| Photo by Graham Ruttan on Unsplash
Part VIII of the “2025-2046” Series
In 2020, this overseas Filipino writer (OFW), also a Knight Commander of Rizal (KCR), came up with a proposal. He called it “Operation Knightingale” (OK). It was a bold move to address the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on First Responders, especially nurses, and the public in general.
This Knight of Rizal (KoR) says that all should be proactive in helping eliminate the indignities of poverty, hunger, lack of educational opportunities, affordable healthcare, and other forms of social cancer (that people suffer). KoR chapters were silent on his proposal. However, it was not due to Overseas-Filipino’s fondness for dinners and ballroom dancing, aside from award ceremonies given to affluent community leaders. (The awardees allegedly pay for the five-star venue, steak or lobster dinner, sashes, crowns, medals, and/or gold-plated trophies for their claimed achievements).
Operation Knightingale (“OK”) was a call to arms to defeat the pandemic on a medium-to-long-term basis and, more importantly, for the sake of universal healthcare.
This writer called his fellow Knights of Rizal to honor the memory of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) and to memorialize the nurses—and other Frontline medical professionals and First Responders—who perished while caring for pandemic victims.
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy, on May 12, 1820, and was named after her birthplace, where her parents spent their honeymoon. However, she grew up and spent her life in England, living in Derbyshire, Hampshire, and London.
That year happened to be the 200th birth anniversary of Ms. Nightingale, known as “The Lady With the Lamp.” She was a British nurse, social reformer, and statistician best known as the founder of modern nursing. Her experiences as a nurse during the Crimean War were foundational in her views about sanitation.
As soon as organized, “OK” would help bring nurses from the Philippines, especially those from economically disadvantaged families and communities, to the U.S., Canada, or Europe.
In California, where this journalist works as an OFW, there is a decades-long shortage of nurses, especially those trained to work at ICU units. In 2020, this journalist also obtained a tentative agreement with a CA-based hospital to petition Board-certified and well-experienced nurses to work with them and/or other hospitals in the medical system where they belong. The nurse recruits will be further trained to pass the CA Nursing Board exam first.
The plan also included willing KoR volunteers helping raise funds to advance travel expenses, passport fees, etc. The “ward beneficiaries” will repay their loans with voluntary interest when they receive their first salary from a hospital or clinic. Perhaps the nurses can pool a portion of their disposable income to invest in a cooperative or a credit union. This will accelerate their becoming financially empowered and secure for a bright future.
By the way, the World Health Organization has announced a coming shortage of 6.0 million nurses by 2030. (NOTE: The shortage increased to 13 million nurses later.) The challenge was for KoR gentlemen and the Ladies of Rizal (LoR) to spearhead the “OK” in fielding tens of thousands of new Filipino male and female nurses. Of course, the recruited medical professionals will be invited to join OKoR or LoR as soon as they get settled in the US, North America, and/or Europe. It would be easy to persuade them to join the OKoR. Why? Because it is public knowledge that Dr. Rizal was the first Overseas-Filipino medical worker, he had set up an eye clinic in Hong Kong.
Imagine IF and WHEN the “OK” can help a million (or more) Filipino nurses. Then, it may translate to one million (or more) KoR or LOR new affluent members.
“That year happened to be the 200th birth anniversary of Ms. Nightingale, known as “The Lady With the Lamp.” She was a British nurse, social reformer, and statistician best known as the founder of modern nursing. Her experiences as a nurse during the Crimean War were foundational in her views about sanitation.”
A fellow KoR, Numeriano Bouffard, returned recently to Orlando, FL, from a business trip to the Philippines. Sir Numeriano informed this writer that at least 450,000 nurses in the Philippines work non-medical jobs, such as salespeople in department stores. Sir Numeriano is the founder and prime mover of the Pueblo Filipino Retirement-and-Cultural Resort in Mexico. He is also the founder of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida and the Federation of Philippine-American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) Foundation. He is a member of a Knight of Rizal chapter in Florida.
It is also true that once a poor Filipino (or a Third World) family gets to have a scion become a Board-certified nurse (or a medical professional) and works abroad, his (or her) family members cease to be poor. Because they can study and finish college. More often than not, siblings help each other finish their education and land well-paying jobs frequently available only abroad. It goes on a cycle; elder siblings help the younger, who assist the youngest children in the family.
According to the 2020 population census, the Philippines had roughly 26.39 million households, with an average household size of 4.1. The 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH) also reported that the Philippines had 42,776,570 household population members aged 5–24.
The population of Sorsogon grew from 120,495 in 1903 to 828,655 in 2020, an increase of 708,160 people over 117 years. At the national average of 4.1 individuals per household, the province has at least 202,000 households. Unfortunately, the pilot province of Sorsogon (for the “ReVOTElution of HOPE) is ranked the 19th-poorest in the country of 82 provinces.
The provincial economy will boom if just 50% of Sorsoganon households can send a qualified scion to study nursing and land a decent-paying job at a hospital in North America or Europe. Rapid economic growth will mean sustainable additional income for its farmers, fishermen, and other local workers.
There was a good omen for the “OK” idea in the “Knights of Rizal Forum” last Wednesday, Match 22-24,
Sir Isagani Lisaca, an admin, replied: “With due respect, you may start it even if you are alone. I am sure many will follow. I will …” This columnist replied: “Thank you, Sir Admin Isagani, for your vote of confidence in the proposal. My next column article will outline the steps to make “Oplan OK” operational in 60-to-120 days. Perhaps you should not just follow us but join its Core Group. After all, walking together with a platoon, a regiment, or a full division of Fellow Knights is always better. Perhaps Andrea Bocelli’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone“ song may inspire us all to do the “OK” project.
