well-prepared to meet current and future challenges and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes for the population; and 3) Reaffirming the shared dedication of many towards advancing healthcare in the Philippines.