Pinay nurses help deliver royal baby

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino nurses were among those who attended to the delivery of the first born of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and future king of England at St. Mary’s Hospital in London.

A report on interaksyon.com, the online news portal of TV-5, quoted a Filipina nurse, who requested anonymity, as saying that the Filipino nurses were known as “theater nurses” or those assigned to the hospital’s operating rooms.

The nurses said they are happy that the former Kate Middleton gave birth Monday (early Tuesday in Manila) at St. Mary’s Hospital.

The Filipino nurses have been ordered to keep secret other details of the birth for the privacy and security of the royal family, the report said.

The report said Filipino nurses, numbering about 300, are considered “dominant” at St. Mary’s Hospital. Some of them were assigned at the exclusive Lindo Wing, where Kate gave birth.

Several Filipinos are also working as cleaners, porters, logistics personnel, ambulance service trainers and administrative staff members at the hospital.

More than 200,000 Filipinos live and work in the UK, most of them in London.

Jobs for nurses in Japan, Germany

Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) yesterday said they are recruiting Filipino nurses for deployment in various hospitals in Japan and Germany next year.

“We are now going to the sixth batch of Filipino nurses to be deployed to Japan,” POEA chief Hans Cacdac said.

Cacdac said an initial 51 nurses and 146 caregivers are needed in Japan.

He said Filipino nurses and caregivers who are willing to work in Japan have until July 31 to submit their application to the POEA.

“Those who will qualify will undergo language training for six months and be deployed by June next year,” he said.

Cacdac said the government is also looking at ways to increase the chances of Filipino nurses to pass the licensure examination in Japan.

Only 25 Filipino nurses have so far passed the Japanese nursing licensure examination since the Philippines deployed nurses to Japan under the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA).

The Philippines and Japan entered into an agreement for the training and employment of Filipino nurses and caregivers in Japanese health care facilities under the PJEPA. Those who will pass the Japanese national licensure examination have the option to stay for an unlimited period in Japan to practice their profession.

Cacdac, meanwhile, said there are vacancies for Filipino nurses in Germany. He said more than 3,600 Filipino nurses have applied for 500 vacancies in Germany.

He said nurses to be hired in Germany would receive around P100,000 monthly salary and other benefits due their German counterparts.

But he said qualified applicants must first undergo language training.

He said successful applicants would be deployed to Germany before the end of 2014. –With Mayen Jaymalin