THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Sessioiz 
SENATE 
S .  No 
1835 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Government doctors, nurses, barangay health workers (BHWs) and other 
medical practitioners in government service have been leaving the country in droves 
lured by good aid high-paying jobs as nurses and caregivers in different countries, 
notably in the United States and the United Kingdom. 
A study by the National 
Institute of Health revealed that the Philippines is now the world's top exporter of 
nurses. Over 50,000 nurses had left the Philippines over the past three years, a 
number of them were doctors who studied nursing so they could leave the country for 
greener pastures. 
Government-employed doctors receive on average a salaiy of P15,OOO a month. 
On the contrary, a doctor who works as a nurse in the United States could earn by as 
much as 16 times more than their Philippine counterpart or P216,OOO a month. 
Meanwhile, a nurse working in Singapore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the 
United Kingdom can earn a salary of P42,000, 
P54,OOO and Pl19,OOO in those 
countries respectively. 
The steady flight of government health workers to internationally lucrative 
countries bas caused a gross inadequacy in government health workers in the 
country. Records show that as of 2003, there is only one government doctor for every 
28,493 Filipinos, one government nurse for every 16,986, one government midwife for 
every 5,193, and one rural health unit for every 29,746 Filipinos. These figures are 
expected to rise with a 2.36 percent yearly increase in population. 
Concerned sectors are alarmed with the mass exodus of government health 
workers and believe that an increase in their salaries is necessary to address the 
country's health concerns. This bill proposes to increase the basic pay of government 
physician by raising the minimum basic pay of physicians to at least Salary Grade 23. 
This would result to almost 30 percent increase in the minimum pay of government 
physician 
9 
The approval of this bill will undoubtedly go a long way in boosting the morale 
of our government physicians, thus increasing their efficiency in the performance of 
their tasks 


2 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
1835 
S .  No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, J R .  
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR AN INCREASE IN THE SALARY OF GOVERNMENT 
DOCTORS AND APPROPRIATING PUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Statement of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy or the State to 
assume responsibility for the protection and improvement of the well-being of our 
physicians by instituting measures that will improve their socio-economic security and 
advancement. 
SECTION 2. Couerage. - The provisions of this Act shall apply to all government 
physicians through out the country. Government physician as used in this Act, refers 
to Doctors of Medicine, duly certified by the Professional Regulatory Commission who 
are in the active practice of medicine, employed by the national government or a local 
government unit, as the case may be, either in public health institutions or in any 
other government agency. 
m 
SECTION 3. Salary Grade Adjustment. - In order to enhance the general welfare, 
commitment to service and professionalism of physicians, the minimum base pay of 
physicians working in the public health institutions shall not be lower than salary 
grade 23 prescribed under Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the 
"Compensation and Classification Act of 1989": Provided, That for physickans working 
in local government units, adjustments to their salaries shall be in accordance with 
Section 10 of the said law. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - All 
laws, 
rules, 
regulations, 
orders, 
circulars and memoranda inconsistent with any provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or rnoclified accordingly 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act, be declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, no other provisions hereof shall be affected thereby. 
SECTION 6. Appropriation. - The amount necessai-y for the implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 


. 
S 
SECTION 7 .  Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
The DBM shall, within sixty (60) days after its approval, allocate all positions in 
their appropriate position titles and salary grades and prepare and issue the necessary 
guidelines 
to 
implement 
the 
same. 
Approved, 
d