Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3160

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR NURSES TO BE ALLOCATED WITH RAISED SALARIES (NARS)
BY UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF ALL PUBLIC NURSES FROM.
SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15 IN ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
INSTITUTIONS, AND INCREASING THE SALARY RATE OF ALL PRIVATE NURSES IN ALL
PRIVATE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) population is consistently increasing through the years
because of the continuing high unemployment rate in the Philippines. Every year, thousands
of fresh graduates especially our Filipino nurses fail to seek job employment despite the high
demand for their services in the country.

Moreover, Filipino nurses take a lead role in ensuring public health development, especially
in rural areas. However, the country continues to be saddled with a poor healthcare sector
caused primarily by the low ratio of nurses as duly licensed nurses opt to bring their services
to greener pastures abroad or to other relatively lucrative sectors which do not involve the
practice of their profession.

In order to fill the nursing shortage in the Philippines a salary increase both in public and
private sectors shall be implemented. The Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 or the Republic Act
No. 9173 provided for Salary Grade (SG) 15 as an entry salary grade for public nurses all over
the country, However, this was never implemented with the government failing to allocate
funds for its implementation.

In 2016, Executive Order No. 201 approved the entry salary for nurses with Salary Grade
(SG) 11 at P20,754 per month for the fourth tranche which is lower than the supposed Salary
Grade (SG) 15 for nurses which is P30,351 per month for the fourth tranche. While nurses in
the private sector receive much less than P10,000 per month, which is even lower than the
mandated minimum wage in the National Capital Region at P11,264 per month.


This unjust situation is further aggravated by inadequate or non-implementation of benefits
as mandated by Magna Carta of Public Health Workers or Republic Act No. 7305, such as
overtime pay, night shift differential, on-call pay, and hazard pay.

This bill seeks to upgrade the salaries received by the public nurse through raising the
minimum salary grade level of nurses from Salary Grade 11 (Php20,754,00) to 15
(Php30,531.00) and to increase the minimum salary rate of Private Nurses to P20,000.

‘This measure ensures the dignity of Filipino nurses and assume responsibility for the
protection, respect and improvement of the nursing profession by instituting measures that
will ensure the adaption of just and humane conditions of work and the promotion of
professional growth. This bill also aims to ensure that mandated benefits are provided to
courage them to work in the country instead of going abroad.

In view of the foregoing, support for the passage and approval of this legislation is
earnestly sought.

.FRED VAR(


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3160
HOUSE BILLNO._

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR NURSES TO BE ALLOCATED WITH RAISED SALARIES (NARS)
BY UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF ALL PUBLIC NURSES FROM
SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15 IN ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
INSTITUTIONS, AND INCREASING THE SALARY RATE OF ALL PRIVATE NURSES IN ALL
PRIVATE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS

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 “Nurses Allocated with Raised
Salaries (NARS) Act of 2019”

SEC 2, Declaration of Policy - It is the Government's concern and responsibility to
provide adequate remuneration and benefits of 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.

SEC 3. Coverage - This Act shall cover all government compensated nurses working
in public hospitals and other government institutions, and all private nurses in all private
health facilities and institutions.

SEC 4. Upgrading the Minimum Salary Grade Level to all Public Nurses. - The
present minimum salary grade level of public nuse in hospitals, medical shall be upgraded
from Grade 11 to Grade 15; Provided however that the salary upgrading shall be
differentiated in accordance with the qualifications and length of service rendered by public
nurses and shall not be prejudiced by across the board salary adjustments.

SEC 5. Increasing the Salary Rate of Private Nurses - The present minimum
monthly salary rate for private nurses shall be upgraded to Twenty Thousand Pesos
(P20,000). Salaries of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.


SEC 6, Budget Required. - The Department of Health (DOH) shall come up with a
specific programmed budget needed to cover the expenses for the upgrading in salary levels
for all the corresponding nurses for a period of at least five years to allow the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM) to make the necessary budgetary adjustments to facilitate
the smooth implementation of this Act.

SEC 7. Appropriation - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this
Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the year following the
approval of this Act. Initial funds required for the implementation of this Act shall be sourced
from the General Appropriations Act Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund and other
sourced from the GAA Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund and other possible sources that
may be determined by the Office of the President. The funds for private health facilities shall
be included in the corporate budget.

SEC. 8. Rules and Regulations, - The Department of Health and the Department of
Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 9, Penalty ~ A fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000)
and/or imprisonment of not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years shall be
imposed upon any person violating any provision of this Act.

Provided That, for government agencies, juridical persons, including local government units
or any other entity, the head of the agency and Board of Directors, or executive officials of
the agency, shall assume full responsibility for violations of this Act.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of laws, orders, decrees, including rules
and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 12, Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or ina newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,