Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |.
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILNDO! 178

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA
Reps. NERI J. COLMENARES and CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

ANACT |
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT NURSES
FROM SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15

EXPLANATORY NOTE

“This bill aims to upgrade the minimum salary grade level bf public nurses to provide them with just
compensation and to encourage more health workers to work in government hospitals instead of

going abroad.

In 2002, when Congress passed the Philippine Nursing Act or Republic Act No. 9173, public
nurses all over the country thought it was to be a reprieve from their long scntence of inhumanely
low wages. However, year after year, it was proven to be an empty promise, with the government
failing to allocate funds for its implementation.

‘Amid the clamor of health groups and the continuing increase in the daily cost of living,
government failed to provide for public nurses. This resulted in registered nurses secking jobs
abroad or in unrelated industries.

Despite the mushrooming of nursing schools and the large number of graduates, there is a shortage
of working nurses in the country.

‘According to the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), “Nurses who are supposed to be given at
least P24,887, the wage allotted for salary grade 15 as provided for by the Nursing Act of 2002,
receives only P15,649 or the amount being received by those in salary grade 11

‘The SSL3 or the Joint Resolution No. 4 claimed to respond to the state health workers’ plea but it
instead downgraded the salaries.

Jossel Ebesate, president of the AHW, said “It’s like we also lost out on the substantial provisions

of the Philippine Nursing Act (because of the passage of the SSL3). The Departinent of Health

and the Department of Budgct Management cold us that, given the salary increases stipulated in
SSL-3, what we'll get would be as good as what's in the Nursing Act. But the salary grade of public

1



hospital nurses will only sise up to SG-11, even as the Nursing Act stipulated that it should be
SG-15.”

To rectify what has been a gross neglect of the welfare of our nurses, we propose the re-upgrading,
of the minimum salary grade level of public nurses from salary grade 11 to salary grade 15 and
those occupying higher positions be adjusted accordingly.

In this light, the passage of this bill is camestly sought.

Approved,

Bud 22555
Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE
Bayon Muna Parby-list

R¢p. [NERI J\COLMENARES
Bayar) Muna Party-list



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

|
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

90 178

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA
Reps. NERI J. COLMENARES and CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT Nurses FROM
SALARY GRADE 11 ro 15

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as “The Goverment Nurses’ Salary
Upgrading Act of 2013.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. 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 with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing essential
health services to all Filipinos.

SECTION 3. Raising of the Minimum Salary Grade Level The present minimum salary grade
of government nurses (Nurse 1) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15. Salary
grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 4. Coverage. This Act shall cover all nurses in public hospitals and other health
institutions, whether nationally or locally funded.

SECTION 5. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health and the Department of Budget
and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules aad regulations of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 6. Appropriation. The Government sball appropriate such amount as may be
necessary to camry out the objectives of this Act. Initial funds required for the implementation of
this Act shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive Branch of the government and other
possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the President. The subsequent funds
needed shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year following the
implementation of this Act.

SECTION 7. Constitutionality. Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or
‘unconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected
thereby.



SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, lette $ of instructions, resolutions, ordess,
‘ordinances ot parts thereof which are inconsistent with ke provisions of this Act, are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. |

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two
(2) newspapers of general circulation. |

Approved,