By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Fourth District Quezon City Representative Marvin Rillo announced that the Philippines produced 37,098 new registered nurses in 2024. However, he emphasized that there is no assurance all of them will pursue careers in nursing.
“Due to financial pressures, many may seek immediate employment in other fields, even if it means not practicing nursing,” said Rillo, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, on Thursday (January 2, 2025).
Rillo noted that in the past, many nurses transitioned to other professions, including real estate, insurance, and car sales. Others joined the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.
“We are not offering enough compensation to encourage new nurses to stay in their profession,” Rillo added.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines currently faces a shortage of 127,000 nurses, a figure expected to rise to 250,000 by 2030.
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