Republic of the Philipines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No, 8932

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Filipino nurses are some of the best in the world, and for many years, the high demand
for their services here and abroad spurred a steady increase in the number of Filipinos seeking
careers in the nursing industry. In recent years, however, that international demand has
decreased, leading to an unfortunate saturation of the industry which has led to many of our
nurses being underemployed or unemployed.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) estimated that there are at least
300,000 unemployed nurses in the country'. This number presents both a challenge and an
opportunity, for the government is placed in a position to enable our nurses to practice their
chosen profession in a manner that benefits them as well as well as local communities,
particularly those in need of professional medical assistance such as distant barangays
underserved by government health centers. For the government to tap our pool of qualified yet
unemployed nurses will be a win for all involved.

This bill, a re-filing of House Bill No, 3101 filed by former DIWA Party-list
Representative, Emmeline Villar and a counterpart of Senate Bill No. 726 filed by Senator
Cynthia Villar, enacts a program whereby the government mobilizes our population of
unemployed nurses in order to dispatch at least one registered nurse to every barangay in the
Philippines, their duties to include not only direct health services but education with regard to
the importance of health, hygiene, sanitation, and wellness.

PERITO M. PICO
Representative, DIWA Party-list

"http://www.manilatimes.net/in-need-of-nurses-and-nurses-in-need/69332/

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Republic of the Philipines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. _ 8932

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF NURSES, ASSIGNING ONE
REGISTERED NURSE FOR EVERY BARANGAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

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

SECTION I. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “A Nurse in Every
Barangay Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies. ~ The State affirms labor as a primary social
economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare. Towards this
end, it is further declared the policy of the State to promote a sustained and cultivated reservoir
of national talents, preserving the skills and aptitude of our trained professionals, particularly
our nurses, through the utilization and maximization of their medical knowledge that will
likewise help promote the right of the people to health, thereby achieving the realization of a
healthy and productive citizenry.

SECTION 3. Program of the Employment of Nurses in Every Barangay. — There
is hereby established a Program for the Employment of Nurses in every barangay, for the

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purpose of improving the delivery of public health care services, and to provide relevant and
timely education on wellness, hygiene, sanitation and other health safety measures to the
poorest communities in rural areas as well as underprivileged communities in the urban areas,
while providing gainful employment to registered nurses and utilizing their professional
competencies.

SECTION 4. Role of Local Government Units. Each local government unit is
mandated to employ one (1) registered nurse in every barangay within their jurisdiction.

SECTION 5. Recruitment, Selection, and Training. — The local government units
shall secure the assistance of the Department of Health in recruiting, selecting, and in training
the registered nurses employed by Local government units to ensure their capability in
addressing public health and wellness concerns of the barangays.

For this purpose, the Department of Health is hereby mandated to issue guidelines
setting the qualifications of nurses to be deployed to the barangays as well as come up with a
module for the relevant training of these nurses. The guidelines to be set shall in no case
discriminate against the hiring of fresh graduates or newly passed registered nurses.

SECTION 6. Minimum Qualification of Nurses. — Nurses engaged under the
program shall have the following minimum qualifications: must have a valid RN license issued
by the Professional Regulatory Commission; must be willing to relocate to its assigned area,
even temporarily; and must have passion for public health concerns.

SECTION 7. Stipend. — Nurses employed under the program shall be entitled to a
monthly stipend preferably equal to salary grade 15, consistent with the mandatory minimum
entry-level pay for government nurses under the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, or Republic
Act No. 9173.

SECTION 8. Certification. — Nurses under this program are required to provide an
annual health status report regarding the average health and wellness of the barangay and must
provide suggestions to the local government units to improve the health and wellness of all
citizens of the barangay.

SECTION 9. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the program
under this Act shall be initially appropriated out of the funds of the respective local government
units. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the full implementation of this program shall be
included in the respective budget of the local government units in the General Appropriation
Act.

SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within sixty days (60) from
the effectivity of this Act, the DILG and DOH shall promulgate the implementing rules and
regulations, as may be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of
this Act.

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SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or

inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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