Shortage of physical therapists looms

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine colleges and universities are not producing enough physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) graduates, causing a looming shortage of these professionals, a professor at the University of the Philippines-Manila said yesterday.

“While the top killers in the country are non-communicable diseases like cancer and stroke that would require rehabilitation from skilled physical therapists and occupational therapists, we don’t have enough of them,” said professor Marilyn Lorenzo of the UP-Manila College of Public Health.

Lorenzo said that the country only has around 1,000 PT and 200 OT graduates per year.

She added that many hospitals nationwide, including those in Metro Manila, do not have plantilla positions for physical therapists and occupational therapists, prompting graduates to seek employment abroad.

Lorenzo said the country’s health care system faces a big problem because of the unmanaged migration.

She cited infant and maternal mortalities in at least three regions – Bicol, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Eastern Visayas – due to lack of health care workers.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) earlier reported that the health and wellness industry has been identified as one of the 12 key employment generators that will provide more employment opportunities in the next decade.

DOLE said among the in-demand skills are optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy, medical technology, clinical and internal medicine, surgery, and radiology.

Students are thus encouraged to take up these courses, DOLE said.