FORMER senator and independent senatorial candidate Bam Aquino is advocating for free Related Learning Experience (RLE) for nursing students, citing its potential to help address the country’s growing shortage of nurses.

During a visit to Southern Bicol College in Masbate, Aquino stressed that many nursing graduates are compelled to work abroad because of the high cost of completing RLE—an on-the-job training requirement for nursing students.

“I’m not sure how much RLE costs here, but in some provinces, it can go up to ₱100,000 over four years. Imagine borrowing that amount—how can they pay it off if they choose to work here in the Philippines?” Aquino said.

He warned that the current setup is driving Filipino nurses to seek employment overseas.

“It’s a serious concern if we want our hospitals to be staffed with Filipino nurses,” he added.

As a solution, Aquino proposed converting RLE into a government-funded scholarship program.

He believes this would not only reduce the dropout rate among nursing students but also encourage more graduates to stay and serve in local hospitals.

In a recent dialogue with nursing students in Cebu, Aquino shared that many cited the cost of RLE as a major reason for leaving nursing school.

He concluded by saying that making RLE free would relieve the financial burden on students and their families, enabling them to focus on other essential needs.