TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES } 
First Regular Session 
}
SENATE 
s.B. no.1219
Senate
of lljp g'fcrrtaty
25 AUG 19 P4 :43
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri
AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF NURSES FROM SALARY 
GRADE 15 TO 19, AMENDING SEC. 32 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9173, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE PHILIPPINE NURSING ACT OF 2002"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares it the policy of the 
State to protect and promote the right to health of the people. Article XIII Section 12 
further mandates the State to establish and maintain an effective health human resource 
system that is responsive to national needs and priorities.
Nurses serve as the backbone of the Philippine healthcare system. They are 
indispensable to the successful implementation of Universal Health Care and play a vital 
role in ensuring the accessibility and quality of health services. Throughout the COVID- 
19 pandemic, nurses displayed extraordinary courage and commitment as they endured 
long hours, difficult conditions, and significant personal risk in service of public health.
Despite their essential role, the socio-economic conditions of Filipino nurses remain 
unsatisfactory. A recent study by regional data aggregator iPrice indicates that 
experienced registered nurses in the Philippines earn an average of only forty thousand 
three hundred eighty-one pesos per month. This figure is significantly lower than the 
salaries of their counterparts in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese 
nurses reportedly earn around sixty-three thousand two hundred pesos monthly, while 
Singaporean nurses earn as much as two hundred seventy-four thousand eight hundred 
pesos per month. This disparity highlights the undervaluation of Filipino nurses and 
contributes to the persistent outmigration of skilled health professionals.
The World Health Organization has projected a shortage of one hundred twenty-seven 
thousand nurses in the Philippines. This figure is expected to rise to two hundred fifty 
thousand by the year two thousand thirty if systemic issues such as poor compensation 
are not addressed. The continuing shortage threatens the delivery of quality health 
services and undermines the long-term sustainability of the country's health system.
This proposed measure seeks to raise the minimum salary grade of nurses in public 
hospitals from Salary Grade fifteen to Salary Grade nineteen. This policy intervention 
intends to provide a more just and competitive compensation framework, improve the 
retention of skilled nurses, and strengthen the country's healthcare capacity.


sought.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestiy
IAN MIGUEL "MIGZ" F. ZUBIRI


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES } 
First Regular Session 
}
SENATE
S.B. No. 1219
of lljc
25 AUG 19 P4 'A3
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri
AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF NURSES FROM SALARY 
GRADE 15 TO 19, AMENDING SEC. 32 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9173, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE PHILIPPINE NURSING ACT OF 2002"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 9173 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
1 
"SEC. 32. Salary. - In order to enhance the general welfare, commitment to service
2 
and professionalism of nurses, the minimum base pay of nurses working in the
3 
public health institutions shall not be lower than [salary grade 15] SALARY
4 
GRADE NINETEEN (19) prescribed under Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise
5 
known as the "Compensation and Classification Act of 1989": Provided, That for
6 
nurses working in local government units, adjustments to their salaries shall be in
7 
accordance with Section 10 of the said law."
8 
Sec. 2. Appropriations. -The amounts necessary for the implementation of this Act
9 
shall be charged against the current year available appropriations of the Department of
10 
Health (DOH). Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous implementation shall
11 
be included in the annual general appropriations
12 
Sec. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -The DOH and the Department of
13 
Budget Management (DBM) shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to
14 
implement the provisions of this Act.
15 
Sec. 4. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of laws, orders, decrees, including rules
16 
and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.
17 
Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
18 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
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continue to be in full force and effect
20 
Sec. 6. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
21 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,