Generic Drugstores in the Philippines

Generic drugs are always less expensive, it cost about thirty percent to eighty percent less than the brand name drug. Generic drugs mean more cost-savings to the consumers. Its use can save patients and even insurance companies thousands of dollars without compromising the quality of health care. According to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies. Even more billions are saved when hospitals use generics.
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So if your on a budget, the generics stores maybe a solution.

The following is a list of several Generic drugstores in the Philippines and some full service drugstores as well. Add others you know of here in the Philippines and their websites in the comments section
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THEGENERICSPHARMACY

The company ventured into selling generic medicines. In 2001, the retail pharmacy operations was successfully launched. By the end of 2008, 150 stores will be operating NATIONWIDE. To keep the momentum, they started to franchise their retail stores and became the first generics retail pharmacy to franchise in the Philippines.

Main Branch: THEGENERICSPHARMACY Banawe, Quezon City Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm Address: 459 Quezon Avenue corner Banawe, QUEZON CITY E-mail: comments@thegenericspharmacy.com

They are opening a number of stores all over the Philippines and have a number in Cebu already.

check out the links below to see the locations all over the Philippines including cebu
http://www.thegenericspharmacy.com/contact.php

Cebu has already about 30 stores
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Generika Generics

Mostly Manila branches now http://generika.com.ph/branches/

There is also a blog report that there is a chain of drug stores all over the RP named Generic Drug Store. What a coincidence ! heehee They sell generic Plavic and all other drugs for a LOT less. My Enalapril is cheap enough for me here in Tacloban that I do not buy from USA or from Internet pharmacies. Try both Generic Drug Store and Alpha Pharmacies, another generic chain of drug stores in the RP. Alpha is usually even less expensive than is Generic. I was unable to find them online so they must not have websites or google is not searching for them correctly.

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My Botika” Distributor of Quality Generic and Branded Medicines and Medical Supplies “ Your One-Stop Shop !! online ordering. Their website says Are you looking for cheap generic drugs?? We all have it thru our online pharmacy. We offer shipping nationwide. We do have paracetamol. mefenamic acid, decongestants, multivitamins, antibiotics and other over-the-counter drugs. If you’re looking for a particular medicine that needs prescription, you just have to show it to us first before we begin transaction.

We also cater to wholesale order from other pharmacy nationwide. We offer big discount to bulk orders. QUALITY GUARANTEED !!

http://www.mybotika.webs.com/

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Another online drugstore generic in the Philippines is CNN Generics
http://www.cnn-generics.com/cnn/more_cat.php

Are you looking for cheap generic drugs?? We all have it thru our online pharmacy. We offer shipping nationwide. We do have paracetamol. mefenamic acid, decongestants, multivitamins, antibiotics and other over-the-counter drugs. If you’re looking for a particular medicine that needs prescription, you just have to show it to us first before we begin transaction.
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Sulit advertiser Generic and branded drugs here
http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/1206598/Cheap+Generic+Drugs,+Branded+Medicines+and+Medical+Supplies+Online

Drug Prices have been reduced up to 50 percent

Medicines that have been reduced due to the new Philippine drug act, just click the link

http://drugprices.wordpress.com/

Price cuts for 99 medicines Philippines

The five essential drugs under the MDRP are as follows: Amlodipine for hypertension; Atorvastatin for anti-cholesterol; Azithromycin as antibiotic/antibacterial; Cytarabine and Doxorubicin and all its salt form both for anti-neoplastics/anti-cancer.

There are additional 16 medicines dubbed as Government Mediated Access Price (GMAP) namely ; Telmisartan and Irbesartan for hypertension; Clopidorel for anti-thrombotic; Gliclazide for anti-diabetic/antihypoglycemic; Piperacillin plus Tazobactam and all its salt form; Metronidazole and all its salt form, Ciprofloxacin, Co-Amoxiclav (Amoxicillin plus Clavulanic acid) for antibiotic/antibacterial; Bieomycin and all its salt form, Carboplatin, Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide, Mercaptopurine, Methotrexate and Mesna for anti-neoplastic.

Cabotaje said as high as 50 percent price reduction of these medicines could be availed of with the implementation of such order. She said drugstores are required to post in their respective establishments the list of medicines with their corresponding prices and dosages adding that they can go below the prescribed prices but not over.

According to a leading drugstore, aside from the 50 percent reduced price of Norvasc brand Amlodipine, a 20 percent discount could still be availed of if registered as Sulit Card member.

Some of the categorized drugs fall under anti-hypertensive, anti-cholesterol, anti-thrombotic, anti-diabetics, anti-biotics and anti-cancer drugs.

Eight pharmaceutical companies have agreed to also apply voluntary price reduction to 22 other molecules or 31 more products that were not in the MDRP list, bringing the total number to 38 drug molecules (or 72 products).

These medicines are indicated against hypertension, diabetes, influenza, hypercholesterolemia, cancer, arthritis, goiter, allergies and infections.

The list of the five medicines and their corresponding MDRP were:

ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE

Amlodipin 2.5 mg (P9.60); 5mg (P22.85); and 10mg (P38.50).

ANTI-CHOLESTEROL

Atorvastatin 10mg film-coated tablet (P34.45); 20mg film-coated (P39.13); 40mg film-coated (P50.50); 80mg film-coated (P50.63);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 10mg tablet (P45.75);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 20mg tablet (P66.25);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 40mg tablet (P84.42);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 80mg tablet (P89.99);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 10mg tablet (P51.13);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 20mg tablet (P73.25);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 40mg tablet (P91.79);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 80mg tablet (P91.79);

ANTIBIOTIC/ANTIBACTERIAL

Azithromycin and all its salt form:

250mg tablet (P108.50);

200mg/5ml powder for suspension (15ml), P427.50;

200mg/5ml powder for suspension (22.5ml), P638;

500mg tablet, P151.43;

500mg vial for injection, P992.50; and

2-gram granules, P468.

ANTI-NEOPLASTICS/ ANTI-CANCER

Cytarabine:

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC), P240;

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC) (5ml) or 500mg vial, P900;

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC) (10ml) or 1-gram vial, P1,800; and

20mg/ml (5ml) ampul/vial for injection, P1,980.

Doxorubicin and all its salt form:

10mg powder vial for injection, P1,465.75; and

50mg powder vial for injection, P2,265.74.

The ruling on the new rates will take effect on August 15. (PND)

See the complete list of the 5 above and the 22 others voluntary price reductions here
http://drugprices.wordpress.com/

http://www.allbusiness.com/medicine-health/diseases-disorders-cardiovascular/12595043-1.html

Tips for US-Bound Filipina Nurses

Danny Fernandez of OFWGuide Forum shares useful information for Filipina nurses about to go to US to work for the first time.

Get Your Social Security Number (SSN): It is important to apply for SSN upon arriving in the US at the Social Security Office near your place of deployment. You may seek the help of the Human Resource Department of the hospital where you will work. Most State Boards requires the SSN to get your permanent nurse license, be a registered rurse and practice your profession. Without the SSN, you may not be able to secure your license and will not be allowed to work. Securing SSN takes between 10 to 30 working days while the processing for the RN License takes 30 to 90 days.

Don’t Overspend:
The contract you signed in the Philippines may include a clause stating that for the first 90 days of your stay in US, the hiring hospital will provide for your needs and you will receive an allowance or stipend. The usual stipend is USD 1500 to USD 2000.
The stipend may seem like a large amount but the truth is, it will barely cover your expenses. Normally, the accommodation they provide is a one-room apartment with free water and electricity. It has a stove, ref, sofa, TV, and a bed. You need to buy your utensils, plates, spoon, fork, bed sheets, food, and other personal items. Some hospitals have these things included in the package but some do not. It is a must to inquire about these matter to your agency. You need to spend frugally until you earn your first paycheck. Until then, you have to live with the stipend unless you brought some pocket money before leaving the Philippines.

Learn to Drive in the Philippines:
If you can, you need to learn to drive and secure a driving license in the Philippines. Knowing how to drive in the US is not a luxury but a necessity. There are public transport facilities available but it is very time consuming and inconvenient to wait for buses, and taxis at times. When you have a Philippine driver?s license, some State allows you to drive for one year as long as your license is valid. Another thing is, if you provide a Philippine driver?s license when you apply for a driver?s License in the US, you are exempted to take the drug test. On top of these, you will also have a big edge in passing the driving test. It is also lot easier and less expensive to learn to drive in the Philippines than learning it in the US.

Learn about the US Hospital Environment:
The Philippine Hospital environment is totally different from those in the US, from the way they treat their patients, the patients themselves, the equipment used, and the procedures. Don’t be fooled of the patient-nurse ratio of five patients to one nurse in the US against forty patients to one nurse in the Philippines. The procedure necessary for you to handle five patients in the US exceeds the procedure in handling forty patients in the Philippines. The documentations alone consumes so much time. You need to be ready for this. Orientation period is usually six weeks (on the floor) after the classroom orientation. You need focus and alertness on the work floor. It appears that it is during the orientation that you will experience difficulty but will soon get use to it in no time.

Practice Talking and Listening in English:
You need to be adept in English comprehension. This should be easy because Filipinos are very good in English. However, the way Americans speak English is different from the way we do in terms of pronunciation and accent. Many foreign nurses find it difficult to understand doctor?s orders. The key solution is practice. The more you practice, the easier it would be for you. Click the following link to read the complete original article

Taken from: http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/772965/Tips+for+US-Bound+Filipino+Nurses#ixzz0PTe5MmO8

Nurses only needed during boom?

Edmonton Canada JournalAugust 29, 2009

Alberta nurses could be forgiven for feeling like they're stuck in the revolving doors of a hospital these days, unsure whether to walk in or out.

First, 5,000 of them were laid off during sweeping government health-care cuts in the 1990s. Then, as recently as a year ago, some were lured back to work with recruitment drives and offers of free refresher courses to upgrade their skills. Now, they may be offered early retirement as part of the government's cost-cutting measures.

Economic times have changed in those intervening years; first for the better--then, for the worse. The health-care system now faces a$1.3-billion deficit, and 70 per cent of its budget is spent on human resources.

The fact that health-care savings can be realized by eliminating health-care workers' jobs is simple mathematics. What is less easily understood is the rationale that led the provincial government to say mere months ago that it was still facing a shortage of nurses, and to now say it is seeking to eliminate some of those nursing jobs as part of its plan to save $315 million. Click the following link to read the complete original article
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Nurses+only+needed+during+boom/1941841/story.html

Practical Nurses Jobs Abroad For Filipinos FINLAND

Practical Nurses Jobs Abroad For Filipinos

Position: Practical Nurses

Vacancies: 31
Principal: Opteam Yhtiot Oy
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Qualifications:

• Male/Female
• With or without exp
• Registered Nurse
• With related experienced as volunteer/trainee nurse, staff nurse
• At least 21 years of age
• With good inter-personal skills
• Willing to learn the Finnish language a must.

Direct all applications and inquiries to the job agency found by clicking this website:
http://pilipinojobs.com/work-abroad-in-uae-finland-usa-uk-and-singapore/ »

US quota for Filipino nurses filled up, say recruiters

MANILA, Philippines - Employment opportunities in the United States for Filipino nurses aspiring to work there appear to be drying up.

The recruitment industry reported yesterday that the US quota of employment-based immigrant visa for foreign workers, including Filipino nurses have all been filled up.

“Based on the US department data, the June 2009 the employment-based immigrant visa 3rd preference category (EB3) where Filipino registered nurses are usually petitioned under, have been exhausted and are now unavailable,” recruitment officials said.

Recruitment leaders said visa bulletins in the next months are expected to reflect the same information.

New legislation specifically aimed at ending visa retrogression for registered nurses has been introduced in the US Congress. Read the complete article here http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493666&publicationSubCategoryId=201

15 Vizcaya nurses bound for Spain

An initial batch of 15 nurses from this landlocked province is bound for employment in northern Spain’s Bizkaia (Vizcaya) province as a result of a sisterhood agreement signed between this province and its Spanish namesake. Read the complete article by clicking the headline above

Nurses to poor rural areas program receives support

A MULTINATIONAL pharmaceutical firm will deploy 100 nurses to 20 poor municipalities under the government-run Project NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Services).

In a statement, the Palace yesterday said Labor Secretary Marianito D. Roque and GlaxoSmithKline Foundation (GSKF) President Roberto C. Taboada have signed the memorandum of agreement that calls for GSKF to provide each participating nurses with stipend of P8,000.

Over 5,000 previously unemployed nurses have been assigned to the countryside under the program that was started in February. 8/21/09 Business World online http://www.bworldonline.com/BW082109/content.php?id=072

It takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 to smile
http://anatomynotes.blogspot.com/2006/01/muscles-to-smile-muscles-to-frown.html

Skilled workers desert Philippines

Michael Duque is a nurse in the accident and emergency department at a London hospital. Six years ago he left his home in the Philippines to seek his fortune abroad.

Michael Duque left his home and family to work abroad

As a nurse in Britain he earns about £24,000 (US $47,000) a year; doing a similar job in one of the top hospitals in Manila, the Philippines capital, he would be earning just £1,800 ($3,500).
He is one of some eight million Filipinos living and working overseas.

The money they send back in "remittances" – about $15bn in 2006 – is vital to the Philippines economy.

But there’s a substantial cost involved as well, for Philippine society and for the individuals involved.
The personal cost lies in long-distance family separation, something familiar to generations of Filipinos.

It makes her crazy and stressed; she gets jealous

Every month Michael sends up to £600 home to his family: wife Glenda, daughter Ella, aged 7, and son CG, aged 4. They live well on it, in a house in Manila’s suburbs.

Glenda, who trained as a nurse herself, is now a full-time mother. And Michael, like many exiled Filipinos, is paying not only to support his family but to educate the next generation of overseas workers: Ella goes to a local private school.

But Michael has worked abroad ever since his daughter was born, originally in the Gulf and for the past four years in the UK.

He keeps in touch by phone and e-mail and via the videophone on the computer and he gets home perhaps once a year to see the children.

But he misses his kids growing up and he misses being a father to them, he said.
His absence puts a strain on his relationship with his wife as well: "It makes her crazy and stressed; she gets jealous," he said.

Familiar story
The children miss their father too. "Sometimes they say: ‘I want my Dad,’" Glenda told me when I interviewed her in the front room of their house, as Ella conscientiously did her homework on the sofa beside her. "Especially her, because she is the favourite of her father."

Glenda looks after children as husband Michael works abroad
Ella is a solemn child: in the two hours we were in the family’s home I didn’t see her smile once and she scarcely said a word.

I didn’t see her younger brother at all: he threw a tantrum and stayed upstairs, screaming and slamming doors as soon as we arrived. Click this link to read the original complete blog
http://tropicalpenpals.com/blog/?p=2708

Pinoy nurses vs consultancy firms’ misleading claims

Marilyn” and “Martha”, not their real names, spoke with ABS CBN Europe News Bureau to warn nurses in the Philippines to be wary of consultancy firms that offer services to facilitate the application of student visas for nurses who want to work in the United Kingdom.

The nurses did not want to reveal their identities because they don’t want to make their families back home worry about them. While other victims of similar scam preferred to be tight-lipped about the mounting rise of victims of consultancy firms with misleading claims on the nature of their work in the UK, the two bravely faced ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau to shed light on the anomaly through their story.

The UK is not recruiting general nurses and as part of its exclusive elite membership to the EU, has prioritized applicants from the European Economic Zone for job vacancies in the health sector.

Back in the Philippines Marilyn and Martha knew the only way to enter the UK would be to get a student visa. Some of their friends entered the UK via the same route and were able to work in nursing homes. So they thought there was no harm trying their luck. After all, they have relatives who were willing to sponsor them. They spent almost P300,000 each to be able to get their student visas sorted.

No job, accommodation
Once in the UK, their dreams crumbled. They were led to believe by the consultancy firm they hired that as soon as they land the UK, they will work.

“Pagdating namin dito wala kaming trabaho. We got only 500 pounds pocket money. So paano yan? Yung transporation dito ang mahal, yung pagkain (din) dito. Ang sabi ng school I don’t know what your agency is talking about. We are just a school here. Yes, we guide the students but we don’t provide the work for you. You have to look for a job on your own,” explained Marilyn.

They were also promised that the school will help them locate a decent accommodation for their stay in London. But the amount of the monthly rent for rooms was not what they told.

“Sabi nila mayroon kaming pwedeng tirahan na mas affordable. Hindi naman pala affordable napakamahal. Imagine, we have to pay 625 pounds a month each,” said Marlyn.

With only 500 pounds as pocket money and no job to help them get by, they both got depressed. Thankfully, fellow Filipinos lent them support.

They were also informed that once in the UK they can have a full-time work as a nurse. But the UK only allows 20 hours of work per week during term-time for international students. It’s only during term break that they can work full time.

“We don’t know the place, we don’t know where to start. Talagang nahirapan talaga kami. Kasi hindi sila nagsasabi ng totoo. Sana sinabi nila na pagdating sa UK wala kayong trabaho. Kaya ang maghahanap sana nakundisyon namin ang sarili namin at naging much prepared kami. Fully-equipped kami pagpunta namin dito,” she said.

Many universities in the UK have NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) training Centers where the colleges help with formalities such as opening bank accounts, applying for travel discounts and accommodation. The consultancy firms in the Philippines come in as partners of the universities here to help applicants in their student visa application.

Embassy begins dialogue
The Philippine Embassy in the UK has already started a dialogue with the UK Home Office to look into this problem. It has been receiving similar complaints from nurses who came to the UK with student visas.

“Yung mangilan-ngilang kaso na umaabot sa amin sa embahada ay siguro patunay na rin na dapat tingnan din ng mga awtoridad hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi maging sa UK. Nagkaroon na po ng ilang pagpupulong sa parte ng embahada at UK Home Office dahil na rin po sa paghingi ng tulong ng embahada sa awtoridad dito sa UK na kung maari ay suriing mabuti ang sistema at implementasyon ng tinawag na tier 4 or student visa issuance,” said Consul General Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega.

De Vega advises those who want to enter the UK with student visa: “Ang maipapayo po ng embahada sa lahat ng gustong magpunta dito sa UK para makahanap ng trabaho, una suriing mabuti kung ano ang papasukin nila.”

‘You have to be really careful’
Six months after their arrival in the UK, Marilyn and Martha are now both working in a London nursing home as carers with no intention of attending classes at the university. They both claimed that there is no point going to university because they are both nurses and don’t need the theoretical aspect of the courses at the university.

“Dapat mag-ingat kayo at you have to be really careful at huwag kayong magtiwala sa pangako nila. Dapat tingnan nyo muna yung kontrata. Kung may binigay silang pangalan, i-search n’yo sa internet kung nag-i- exist ba yung company na yun. For nurses naman, this is a wrong stepping stone. Kasi it is out of your field. Kasi pagdating mo dito hindi ka talaga nurse. carer ka, it’s out of your line. Yung experience at skills mo ma-waste lang lahat. Hindi ka dapat talaga student visa kasi hindi ka estudyante, professional ka,” explained Marlyn and Martha gave her nod of support for the statement. Click this link to read the original article http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/08/12/09/pinoy-nurses-vs-consultancy-firms%E2%80%99-misleading-claims

MORE countries now want their citizens to learn English.

Associate professor Phyllis Chew of Nanyang University in Singapore made the observation during the Cebu International ESL (English as a Second Language) Conference at Diplomat Hotel, Cebu City last Saturday.

She said that the trend is the result of the change in the status of women in society, increase in migration and transmigration, knowledge explosion and information technology, the writing revolution, and the rise of a global language.

“Teachers need to know these changes. English, it seems, has raced ahead of its competitors. For the last 20 years, so many want to learn it,” she said.

Chew said Singapore, for one, is attracting many Koreans who want to learn to speak English.
The Philippines, India and Malaysia are among the Asian nations that are known as good English teachers because they have been using the language as their medium of instruction, she noted.
“The fast way of mastering English now is through content. And speed is crucial in the process. Many learn English quickly because this has been used as a medium of instruction when they started school. They have been immersed in an English acquisition-rich environment since they were young,” Chew said.

Being known as a nation with a pool of good English speakers, she added, will boost the influx of international students who want to learn English.

The Koreans made up 27.83 percent of Cebu’s tourist market from January to June 2009. According to the Department of Tourism, most of them come to Cebu to study English.
Meanwhile, the knowledge explosion and information technology (IT) across the globe also signaled the need for teachers to incorporate IT in their methodology for learners, especially the young, to easily cope and “survive” in their studies, Chew said.

The IT aspect of learning is characterized by digitization of learning materials, production of e-books (electronic books) and creation of Ebraries (electronic libraries), she said.
“Integration of IT also makes online education possible and enables learners to do many things (while on the Internet),” said Chew.

She pointed out that a good method of teaching English will depend on existing variables—such as time, type of students, place and culture—that teachers have to assess before conducting their lessons. Tuesday, August 11, 2009 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/more-nations-want-english-language-skills

US quota for Filipino nurses filled up, say recruiters

MANILA, Philippines - Employment opportunities in the United States for Filipino nurses aspiring to work there appear to be drying up.

The recruitment industry reported yesterday that the US quota of employment-based immigrant visa for foreign workers, including Filipino nurses have all been filled up.
“Based on the US department data, the June 2009 the employment-based immigrant visa 3rd preference category (EB3) where Filipino registered nurses are usually petitioned under, have been exhausted and are now unavailable,” recruitment officials said.
Recruitment leaders said visa bulletins in the next months are expected to reflect the same information.

New legislation specifically aimed at ending visa retrogression for registered nurses has been introduced in the US Congress. 8/7/09 Read the original article here http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493666&publicationSubCategoryId=201

More nurses prefer MidEast to US

FEWER Filipino nurses now want to work in the United States, because of the global recession, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said yesterday.

In a statement, TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera said this could be gleaned from a drop in the number of nurses who took the US NCLEX, or National Council Licensure Examinations for registered and practical nurses, during the first months of the year.
This was the first time that such a decline had been noted, Herrera stressed.
“The deepening recession in America has clearly diminished the desire of some Filipino nurses to seek employment there,” said Herrera, the former chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

He noted that a growing number of Filipino nurses now prefer to work in labor markets outside the US, particularly the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

The 8,272 Filipino nurses who took the NCLEX—which qualifies someone who would pass to work in the US—reflect a decline of 1,565 from 9,837 in the six months to June 2007, the TUCP said.
Filipinos accounted for 37 percent of the 22,500 nurses—educated outside the US—who took the NCLEX during the first six months of the year, according to the TUCP.

For the whole of 2008, 20,746 Filipinos took the NCLEX as non-repeaters compared to 21,299 in 2007. That was a drop of 3.5 percent, Herrera said.

The number of nurses from India, Korea, Canada and Cuba seeking jobs in the US has also dropped, according to him. These countries are among the top suppliers of foreign nurses to the US.
Nurses from India who took the NCLEX in the first semester dropped by 56 percent to 750 from 1,715, Herrera said.

TUCP records also showed that NCLEX takers from Southcash Korea were down 35 percent to 613 from 934; from Canada, down 36 percent to 314 from 494; and from Cuba, down 38 percent to 192 from 309.

There are now some Filipino 600,000 nurses actively looking for jobs here and abroad, and many of them are forced to seek work outside their profession, according to Herrera. They include the 99,837 who passed the nursing licensure examinations from July 2008 to July 2009.

To help ease the problem, the government has engaged 10,000 of them under the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service program. The project allows nurses to serve in the country’s depressed municipalities for six months in return for a monthly allowance of P8,000. Click this link to read the complete original news item http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics3_aug1_2009

Filipino Nurses: Carers of the World

WHAT MAKES US FILIPINOS (aka PINOY) DIFFERENT from the rest of the lovely people around the world? Well, the quick answer is that – every Pinoy has a relative who is working as a NURSE, either in the Philippines or abroad. Whether a sister or a brother, maybe a cousin, nephew and niece, or an aunt and uncle, even a neighbour – we have it all. It runs in our big and extended families!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PINOY NURSES WORKING ABROAD? Thanks to google search engine and I was able to find it for you. According to a news article published in PhilStar.Com that between 12,000 and 15,000 nurses and other medical professionals leave the Philippines annually for better-paying jobs abroad. Majority of them end up in the US, UK, and the Middle East. Despite the drop in Sterling pound and US dollars, it is still lucrative to work abroad. It is estimated that nurses can work 12 hours a day, three days a week, earning between $45,000 and $50,000 annually - 10 to 15 times they will receive back in the Philippines.

The FilipinoNursesNews.com also reported that the opportunities for Pinoy nurses to work abroad are getting slimmer every year. The decline is due to the changes in “policy in destination countries, the oversupply and quality problems on our nurses.” For example, UK is one now limiting Filipino nurses by passing strict immigration policy, allowing local new graduates as priority pool than recruiting from overseas. This is a reality check for our aspiring graduates to get a job abroad after passing the licensure examination. Consequently, it will affect the nursing and health/medical education in the Philippines, and future graduates do not get an assurance to work overseas.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THOSE NURSES WHO ARE NOW WORKING AND LIVING HAPPILY ABROAD are fortunate enough to harvest their hardwork and generosity. One of them is my younger sister who did her best to get a job in Dubai. Im very proud of her after so many years of encouragement, even hiring her as my office secretary for the time being that she was looking for a proper position in a hospital/clinic back in Manila. It took 10 years for her dream to become a reality. I remembered that she took this job in Makati paying here soooo low, just to complete her Dialysis training program in Ortigas for a year as part of the employer requirements abroad. At the end, she managed to get a long-term contract in Dubai since 2006.

FEW MONTHS AGO, SHE ASKED ME IF I COULD WRITE A POEM to be entered in a local competition. Guided by the theme, “what nursing means to me”, I was able to write this poetic piece, thinking about my sister’s dedication to be one of our “carers of the world”. Having said that, I will take this opportunity to share and dedicate this poem to all the Filipino nurses around the globe, my simple way of saluting them for being the ”ambassadors” of the Philippines.
FINALLY, to my shy but generous and trusted sister BHEA, thank you and advance happy birthday!
blogger remos 7/30/09 Business World Read the original article here
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW073009/content.php?id=044

Top nursing schools based on June 2009 Nursing Board Exam Results

100 and more examinees See if your school is listed and if not you should ask your college why it is not!!!!

RankNursing SchoolTotal Number of ExamineesTotal Number of PassedPercentage Passed
1SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY-DUMAGUETE112112100%
2CHINESE GENERAL HOSPITAL COLLEGE OF NURSING & LIBERAL ARTS19819699%
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY30329999%
TRINITY UNIVERSITY OF ASIA (TRINITY-QC)39339099%
UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS47947299%
WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY-LA PAZ15014999%
3UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEM. MEDICAL CTR.31931398%


30 to 99 examinees
RankNursing SchoolTotal Number of ExamineesTotal Number of PassedPercentage Passed
1UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MANILA6161100%
2PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY-MANILA363289%
SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY-QUEZON CITY595186%


View the results: June 2009 Nursing Board Exam Results
View the top ten placers: Top 10 June 2009 Nurse Board Passers

from this link http://www.boardexamresultsph.com/top-nursing-schools-june-2009

Apply For The Nursing Board Exam Qualifications for Examinations.

- In order to be admitted to the examination for nurses, an applicant must, at the time of filing his or her application, establish to the satisfaction of the Board of Nursing that:

He or she is a citizen of the Philippines, or a citizen or subject of a country which permits Filipino nurses to practice within its territorial limits on the same basis as the subject or citizen of such country: Provided, That the requirements for the registration or licensing or nurses in said country are substantially the same as those prescribed in this Act;
He or she is at least eighteen (18) years of age: Provided, That any underage applicant who successfully passes the examination shall not be permitted or licensed to practice nursing until he or she shall have reached the age of majority;
He or she is in good health and is of good moral character; and
He or she is a holder of a bachelors- degree in nursing from a college or university duly recognized by the proper government agency.
Educational Qualification / Training / Experience:
B.S. in Nursing

Summary of Related Learning Experience (RLE)
Operating Room
Major Scrubs - 5
Minor Scrubs – 5
Delivery Room
Handled - 5
Assisted - 5
Cord Dressing - 5
Licensure Examination. - The licensure examination for the practice of nursing in the Philippines shall be given by the Board not earlier than one (1) month but not later than two (2) months after the closing of the semester prescribed by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. The examination shall be held in the City of Manila or in such places as may be decided by the Board subject to the approval of the Professional Regulation Commission.

Scope of Examination. - The scope of the examination for the practice of nursing in the Philippines shall be determined by the Board. The Board shall take into consideration the objectives of the nursing curriculum, the broad areas of nursing, and other related disciplines and competencies in determining the subjects of examinations.

Rating in the Examination. - In order to pass the examination, an examinee must obtain a general average rating of at least seventy-five percent (75%) with a rating of not below sixty percent (60%) in any subject. An examinee who obtains an average rating of seventy-five percent (75%) or higher but gets a rating below sixty percent (60%) in any given subject must take the examination again, but only in the subject or subjects where he or she rated below sixty percent (60%). In order to pass the succeeding examination, an examinee must obtain a rating of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in the subject or subjects repeated. An examinee who despite the third examination fails to obtain at least seventy-five percent (75%) in the subject or subjects repeated shall no longer be allowed to take the examination, unless he proves to the satisfaction of the Board that he/ she has undergone a refresher course consisting in enrollment and passing in the regular fourth year subjects in a recognized nursing school.

Issuance of Certificates. - A certificate of registration as nurse shall be issued to any applicant who passes the examination upon payment of the prescribed fees. Every certificate of registration shall show the full name of the registrant; the serial number, the signature of the members of the Board, and the official seal of the Board.

Fees for Examination and Registration. - Applicants for licensure examination and for registration shall pay the prescribed fees set by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Registration by Reciprocity. - Certificates of registration may be issued without examination to nurses registered under the laws of any foreign state or country: Provided, That the requirements for the registration or licensing of nurses in said country are substantially the same as those prescribed under this Act: Provided, further, That the laws of such state or country grant the same privileges to registered nurses of the Philippines on the same basis as the subject or citizens of such foreign state or country.

Non-issuance of Certificates in Certain Cases. - No person convicted by final judgment of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude or any person guilty of immoral or dishonorable conduct shall be issued a certificate of registration. The Board shall furnish the applicant a written statement setting forth the reasons for its actions which shall be incorporated in the records of the Board.

Revocation and Suspension of Certificates. - The Board shall have the power to revoke or suspend the certificate of registration of a nurse upon any of the following grounds:

For any of the causes mentioned in the preceding section;
For unprofessional and unethical conduct;
For gross incompetence and serious ignorance;
For malpractice or negligence in the practice of nursing; or
For the use of fraud, deceit, or false statements in obtaining a certificate of registration.
Re issuance of Revoked Certificates and Replacement of Lost Certificates. - The Board may, for reasons of equity and justice or when the cause for revocation has disappeared or has been cured and corrected, upon proper application therefor and the payment of the required fees, issue another copy of the certificate of registration.

source: Read this article link for more detail
http://www.prc.gov.ph/portal_articles.asp?pid=63&sid=344&aid=1711

Cebu tops June 2009 Nurse Licensure Examination; 32,717 passed

A total of 32,617 passed the June 2009 Nursing Licensure Examination
MANILA, Philippines-(UPDATE) A total of 32,617 out of 77,901 passed the Nurse Licensure Examination, the Professional Regulation announced Saturday.

The Board of Nursing conducted the test last June in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Sulu, Pagadian and Zamboanga.
The oath-taking ceremony for the successful examinees as well as those who passed previous exams but have not taken their oath will be held before the nursing board on August 18 and 19 at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

7/25/09 Philippine Inquirer Click this link to read the original article
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090725-217189/32617-pass-nursing-board-exam

See a list of all passing exam here http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/examresults/NURSE/20090725/

Filipino nurses eye UK, Middle East markets

Filipino nurses are reportedly choosing other countries over the United States for employment. “The deepening recession in America has clearly diminished the desire of some Filipino nurses to seek employment there,” said former senator Ernesto Herrera, secretary general of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

Herrera said that a total of 8,272 Filipino nurses sought to practice their profession in the US by taking the National Council Licensure Examination or NCLEX for the first time from January to June.
The figure, according to Herrera, was 1,565 fewer compared to the 9,837 who took the exam in the same six-month period in 2008.

Pinoy nurses are reportedly trying out other foreign labor markets particularly the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

“Actually, fewer nurses from India, Korea, Canada and Cuba are seeking US jobs as well,” Herrera said.

Nurses from India who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester were down 56 percent (to 750 from 1,715). Those from South Korea were down 35 percent (to 613 from 934); from Canada down 36 percent (to 314 from 494); and from Cuba down 38 percent (to 192 from 309).
The TUCP said that the four countries are the other top suppliers of foreign nurses to America.
In the whole of 2008, there were a total of 20,746 Filipino nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time or down 3.5 percent compared to the 21,299 Pinoy nurses that took the test for the first time in 2007.

Filipino accounted for 37 percent of the 22,500 foreign-educated nurses who took the NCLEX for the first time in the first semester, according to Herrera.

The Philippines now has some 600,000 nurses actively looking for jobs here and abroad, or forced to perform work outside their profession. They include the 99,837 who passed the local nursing licensure examinations from July 2008 to July 2009.

The government tapped 10,000 of the Filipino nurses and deployed them under the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS). It allows nurses to serve in the country’s depressed municipalities for six months in return for a monthly allowance of P8,000 Click the following link to read the original article here http://philnurse.com/?p=767

Are There Enough Nursing Jobs For New Filipino Nurses?

The Philippine Board Exam Result has just came out a day ago, and there are at least 39,455 new Filipino Registered Nurses here in the country, but the question is, are there Jobs available for Filipino Nurses?

Yeah we know that Nursing is not that affected by the world financial crisis, but the thing is there is an oversupply of Nurses here in Philippines, 39,455 new Nurses and a hundred thousand more beyond that who are either underemployed and worst unemployed.

The Philippine Government have had the NARS Program, but it is not enough to support the new Nurses here in our country. The NARS program is limited to only 10000 Nursing Jobs which is not merely enough to support the new nurses that had recently passed the Nursing Board Examination.
With the current situation of the whole world, even nurses who wanted to travel to other countries such as USA have been somehow limited since the guarantee for a stable job abroad has been diminished.

Travel Nursing Jobs had been in boom since around 3-4 years ago, but the Global Financial Crisis had affected every countries so much that the dream of a Nurse traveling abroad back around 3-4 years before was somehow a dream that was made to be shattered if not cracked.
Even if the number of Nurses looking for a Job continues to grow, there is no reason to give up. Nurses and Filipinos in particular needs to be flexible in these kinds of times.

There are still ways that you can make money, you just need to know where to look may it be Online of offline. Click to read the original article here http://www.ljdiaz.com/are-there-enough-nursing-jobs-for-new-filipino-nurses/2009/02/22/

Spain needs more nurses, DFA reports

Spain, despite suffering from the global economic crisis, was still in need of foreign nurses including Filipinos, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday.
The Foreign Affairs department made the announcement shortly after the arrival of 27 Filipino nurses in Bilbao who will be deployed in northern Spain. Their deployment is the result of the Memorandum of Understanding on Migration Flows that the Philippines and Spain signed in June 2006.

Under the memorandum, nurses and other highly skilled Filipino workers are to be allowed into Spain and afforded the same protection enjoyed by Spanish workers.
7/23/09 Manila Times http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/july/23/yehey/top_stories/20090723top7.html

Writing your employment letter hints:

1. Write a comprehensive introductory letter that clearly explains why you are qualified for the job. Don’t just put in a resume, especially one that looks like it was edited three years ago.

2. Spell check! It gives a very bad impression to have wrong spelling or grammar in your application.

3. Be careful when putting attachments that cannot be opened. Case in point: Be careful not to save it in Microsoft Word 2007 format as this is a new format and cannot be opened by companies that are still using Word 2003 or Word 2000.

4. Don’t use an e-mail address with a weird or goofy name.

5. Don’t ask a friend to send or e-mail your application.

6. Specify the job you are applying for. Don’t make the company evaluate what job suits you best.

Good English the ticket to lucrative jobs—Gullas, Cebu

“Around 20 to 30 years ago, even our taxi drivers could speak straight English. Now, many of them have a problem speaking the language clearly,” Gullas said.

Gullas pointed out that in India’s recent economic boom, their citizens with English skills were the ones who benefitted from it. “This is because they are the ones cornering the good-paying jobs,” noted the educator-turned-lawmaker. He said those without the skills were left behind. “Without access to gainful employment, they remain mired in poverty, amid the economic boom there,” he further stated.

Congressman Gullas, Cebu