PMAP: Approval of HR bill would address 'brain drain'

The Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) is calling out on lawmakers to fast track the passage of the bill on the creation of National Human Resource (HR) Agenda as well as the installment of a commission to govern the regulations.

PMAP executive director Gerardo A. Plana said the country is facing an alarming situation of "brain-drain" and this problem desperately needs the government's intervention.

On the sidelines of the press conference during the opening of PMAP 42nd Annual Convention Tuesday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Plana said PMAP will have to reach out to the Senate and also the congress to accelerate the passing of the bill.

"There must be a commission that would regulate the personnel management in the country. We feel that what happened today, especially for our medical professionals is very critical already," he said.

Part of the proposed National HR Agenda is the improvement of the jobs created in the country, to keep people here and making Filipinos competitive.

Currently, the draining number of medical professionals has threatened the country's future in the medical services. Without the quick government's intervention, the country is bound to suffer.

However, he said "we can't stop people from leaving the country to seek for greener pastures. In fact also, our Overseas Filipino Workers have helped strengthen our economy through their remittances."

The creation of Personnel Management commission is seen to regulate the going out of professionals from the country, or control the number of export skills, so that the country can alleviate the worsening brain-drain problem.

In the medical field, the country is already suffering from lack of good medical professionals as doctors are now studying nursing courses to get employment abroad, and good nurses are now serving different hospitals around the world.

The proposed National HR Agenda was filed at the Congress few months back, Plana said PMAP would also reach out to the Congress for the attention of the bill.

"We are moving towards pleading for government's intervention on the brain-drain problem," Plana said.

This year's conference which carries the theme "Gawa hindi Dada!,-Delivering Results through Purposely Action, aims to beat the talk and walk the talk to deliver results through purposeful action.

There are about 1,300 human resource practitioners from all over the country who are currently participating in the three-day conference, representing the 18 active chapters of PMAP.