Why Doctors Are Leaving?

I don't hate my colleagues who have decided and are planning to leave the Philippines for better opportunities abroad. In fact, I tell them to go on with their plans. If that's the only way for this government to wake up, to listen to us... then so be it. We doctors are not the typical workers who go into the streets and ask for salary increases, justice, etc. We are the silent workers who keep our sufferings for the sake of our people, our patients... our dignity as doctors. Just imagine a doctor who is used to go on a 24 hour duty every other day in a hospital given a mere ten thousand pesos a month? A public school teacher who works only 8 hours a day and being off on summer can get even more. Try computing their salaries on an hourly basis. Worst, I learned that GSIS janitors can get even more than doctors. Now where is justice there?

I am a doctor and experienced life in a hospital, both government and private. We can't take our breakfast often. We miss our lunch sometimes. Dinner? It's a thing of the past when you're on duty. We can't leave our patients dead. Our colleagues are off at 5 pm and we are left with inexperienced nurses who don't even know what BID is. One of the saddest memories I had in a hospital was when I missed my Christmas at home. I was on duty. I was left with my patients and their families who shared their tikoy's with me.

Now I am happy that my colleagues are leaving, so the government learns of its gross mismanagement. The Philippines will one day wake up, sans doctors and nurses... but casual employees whom politicians dearly loved. I wonder, will the government hire quacks and albularios?