HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines DATE: 0 1 AUG 2016 _

House of Representatives
Quezon City Metro Manila Tint pow!
BY:

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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session | seastearon War
House Bin 2104 BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE
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Introduced by REP, ENRICO A, PINEDA and REP, MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine public health system demands a high level of competence from government
health workers. This is especially true among public health nurses, who serve at the frontlines, at
times the only line,of public health service delivery particularly in the rural areas.

Yet, despite all the hardships and sacrifices, the public nurses receive remuneration that is
barely enough to cover their families’ needs.

The perennially low wages caused public nurses to shift to other professions or seek
employment abroad. This, in turn, resulted to further degradation of the Philippine health system,
especially in poor and marginalized localities.

This bill moves to increase the current entry-level salary grade of public nurses from Salary
Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.

This provision seeks to uphold Section 32 of the Republic Act No. 9173, which mandated
that the minimum base pay of nurses working in the public health institutions shall not be lower
than Salary Grade 15.

Moreover, it also provides for the modification of the Philippine Government Position
Classification Plan to adjust the remuneration of other occupational groups, classes and series,
accordingly.

In due course, it is hoped that through this measure, the decades’ worth of gross neglect of
the nurses’ welfare be rectified. It is hoped that such will be reciprocated in better service by these
frontline wellness professionals.

This bill is not only a talent-retention scheme to keep in country a precious human resource
but it also confers due recognition for their contribution in a manner best appreciated by them which
is just compensation,

In view of the upholding the welfare of those who sacrificed much for the welfare of
Filipinos, the passage pf this measure is earnestly sought. a

ENRICO A. PINEDA MI H ‘L ODYLON L. ROMERO
Representative, PACMAN Partylist pregentative, 1PACMAN Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
zZ1ol
House Bill

Introduced by REP. ENRICO A. PINEDA and REP. MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO.

AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT NURSES FROM
SALARY GRADE 11 TO 15

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

SECTION 1.Short Title. - This Act shall be known as “The Government Nurses’ Salary
Upgrading Act of 2016”.

Ste. 2.Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to guarantee the
retention of skilled and competent civil servants by ensuring that the remuneration due to them are
commensurate to the complexity of their duty. In line with this principle and with the
constitutionally-enshrined policy to protect and promote the people’s right to health, the State shall
provide adequate remuneration to all government health workers.

See. 3.Coverage.This Act shall cover all government-compensated nurses working in public
hospitals and other government institutions, whether funded nationally or locally.

Sec. 4.Minimum Salary of Government Nurses.The present minimum salary grade of
government nurses (Nurse 1) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.

Sec. S.Appropriations.- The amount necessary for the immediate implementation of the
provisions of this Act shall be charged against any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise

appropriated, Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall

be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 6.Jmplementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act, the Department of Budget and Management, in consultation with the Department of
Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense,
the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and other relevant government
agencies, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the
provisions of this Act.

To mitigate potential salary distortion within occupational group and among occupational
class and series, the DBM is hereby authorized to make adjustments on the existing Position
Classification Plan of the Philippine Government.


Sec. 7.Separability Clause.— If for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared

unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and

effect.
Sec. 8.Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, issuances, rules

and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby repealed or

modified accordingly.
Sec. 9.£ffectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in at

least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.

Approved,