After WWII, the United States began to experience nursing shortages, and they began to look abroad for nurses. The Philippines became an obvious and important source of nurses, in part because they were trained in the United States.
This expansion of Filipino nurses to the United States is not new, and it stems from the Philippines’ long history of US colonialism.
Nurses from the Philippines are now employed all over the world.
Catherine Choy, an ethnic studies professor at the University of California Berkeley, describes how the US colonial regime began recruiting Filipino nurses in her book “Empire of Care.”
She claims that the demand for Filipino nurses in the United States stems from the Philippines’ status as a US colony, where the colonial regime instituted an Americanized education system, which included nurse training.
In addition, the United States established the pensionados program in the Philippines, which functions similarly to a study abroad program.
Many Filipino nurses retired; some went on to work elsewhere, while others returned to the Philippines between 1903 and 1940 to help establish nursing schools.
According to Choy, another wave of nursing shortages erupted in the 1960s as a result of the growing women’s movement of the time.
“However, as the movement grew, opportunities in a variety of professions arose, making it difficult to recruit American women into nursing — especially because nursing is a physically demanding profession.”
As a result, women in the United States had more professional opportunities in a variety of fields. “Traditionally, they were often relegated as professionals to professions that were considered appropriate for women, such as nursing, education, or social work,” she says.
Marcos’ survival strategy
Because of the constant demand for nurses, Filipino nurses have continued to migrate to the United States.
This was enhanced even further in the early 1970s, when then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos began to encourage labor migration from the Philippines.
Due to the country’s stagnant economy, there were an increasing number of unemployed young men, and Marcos saw this as an opportunity to send them abroad for work while establishing a system that could easily regulate and support labor outflows.
Marcos also noted that there was a high demand for nurses in the United States, pointing out that American healthcare institutions were actively recruiting Filipino nurses.
Choy claims that “he changed the government’s perspective.” “This could be good,” he reasoned, “because if they want nurses from the Philippines, we’ll produce more nurses.”
His administration’s directive was only meant to be a temporary policy measure to address the country’s immediate concerns, but it turned into a survival strategy as domestic socio-economic problems persisted.
“They are also going abroad for stability and security, not just for social and economic mobility.”
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), which oversees the recruitment and deployment of overseas Filipino workers, was established in 1982.
Until now, the Philippines’ labor export system has been described as ‘unparalleled’ in its sophistication.
International hiring
Nonetheless, as a result of this organized labor export, countries other than the United States began looking to the Philippines to fill nursing shortages in their own countries.
Choy also points out that Marcos’ approach, as well as the eventual migration of Filipinos, stemmed from growing economic discontent.
“Nurses from that time period had already begun to witness or observe some of the Philippines’ growing socioeconomic inequalities and political turmoil,” she says.
To stay or not to stay
However, the demand for Filipino nurses to work in other countries has depleted our own supply, putting our already-fragile public health system at risk.
According to records, the health professional to patient ratio in hospitals can be as high as one nurse to 60 patients as a result of an increasing number of Filipino health workers leaving for other countries.
COVID-19 worsens this disproportionate ratio.
As a result, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III issued a temporary ban on medical personnel leaving the country.
“It is of paramount national interest to ensure that the country continues to have, sustain the supply of, and prepare sufficient health personnel to meet any future contingencies,” according to the POEA order.
If nurses are forced to work in the country, Rosie De Leon, the president of the Philippine Nursing Association, has stated that they should be properly compensated.
She also tells me that, even if the pandemic were not present, if we want more Filipino nurses to stay, their salaries must be improved.
The true story Of The Radium Girls that change US labor laws
Hundreds of young women worked in clock factories during World War I, painting watch dials with luminous radium paint. The company lied about the risk of radiation, claiming there was no danger, which resulted in the death of the young women.
Medieval Medicine: A 1,000-year-old onion and garlic salve kills modern bacterial superbugs
Scientists recreated an Anglo-Saxon manuscript-based 9th century onion and garlic eye remedy and discovered that it killed 90% of antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria (MRSA).
15 interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled Britain for 70 years, has away at the age of 96. She was the country's longest-reigning monarch. Here are some little-known facts about her.
The Day an Israeli F-15 Landed with One Wing: Zivi Nedivi’s Unbelievable Mid-Air Survival
Discover the astonishing true story of Israeli pilot Zivi Nedivi, who safely landed an F-15 after a mid-air collision tore off its entire right wing. Learn how skill, quick thinking, and the F-15’s unique design turned a disaster into a legendary feat in aviation history
Story of Kathrine Switzer: the first woman to run in Boston Marathon
Before women were allowed to run in the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer participated. A race official attempted to forcefully remove her from the race in 1967, but her boyfriend pushed him down. She was the first female finisher who had a numbered entry in the race.
how Ferris wheel invented
In 1891, Chicago challenged engineers to create a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower for the World's Columbian Exposition. George Washington Gale Ferris jr. responded with the original Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating structure elevating visitors above the city. This invention became an iconic attraction at the fair.
Why the Brooklyn Bridge Was Once Crossed by 17 Camels and 21 Elephants
On May 30, 1883, a rumor that the Brooklyn Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which killed at least at twleve people. To prove the bridge was safe, P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants over it.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
How Dmitri Mendeleev Developed the periodic table of the elements
1850 Dmitri Mendeleev walked almost a thousand miles to Moscow so he could apply for the University of Moscow. Although he was not accepted, he walked to St. Petersburg where he was accepted, And with that education, he developed the the periodic table of the elements
The 1814 London beer flood
In 1814, there was a beer flood in London when a tank containing more than 300,000 gallons ruptured in which 8 people drowned.
Did Gil Pérez Really Teleport from Manila to Mexico Overnight? The 1593 Mystery
On October 24, 1593, while performing his guard duties at Manila's Governor's Palace in the Philippines, Gil Perez stopped to lean against a wall and sleep for a while. He opened his eyes to find himself in an unusual environment. Gil was in the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City. They imprisoned Perez, but the authorities in Mexico City decided to release him and return him home.
Remembering the 1945 Empire State Building Disaster: When a Plane Met Skyscraper
An airplane crashed into the Empire State Building in 1945. Among other damage, plane parts severed the cables of an elevator and the woman inside fell over 70 stories. She lived and holds the world record for the longest survived elevator fall.
Franz Ferdinand’s Assassination that sparked World War I
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie are shot to death by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during an official visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. The killings sparked a chain of events that led to the eruption of World War I by early August.
The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter
Anne Oakley was such a good shooter that she could split a playing card help edge-on, hit dimes thrown into the air, shoot cigarette from her husband's lips, and pierce a playing card thrown into the air before it hit the ground.
Top 10 Greatest and shocking Archaeological Discoveries of All Time
While we're all locked at home, there's no better way to escape to another time and place than to learn about amazing archeological sites and discoveries from around the world. Here are the 10 greatest and shocking archaeological discoveries —and don't be shocked if they inspire future trip plans whenever it's safe to do so again.
Moondyne Joe: The story of Australia's most notorious prison escapee
A man named Joseph Bolitho Johns (A.K.A Moondyne Joe) broke out of Australian prisons so many times that the police were compelled to build a special cell just for him. He escaped from that as well.
Keith Sapsford: The Story of 14-Year-Old Stowaway
The final image of 14-year-old Australian Keith Sapsford, who aspired to travel the world. In February 1970, he sneaked into the wheel-well of a plane flying from Sydney to Tokyo. It opened mid-air & fell out. When a photographer was testing a new lens, he captured this moment on film and was surprised when it developed.
The day Iceland's women went on strike
Icelandic women went on strike for equal rights on October 24, 1975. 90% of women walked out of their jobs and homes, effectively shutting down the entire country. The men were struggling to keep up. The following year, Parliament passed a law requiring equal pay. Iceland elected the world's first female President five years later. Iceland now has the highest gender equality rate in the world.
The 440-pound bear named Wojtek and his World War II battle against the Nazis
Polish troops raised an orphaned bear cub during WWII. He enjoyed drinking beer, and was trained to salute. He became officially enlisted as a member of the forces, and helped carry artillery during battle.
The 1976 April Fools' Pranks, Planetary Alignment
On April fool's Day, 1976, the BBC convinced many listeners that a special alignment of the planets would temporarily decrease gravity on Earth. Phone lines were flooded with callers who claimed they felt the effects.
Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident: Enemy became friends
During WWII, a German pilot spotted an American pilot’s crippled plane in the sky. Tailing it, he noticed that gunner was dead, crew injured, and they posed no threat. Instead of destroying the plane, he led it to safety. 40 years later, the two pilots reunited.
George Dantzig solved two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics mistakenly as assignment
In 1939, George Dantzig arrived late to his statistics class. On the board were two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics written as an example by his professor. Dantzig mistook the examples for homework assignments. He solved the “unsolved” problems and submitted the homework to his professor a few days later. His solutions earned him a doctorate.
Titanoboa cerrejonensis, fossils of the world’s largest species of snake
In 2009 in a coal mine of Columbia, scientists discovered fossils of the world’s largest species of snake. The species is called “Titanoboa cerrejonensis,“and it is from around 60 million years ago. It would have had measured about 48 feet long and weighed about 2,500 pounds
Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint
This clay tablet, written in cuneiform, is the oldest known written customer complaint about the delivery of poor quality copper ingots. Originally from ancient Babylon, the tablet dates back to 1750 BCE, and it was written by a customer named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-Nasir. It is currently housed in the British Museum.
The Mouth of Truth: Ancient Rome’s Legendary "Lie Detector" That Bit Off Hands
Discover the chilling legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Ancient Rome—a massive carved stone face believed to bite off the hand of anyone who lied while inserting their hand into its gaping mouth. Uncover the truth behind its eerie reputation and how this ancient artifact became a symbol of honesty and fear.
