The Philippines – recognized globally as a center for nursing talent – produces over a thousand competent and caring Filipino nurses worldwide. However, as the demand for Filipino nurses continues to surge abroad, the nation is grappling with the consequences of a dwindling healthcare workforce as it continues to strain its own healthcare system. The Filipino nurse shortage demands introspection: how can a nation that prides itself on healthcare excellence afford to allow its own people to struggle to find a caring touch in their most vulnerable moments? Are we inadvertently exporting not just nurses, but also our responsibility to provide adequate healthcare for our very own citizens?
