Solons seek higher pay for Filipino nurses
2013-Aug-05 13:19
2025-Jan-26 04:56
Filipino nurses may think twice before pursuing their plans to get a better paying job abroad once a bill upgrading their salary grade to a higher level passes the 16th Congress.
Under House Bill 178 authored by Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate, the present Salary Grade 11 of Filipino nurses, which corresponds to a monthly pay of P15,649, will be upgraded to Salary Grade 15 with a monthly salary of P24,887.
"The bill aims to upgrade the minimum salary grade level of nurses to provide them with just compensation and to encourage more health workers to work in government hospitals instead of going abroad," Colmenares said.
Colmenares said the nurses were supposed to get Salary Grade 15 when Congress enacted into law the Nursing Act of 2002.
Colmenares said in 2002, when Congress passed the Philippine Nursing Act or the Republic 9173, nurses all over the country thought it would increase their inhumanely low wages.
"However, year after, it was proven to be an empty promise, with the government failing to allocate funds for its implementation," Colmenares said.
Colmenares said amid the clamor of health groups and the continuing increase in the daily cost of living, the government failed to provide for public nurses. "This resulted in registered nurses seeking jobs abroad or in unrelated industries," he added.
"Despite the mushrooming of nursing schools in the country and the large number of graduates, there is (still) a shortage of working nurses in the country," Colmenares said.
Colmenares said it is the government's concern and responsibility to provide adequate remuneration for health workers to enhance general welfare and to attract and retain its rightful share of talents to fulfill the State policy of providing health services to the Filipinos. (PNA)