A BLESSING in disguise?
The UST College of Nursing (Nursing) had lost 16 faculty members in the past four years, but due to the retrogression of visas filed after December 2002 in the United States (US), the College has been relieved of faculty loss problems, at least for this school year.
Nursing Dean Glenda Vargas told the Varsitarian she is glad to have her faculty intact.
“The College cannot match what is being offered (the privileges, the money) in other countries, but we are thankful that no one is leaving this year,” Vargas said. “Maybe it’s also because of the inter-personal relationship within the College and faculty’s support for each other.”
However, according to initial information that the Department of Labor and Employment received from Acting Labor Secretary Manuel Imson, the US might end the retrogression and start hiring overseas workers in the medical field again.
Although one of those affected by the freezing of visas, Nursing Prof. Kathryn Medrana, said she and her other colleagues are happy that they were left behind.
“We are enjoying the way we work with our students,” Medrana said. “And compared with others, the salary here is more than enough.”
“We also enjoy the relationship we have with the faculty because the college has been noted to have less problems with its co-workers,” Medrana added.
Medrana claimed that several faculty members are still planning to leave for abroad, but are certain to return to the University.
“We just need to go the US to enhance our skills and to experience what it’s like to work in an environment where there are more equipped to teaching,” she said.
Recently, the Philippine Star reported that 25,000 Filipino nurses and health workers might be qualified to work in the US by the year’s third quarter.
