Republic of the Philippines.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO: 1874

INTRODUCED BY: HONORABLE ROSEMARIE CONEJOS PANOTES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to upgrade the Salary Grades of Registered Nurses in all public
health institutions like government hospitals and medical centers, locally-funded
hospitals, and Nurses employed in government agencies, including government-owned
and controlled corporations Salary Grade 15 to 19.

The existence of Covid 19 pandemic worldwide had widely recognized the urgent
need of hiring health workers, specially Registered Nurses, to serve as frontliners in the
fight against this deadly contagious disease. Many countries around the world have
opened their hospital doors to our country's Nurses due to their proficiency in the English
language and proven competence in their jobs.

This situation has led to the migration of Filipino Nurses to look for greener
pastures abroad taking this matter as a golden opportunity to improve their standard of
living. On several occasions, our government responded by proposing to ban the
employment abroad of health workers even if our country has very limited job
opportunities for Nurses or our private and government hospitals are offering meager
income when compared to the possible salary abroad. Certainly, these Nurses will not
seek job opportunities abroad at the expenses of their love ones here if we have job
vacancies for them here.

Itis also greatly unfair if we consider the current equivalent monthly salary for our
government nursing positions as follows: Nurse 1- SG 15 (P36, 619.00 per month); Nurse I
= SG 16 (P39,672.00 per month); Nurse III - SG 17 (P43, 030.00 per month); and Nurse IV - SG
19 (P51,357.00 per month).

This equivalent monthly salary of Nurses in our government hospitals when compared to
salary received by their counterparts, for example, in the United States, Canada and Singapore,
is so miniscule as can be gleaned from the following data:

1. In the United States, the lowest paid Nurses receive $61,790 annually or
P2,134,968.00 (P177,914.00 per month); Average Salary: $77,600 annually or
4,345,600.00 (P362,133.33/month); and best paid Nurses: $97,580 (P5,464,480.00
(P455,373.33);

2. In Singapore, the annual salary for entry level position is Singapore $33,000 or
P1,388,970.00 annually at P42.09 per Singapore dollar or a monthly salary of
P115,747.50; and for average Nurses at Singapore $42,000 per annum or
P1,767,780.00 yearly or 147,315.00 per month; and

3. In Canada, registered Nurses are receiving an annual salary of $72,874/ANNUM
P41.94 (P3,056,335.56 (P254,694.63)


Through this important piece of legislation therefore, our government will somehow
provide a reasonable compensation commensurate to their valuable contributions
rendered specially during the pandemic by upgrading the present salary grades of nursing
positions in order to alleviate their standard of living and to be able to cope with the needs
of their families.

In view of the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

nosemaniPYatMos PANOTES

Representative
Second District, Camarines Norte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1874

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY: HONORABLE ROSEMARIE CONEJOS PANOTES

AN ACT

UPGRADING THE ENTRY LEVEL POSITION OF REGISTERED NURSES IN ALL
PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS LIKE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL
CENTERS, LOCALLY-FUNDED HOSPITALS, AND NURSES EMPLOYED IN
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND
CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS, FROM SALARY GRADE 15 TO SALARY GRADE
19, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 32 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9173, AS.
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “PHILIPPINE NURSING ACT OF 2002”

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

SECTION 1. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 9173, as amended, otherwise known
as the “Philippine Nursing Act of 2002” is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 32. Salary. — In order to enhance the general welfare,
commitment to service and professionalism of nurses, the minimum base
pa of nurses working in the public health institutions shall not be lower than
the salary grade [15] 19 prescribed under Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise
known as the “Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989":
Provided, That, for nurses working in local government units, adjustments
to their salaries shall be in accordance with Section 10 of the said law.”

SEC. 2. Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the “Compensation and
Position Classification Act of 1989”, and all laws, decrees, executive orders, budget
circulars, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended,
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,