Filipino nurses and midwives in Hong Kong can now take the Licensure Examination without going back to the Philippines.

According to Dr. Ruth Padilla, commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the President has directed the Commission to conduct a special test to Filipino medical professionals in the former British colony.

“After signing an executive order for the conduct of licensure exam to professionals in the Middle East, the President also wants to extend the services to our professionals in Hong Kong to enable them to have the edge and competitiveness in the labor market”

“If they pass the test and acquire the license, it will mean better job opportunities, good salary and better living conditions for them,”Padilla added.

The appeal to conduct the licensure examination was initially made by the Filipino Nurses Association (FNA) and the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP) chapters in Hong Kong.

Based on PRC’s assessment, at least 90 nurses and 26 midwives based in Hong Kong will be taking the licensure examination to be held on December 12 to 13 at the Bayanihan Center.

Hundreds of nurses and midwives have applied to take the board but many were not qualified because they either lack training or had been following the old curriculum.

Commissioner Padilla said the IMAP would assist midwives who still lack requirement should they plan to take part in the next licensure examination.

Moreover, Padilla disclosed that the Philippine Consulate Office also vowed to help the applicants expedite transmission of their documents through a “diplomatic pouch.”

The Metrobank branch in Hong Kong which is located below the Philippine Consular office, also offered its multipurpose hall for free for the review classes of the takers, she said.

Should there be problems with the schedule (the test will be held from Saturday and Sunday), Padilla said the Consular office has assured to assist the professionals in explaining to their employers why they have to take the exam.

Based on the data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), there is an estimated 130,000 Filipino workers in Hong Kong, majority of them are domestic helpers.

To all the victims of Ondoy's wake,

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 32, 617 out of 77, 901 passed the Nurse Licensure Examination given by the Board of Nursing in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Sulu and Zamboanga last June 2009.