Naga City (May 11) - With the existing global financial crisis nowadays, the government found a way to mitigate its impact to our country through our very own nurses. The fact that more and more nurses migrate each year for higher salaries and more job opportunities also leads to the fact that many nursing graduates here in the Philippines remain to be either underemployed or unemployed.
The government has come up with a project, the Nurse Assigned in Rural Areas (NARS),
that is designed to mobilize unemployed registered nurses to the 1,000 poorest municipalities of the country to improve the delivery of health care services,
NARS is a training-cum-employment project that was jointly implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH) and the Professional Regulation Commission, Board of Nursing (PRC-BON).
The project was launched by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 9, 2009 during the Multi-Sectoral Summit on "Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis" in Malacañang Palace, Manila. It is in line with the force priming strategies under the Economic Resiliency Plan- to save and create as many jobs as possible and expand social protection.
The project also aims to address the superfluity in inexperienced nurses, promote health of the people and bring the government closer to them. Nurses will be mobilized in their hometowns as warriors for wellness and shall likewise serve as itinerant for rural schools.
Nurses will undergo training programs that will cover both the clinical and public health functions. They will also go around in their assigned hospital or rural unit for a period of three (3) months. While on training, nurses will be given a P8000 allowance per month which is equivalent to P366.00 per day.
Those who are interested may apply Online or Manual. For Online Application, visit www.nars.dole.gov.ph and for Manual Application, one may secure an Application Form from the DOLE Regional/ Provincial Offices.