Cynthia Villar apologizes to nurses
BY CARMELA FONBUENA
POSTED ON 03/04/2013 3:03 PM | UPDATED 03/04/2013 4:32 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Team PNoy senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar apologized on Monday, March 4, to Filipino nurses who were hurt by her recent statement on the nursing profession.
“Taos-puso po akong humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga nurse at kani-kanilang pamilya na labis na nasaktan sa aking kasagutan sa tanong na ibinato sa akin sa isang programa sa TV (I sincerely apologize to all the nurses and their families who were hurt by my response to the question I was asked on TV),†she posted on her Twitter account @cynthia_villar.
Taos-puso po akong humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga nurse at kani-kanilang (cont) tl.gd/0
— Cynthia Villar (@Cynthia_Villar) March 3, 2013
In a senatorial forum on GMA News TV on February 23, economist Solita Monsod asked Villar to explain why, as chairman of the House committee on high education, she opposed the move to close nursing schools that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said did not meet minimum requirements to continue operations.
Villar explained that she favored the students who wanted to continue their schooling. CHED, she said, wanted to close the nursing schools because they didn't have the required tertiary hospitals where the nurses would eventually be trained before they graduate and get their BS Nursing degrees.
This part of Villar's response became controversial: "Actually, hindi naman kailangan ng nurse na matapos ang BSN (BS Nursing). Kasi itong mga nurses, gusto lang nilang maging room nurse,†Villar said in response.
“Humihingi po ako ng pang-unawa sa lahat ng mga nasaktan sa aking sinabi. Wala po akong intensyong maliitin ang mga Filipino nurses (I apologzie. I had no intention to belittle the Filipino nurses),†Villar added.
Team PNoy campaign spokespersonMarikina Representative Miro Quimbo said Villar has been “unfairly treated†especially on social media. Quimbo said Villar was caught off guard with the question because it was about something that happened several years back.
“She has sufficiently explained her position on the matter. If there’s anyone who she’d offended it was not intentional,†Quimbo said during Team PNoy's press conference.
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