SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
I 
SENATE 
S.B. N0.1266 ' 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. CYNTHIA A. VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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'13 
AUG 12 P5:06 
In 2001, the Philippine economy experienced a surge in growth due to the increased 
demand for Filipino professionals abroad, foremost of which is the demand for registered 
nurses. Since the demand for Filipino services was high and the OFWs were earning in 
foreign currency, our country benefited as their remittances of foreign funds soon became a 
major contributor to our economic development. However, during the past years, there has 
been a reduction of foreign demand for the Filipino worker. Regarding nurses, developed 
nations, such as the United States, are adopting policies that resulted to reducing the 
opportunities of our nurses to work abroad. As of today, there are around one hundred 
thousand unemployed nurses (including those not employed or working as nurses) in the 
Philippines. 
While nurses may have found employment in unrelated industries, such as call 
centers, or perhaps found other means of livelihood, In order to deal with the growing 
unemployment rate among nurses, our country now finds itself unable to utilize the potential 
benefits that may be provided by properly employed nurses considering that the health 
service sector remains wanting. 
The entire education and training process in order to 
produce nurses is being wasted by reason of the
l unemployment of the nurses. 
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: II 
The aim of this bill is to urgently address !tbe problem of the unemployment and 
underutilization of our thousands of nurses. This bill proposes that government mobilize and 
utilize these unemployed nurses by dispatching at least one registered nurse to every 
barangay in the Philippines. The duties of each dispatched nurse include educating their 
respective barangays on the importance of health, 'hygiene, sanitation, and well ness. Their 
goal is not only to address the immediate medical needs of the community, but also, 
through education, to prevent illnesses and ailments because, to quote Benjamin Franklin, 
"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." 
I recommend. the immediate passage of this bill. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
13 
AUG 12 P5 :06 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 126B 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. CYNTHIA A. VILLAR 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF NURSES, ASSIGNING ONE 
REGISTERED NURSE FOR EVERY BARAN GAY IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 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 to be 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 utilization and maximization of their 
medical knowledge in programs that will likewise help promote the right of the people to 
health and health consciousness, thereby achievi~'g the realization of a healthy and 
productive citizenry. 
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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 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 well ness 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 traini(lg of these nurses.The guidelines to be 
set shall in no case discriminate against the hiring of fresh graduates or newly passed 
registered nurses. 
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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, 8ventemporarily; and must have passion for public health concerns. 
SECTION 7. Stipend - Nurses employedun'der the program shall be entitled to a 
monthly stipend 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 
well ness of all citizens of the barangay. 
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SECTION 9. Appropriation. - 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 Regulation - 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. 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause - Should any section or provision of this Act 
be held unconstitutional or invalid, such a declaration shall not invalidate other provision 
hereof. 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause -
All 'laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations inconsistent"Herewith are hereby repealed and/or 
modified accordingly. 
SECTION 13. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) following its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the 
Philippines 
Approved, 
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