SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. B. 
2688 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
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MAR 11 
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UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT NURSES 
FROM SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them. 
Public health safety demands a high level of competency among Filipino nurses in 
carrying out their responsibilities. Filipino nurses take a lead role in ensuring public health 
development, especially in rural areas. Amy Filipino nurses 
Despite the passage of Republic Act No. 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, 
which provides that the salary of entry-level nurses working in government health facilities 
"shall not be lower than Salary Grade 15" (Article VII, Section 32), the iJ:hplementation of Salary 
Standardization Law (SSL) 3, through Executive Order (EO) No. 811 issued in 2009, effectively 
set the basic pay of government nurses (Nurse I) to Salary Grade 11. This contradicts the spirit 
of both the SSL-3 and EO 811 which provide for the "non-diminution in the basic salaries of 
incumbent employees." 
This measure seeks to provide a remedy to the plight of Filipino nurses with the 
implementation of SSL-3, and therefore seeks to adjust the basic pay of entry-level nurses to 
Salary Grade 15 (P24,887 for Step 1), from the current Salary Grade 11 (PI8,549 for Step 1), in the 
government sector and be consistent with the Philippine Nursing Act. This proposal also seeks 
to adjust the salary grade levels of state nurses occupying higher positions. 
In view of the stringent qualifications, high level of competency and the amount of 
sacrifice that our Filipino nurses provide, swift approval of this measure is sought. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. B. 
2688 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
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I1AR 11 
P5 :1~ 
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT NURSES FROM 
SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as "The Government Nurses' Salary 
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Upgrading Act of 2013." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the Government's concern and responsibility to 
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provide adequate remuneration for health workers to enhance general welfare and to attract 
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and retain its rightful share of talents with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of 
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providing essential health services to all Filipinos. 
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SECTION 3, Raising of the Minimum Salary Grade Level. The present minimum 
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salary grade of government nurses (Nurse I) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary 
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Grade 15. Salary grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly. 
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SECTION 4. Coverage. This Act shall cover all nurses in public hospitals and other 
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health institutions, whether nationally or locally funded. 
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SECTION 5. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health and the Department of 
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Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the provisions 
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of this Act. 
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SECTION 6. Appropriation. The Government shall appropriate such amount as may be 
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necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act. Initial funds required for the implementation of 
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this Act shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive Branch of the government and other 
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possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the President. The subsequent funds 
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needed shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year following the 
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implementation of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Constitutionality. Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected 
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thereby. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions, 
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orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are 
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hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
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in two newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved,