The programme will support Filipino nurses pursuing postgraduate studies and teaching careers in the Philippines.
The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) signed an Implementation Memorandum on 19 October 2026 at the DMW Central Office in Mandaluyong City to establish the Singapore-Philippines Nurse Educator Scholarship Scheme. The programme aims to support experienced Filipino nurses working in Singapore’s public healthcare system in pursuing postgraduate nursing qualifications before returning to the Philippines to contribute to nursing education.
The signing formalised an initiative designed to develop the Philippines’ nursing education workforce by enabling qualified nurses to gain advanced academic training and apply their expertise as nurse educators. Under the scheme, scholarship recipients will enter into contracts with their Singapore employers for the first phase of the programme and with their Philippine employers or a government entity designated by the DMW for the second phase.
DMW Secretary Mr. Hans Leo J. Cacdac highlighted the programme’s objectives in his opening remarks. “As we formalize this Implementation Memorandum, let us look forward to a partnership that creates meaningful opportunities for Filipino nurses, strengthens our nursing education institutions, and contributes to the continued development of our healthcare workforce,” he said.
Singapore Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung also underscored the longstanding ties between the two countries in healthcare. “Singapore and the Philippines share a longstanding friendship, with strong ties in healthcare. By investing in people and sharing knowledge and expertise, we can strengthen the healthcare systems in both countries,” he said.
Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See highlighted the contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Singapore’s healthcare system and wider community. She noted that approximately 200,000 OFWs lived and worked in Singapore and said, “We are committed to looking after them and their welfare, and we work closely with DMW on all these aspects.”
Secretary Cacdac and Minister Ong witnessed the signing, which was led by DMW Undersecretary Ms. Dominique Rubia-Tutay and Singapore MOH Permanent Secretary for Policy and Development Ms. Lai Wei Lin. Other witnesses included Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing member Ms. Zenaida Gagno, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Mr. Ricmar Aquino, DMW senior officials and Ms. Haney Lynn Siclot, Labor Attaché at the Migrant Workers Office in Singapore.
From January 2023 to June 2026, the Philippines recorded 37,026 deployments of Filipino workers in nursing-related professions to Singapore, comprising 4,500 new hires and 32,526 rehires. The scholarship scheme aims to build on these professional ties by supporting advanced nursing education and the development of future nurse educators in the Philippines.
Source: Department of Migrant Workers of the Republic of the Philippines
