Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc. (PNA) National Annual Convention 2026, 104th Foundation Anniversary, and 69th Nurses’ Week Celebration
Allow me to greet… Tuloy dahil sa speech ni Gov. Bunsoy ninerbiyos na rin ako eh. [laughter] Lalo na pagtayo ko rito, nakita ko ang dami pala ninyong nandito. [applause]
So, well, it’s so good to see our much – [please sit down] – our much valued nurses coming together at this very important occasion. At alam naman natin kung gaano kahalaga ang ating mga nurse hindi lamang dito sa Pilipinas, kung hindi sa buong mundo at kinikilala kayong lahat.
Before I carry on, allow me to greet our host here, host LGU Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano; the Philippine Nurses Association National President Gian Carlo Torres – President Torres, lahat ng sinabi mo I took note of – babalikan natin lahat ‘yan. [applause and cheers] We will have a look and to see what we can do.
Philippine Nurses Association Chairman of the Board Megeve Sumampong; our private partners and stakeholders of the Philippine 69th Nurses’ Week and National Convention 2026; my fellow workers in government; other distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. [applause]
All of us, it is unanimous in all our thinking that every Filipino deserves access to quality healthcare.
The nurses play a vital role in making this possible, providing care and comfort to patients and their families.
So, as we gather here today for the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc. (PNA) National Annual Convention, we recognize the invaluable contributions of our nurses to the health of our people and the progress of the nation.
Under the theme, “Filipino Nurses Shaping the Health of the Nation through Collective Action,” this convention provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge, to share best practices, and to strengthen our efforts towards improving healthcare.
This gathering also marks the PNA’s 104th Foundation Anniversary and the 69th Nurses’ Week Celebration. These milestones honor generations of Filipino nurses who have served with a deep sense of responsibility, both here at home and across the world.
Whether working in our hospitals, serving communities in far-flung areas, or caring for patients abroad, Filipino nurses continue to demonstrate the skill, compassion, and professionalism for which they are known.
Whenever I meet leaders from different countries, the first thing they tell us always – they always come up to me and say, “we are so grateful for the nurses that have been providing exemplary service for our people.” [applause]
Hindi ko na sasabihin sa inyo kung saan pero one of the countries that I went to – it’s a very rich country – and pag-upo namin sabi niya kaagad, “Do you realize that in our – all our ICU hospitals in my country 60 percent of the nurses and the doctors are Filipinos.” [applause] So, sabi niya sa akin – this is a King – sabi niya sa akin, kaya you – “always please look kindly on us because you have the switch. If you stop sending us your healthcare workers, then the whole healthcare system in my country will stop.”
And so that is how important you have become not only to the Philippines but also to the rest of the world.
Because your leaders and all the people that we talked to that are abroad speak of the hard work, the skill, and the dedication that our nurses offer and demonstrate wherever they go
I am very proud to hear this because I know how much our nurses contribute to our country, but also to the countries where they serve.
Your contributions deserve our recognition and our continued commitment to advance the welfare and professional development of nurses.
So, we work very, very hard to strengthen our healthcare system now. We must also work towards improving nurse-to-patient ratios, filling vacant positions, [and] providing more opportunities for our Filipino nurses’ growth. [applause]
All of this is necessary so that our nurses can carry out responsibilities more efficiently and ensure that our healthcare institutions better serve our people.
To this end, this Administration continues to work with the Department of Health to strengthen the healthcare workforce and improve the working conditions of our medical frontliners.
We are working with CHED and TESDA to expand opportunities for healthcare training through the development of Alternative Pathways for Nurses.
Our goal is to help more qualified Filipinos enter the profession, strengthen the capabilities and protect the welfare of our nurses to ensure that our healthcare institutions have the workforce that they need to serve our communities.
To translate these commitments into concrete results, we have pursued several measures to support our nurses and expand the country’s nursing workforce.
First, we have increased the allocation for the Health Emergency Allowance from PhP6.8 billion in 2022 to over PhP110 billion in 2026, for public and private healthcare workers. [applause]
Secondly, through the Clinical Care Associates Program, we have extended employment opportunities and review assistance to nursing graduates who have yet to pass the licensure examination.
And third, in 2022, we lifted the moratorium on the offering of new Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Consequently, the number of higher education institutions offering nursing programs increased from 354 in July 2022 to an estimated 425 now in June 2026.
We have also developed an enhanced one-year master’s degree program in nursing to help produce more qualified clinical instructors and educators.
With these initiatives, we address important parts of the challenge, but we also acknowledge that building a resilient healthcare system requires sustained effort.
This calls for the cooperation of government agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, professional organizations, and the communities that we all serve.
In this regard, I commend the PNA for its continuing role in advancing the competence, welfare, and professional standing of our nurses.
We hope that more organizations will join us in this undertaking—bringing their expertise, the resources, the commitment to a common goal of building a stronger, more responsive healthcare system.
To our nurses: Maraming salamat po sa inyong taos-pusong paglilingkod. [applause]
Ang inyong husay, ang inyong malasakit, [at] dedikasyon ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng pag-asa sa ating mga kababayan [at] nagpapalakas sa ating sistemang pangkalusugan.
Patuloy po kaming magsisikap upang maibigay ang suporta, benepisyo, at oportunidad na nararapat para sa inyo.
So together, let us build a Bagong Pilipinas where every Filipino can access quality healthcare; every healthcare worker receives ample support; and every act of service contributes to a healthier, more prosperous nation.
Maraming salamat po.
Mabuhay ang ating mga nurse!
Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas! [applause]
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