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| Jayson Canada, 26, with his certificate of employment and medal as the Best Saguip Nars awardee of their batch last January 2016. (Reu A. Flores) |
By John Michael Mugas
PGIN-CMO
The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte–Task Force Trabaho (PGIN-TFT) is once again accepting applications for this year’s second batch of ‘Saguip Nars’ program set to run from July to December, revealed by the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
PESO officer-in-charge Lizette Bitancor said that “the application process for the second batch started on April 25 to May 20 and we will be accepting 100 Ilocano registered nurses.”
Interested applicants are required to pass their resume at PESO located at Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena after which a qualifying examination and interview will follow, added Ms. Bitancor.
As one of the initiatives under TFT, the Saguip Nars program which was launched by Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos in 2014 continues to provide assistance to Ilocano nurses thereby enhancing their professional skills as they search for permanent jobs.
Ms. Bitancor also noted that the program is expected to prioritize the hiring of registered nurses with limited clinical experience as it is aimed to contribute to the two-year minimum required experience of nurses before landing permanent jobs in hospitals.
This year’s second batch will also be deployed in the different district hospitals and rural health units (RHUs) across the province in July, said Ms. Bitancor.
Often faced with shortage of staff nurses, government hospitals proved to be benefited with the assistance of the nurses hired under the program.
Jayson Canada, 26, one of the nurses employed last year, beamed how his hands-on experience in Saguip Nars now serves as his foundation to the professional challenges that will come his way in the future.
“Through the program, I had the chance to hone my nursing skills as I was able to be trained in the different wards of the Marcos District Hospital and this turned me more flexible and familiar with the hospital setting,” beamed Canada.
Over the years, the Saguip Nars has employed over 900 Ilocano nurses, including the 100 hired under this year’s first batch who are currently serving in the various district hospitals and RHUs across the province from January to June.