FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.B. No. 1385 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Very low pay and insufficient benefits are the reasons why Filipino human 
resources for health such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. are migrating en 
masse to countries where the pay and benefits are enough reasons to leave behind 
our country and their respective families. The difference between what they earn 
here and what they earn abroad are worlds apart. For medical doctors, a median 
monthly compensation of P138,549.00 is obtained for 17 countries; while for nurses, 
P38,126.00 for 36 countries. As late as 2006, the average monthly wage rate for 
doctors in the Philippines is P18,134.00 and for nurses, P8,944.00. These rates are 
lower than those of educators, accountants, and engineers in 2002 because the 
salaries in these professions range from P14,041.00 to P24,921.00. Computer 
programmers in 2006 earn a monthly average of P24,700. 00. Other human resources 
in the. health sector such as midwives, dentists, and physical therapists are in no 
better positions. 
Given those figures, the fact that health workers are fleeing the country is 
hardly surprising. In their hands are matters of, quite literally, life and death and so 
they are subjects of high expectations and much pressure. 
This bill pushes for higher entry-salary grades for human resour:es for 
health. This would somehow arrest the continuing emigration of our human 
resources for health. Our country needs the skills of our own doctors and nurses. 
Our doctors and nurses need to live decently. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
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Senator 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No.13B5 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
INCREASING THE ENTRY LEVEL SALARY OF PRIORITY HUMAN 
RESOURCES FOR HEALTH (HRH) 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
General Provisions 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Entry-Level 
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Salary of Human Resources for Health Act of 2010". 
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SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. - Section 12, Article XIII of the 1987 
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Constitution states: "The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and 
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drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health, manpower development, 
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and research, responsive to the country's health needs and problems." Towards this 
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end, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to provide an increase in the salaries 
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of entry-level positions of priority health workers taking into account the necessity 
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to retain competent health workers in the country and the hazards these health 
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workers face in the workplace. 
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. SECTION 3. Governing Principle. - The Government shall ensure the 
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achievement of health for all Filipinos by providing accessible, affordable, and 
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quality health services. The Government recognizes the critical role of the Human 
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Resources for Health (HRH) in the realization of this vision. 
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The State shall ensure that HRH are: 
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a) Equitably distributed such that adequate numbers are fielded based not on 
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the affluence and level of development of cities and key municipalities but on 
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actual needs; 
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b) Competent and capable of delivering quality health services, driven with the 
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right motivation and attitudes; 
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c) Fairly compensated conSidering the existing economic realities of the country; 
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and 
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d) Performing under the right work conditions with the right workload. 
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SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following 
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terms shall have the corresponding meaning: 
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a) 'Entry level shall mean the lowest level within a given hierarchy or class of 
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employee. 
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b) HRH refers to human resources for health or health worker. 
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c) Priority HRH refers to the list of health care workers that are included in the 
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provisions of this Act because they comprise the usual skill mix found in 
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hospitals, health facilities and rural health units. Said prioritization of HRH is 
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based on the Human Resources for Health Master Plan (HRHMP) 2005-2030, 
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and 2006 HRH Stock Survey. 
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d) Salary shall mean the wage or compensation for work done by an individual 
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HRH. 
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i) Basic salary refers to the basic compensation as stated in the unified 
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Compensation and Position Classification System prescribed under 
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Presidential Decree No. 985, as amended. 
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ii) Gross pay refers to the amount over and above the basic salary that an 
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HRH receives from his/her employers and includes allowances and 
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benefits. 
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e) Salary Grade (SG) is the designation of a salary range assigned to a job title. 
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ARTICLE II 
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Coverage 
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SECTION 5. National Coverage. - This Act shall cover the jobs and/ or 
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position title of priority HRH on full-time and part-time basis, permanent or 
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temporary, including casual, job order, cpntract of services and non-organic 
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personnel of the government. Government-owned or controlled corporations and 
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financial institutions with original charters and uniformed personnel are encouraged 
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to follow this Act, specifically those whose salary grades are below and/ or not at 
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par with the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 6. Local Government Units. - Local government units shall adopt 
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the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Private Sector. - Private sector shall adhere to the provisions 
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stated in this Act, as determined and monitored by the Regional Tripartite Wage 
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Boards. 
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ARTICLE III 
New Entry Level and Salary Grades 
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SECTION 8. Adopting the New Entry Level Salary Grades for Priority HRH. 
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- The provisions on this Act shall replace and supplant the Unified Compensation and 
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Position Classification System prescribed under Presidential Decree No. 985, as 
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amended. 
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The new entry-level Salary Grade (SG) takes into consideration the following: 
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a) Number of years of study; 
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b) Presence of licensure examination or its equivalent; 
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c) Level of responsibility and occupational hazards; and 
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d) Comparability of qualifications. 
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Increases shall range from three to five SGs across different professions. The 
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specific increases per HRH shall be defined in the Implementing Rules and 
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Regulations. 
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The matrix below illustrates new salary grades compared to existing SG of 
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selected HRH. 
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Table1. Existing and New Entry Level Salary Grades (SG) 
for Priority HRH in the Government 
TYPEOFHRH 
EXISTING SG 
NEWENTRYSG 
Physician 
SG14 
SG22 
Dentist 
SG13 
SG2l 
Nurse 
SGlO 
SG 18 
Midwife' 
SG6 
SG12 
MedicalTechnologist (Med. Tech.) 
SGll 
SG17 
Physical Therapists (PT) 
SGlO 
SG16 
Occupational Therapist (OT) 
SG 10 
SG16 
Pharmacist 
SGlO 
SG 16 
Nutritionist-dietitian (ND) 
SGIO 
SG16 
Radiologic Technologist (Rad. Tech.) 
SG8 
SG14 
Medical Social Worker (MSW) 
SG 11 
SG 16 
Medical Records Officer (MRO) 
SGlO 
SG15 
Psychologist 
SGll 
SG 16 
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SECTION 9. Creation of New Plantilla Positions in the Government for 
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other types of HRH. - For the other types of HRH that are not included in the matrix 
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and no plantilla position has been created as of the time of the passage of this bill, 
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the above provisions shall apply once plantilla positions have been created: 
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ARTICLE IV 
Appropriations 
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SECTION 10. Budget Appropriations. -
In order to ensure the 
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implementation of this Act, the following provisions shall be strictly adhered to: 
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1) The Department of Budget and Management shall appropriate funds for the 
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implementation of this Act. Implementation shall take effect on the ne)~t fiscal 
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year from approval of this Act. 
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2) Government-owned and controlled corporations as well as local government 
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units shall charge the implementation of this Act to their respective funds. 
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3) The private sector shall ensure mechanisms to implement the provisions of 
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this Act. 
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ARTICLE V 
Implementation 
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Section 11. Implementation Scheme. - This Act shall be implemented within 
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five (5) years from the date of approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations 
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ARTICLE VI 
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Final Provisions 
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SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of 
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Health shall within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, take the lead role 
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in convening a Technical Working Group composed of Department of Budget and 
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Management, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor and Employment, 
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Department of Interior and Local Government, Local Government Units and the 
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private and labor sector that will formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations 
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of this Act, as well as undertake study on salary scheme beyond entry levels. 
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S~CTION 13. Separability Clause. - Should any part or provision of this Act 
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be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not 
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otherwise affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
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contrary to or inconsistent with the provi?ions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
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modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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