Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7196

Introduced by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate,
ACT Teachers Partylist Reps. Antonio L. Tinio and France L. Castro,
Gabriela Women’s Party Reps. Emmi A. De Jesus and Arlene D. Brosas,
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel B. Casilao, and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane I. Elago

ANACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY OF NURSES
‘TO P30,000 AND PROVIDING FOR BENEFITS FOR NURSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill aims to upgrade the minimum salary of nurses both in public and private sectors and to
ensure that mandated benefits are provided to encourage them to work in the country instead of going
abroad.

‘The Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 or Republic Act No. 9173 provided for Salary Grade 15 as entry
salary grade for public nurses all over the country. This was never implemented, with the government
failing to allocate funds for its implementation.

Joint Resolution No. 4 or the Salary Standardization Law III passed in year 2009 pegged the salary
grade of nurses to Salary Grade 11, altogether denying the nurses of the salary they should have
received since 2002.

Executive Order 201 approved in 2016 put the entry salary for nurses (salary grade 11) at P20,754
per month for the fourth and last tranche. This is almost P10,000 less than the supposed salary grade
15 for nurses, pegged at P30,531/month for the fourth tranche.

The present entry salary of nurses in the public sector based on the third tranche implementation of
EO 201 is P20,179/month (salary grade 11). Nurses in the private sector receive much less, a pitiful
6,000-P9,000 per month, which is even lower than the mandated minimum wage in the National
Capital Region at P 512/day! or P 11,264/month.

The present salaries of nurses for the public and private sector are way below the family living wage
of P1,171/day? or P35,130 for a family of six in the National Capital Region according to IBON
Databank.

" hup:/Avww.nwpe.dole.gov:ph/pages/statisticystat_current_regional.
2 Dutertenomics and Dictatorship, Thwarting Democracy, IBON Economic and Political Briefing, January 19, 2018


‘The salaries of Filipino nurses in the country are likewise way below most of ASEAN countries. In
‘Thailand, an incoming Filipino nurse earns 40,000 baht or P54,360°. Average Malaysian nurse salary
is RM 28,130 annually or RM 2,348 monthly, equivalent to P28,48S/month*. In Japan, nurses
undergoing work-training receive an average monthly salary of 130,000 yen to 220,000 yen or
roughly P66,000 and P113,000*, In Korea, monthly salary of a nurse is US $ 1,504 or P66,552°. In
Singapore, average monthly salary for a nurse is SGD 3,001 or P97,631’.

‘The inadequacy of salaries is further aggravated by inadequate or non-implementation of benefits as
‘mandated by Magna Carta of Public Health Workers or Republic Act No. 7305, such as overtime pay,
night shift differential, on call pay, and hazard pay. Nurses in the private sector do not even receive
hazard pay.

‘These huge differences in salaries and benefits of nurses are one of the main reasons why we are
losing our nurses to other countries at the expense of adequate and quality services for the Filipino
people.

‘To rectify what has been a gross neglect of the welfare of our nurses, and to prevent the worsening of
brain drain, we propose that the minimum salary of nurses be upgraded to P30,000 and adequate
benefits be provided for nurses both at the public and private sector.

In this light, the urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Approved,
nop. RRO Bere
Bayan Muna Party-list
L 10
ACT Teachers Party-list Gabriela Women’é Party

Rep. FRA! ;ASTRO haf BROSAS
ACT Jachey Party-list Gabrlkla Women's Party

5 http://www: bangkokpost.com/print/410343/, computed at 1 baht=
+ http://www payscale.comvresearch/MY/Job-Staff_Nurse/Salary, computed at 1 RM = Php 12.13
5 http://www. gmanetwork.com/news/story/289623/pit ore-filipino-nurses-caregivers

° hutpy//worw. i at US $=PhP44.25
7 http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php loc=196&loctype=1 &job=874 &jobtype=, Conversion rate

PHP/SGD = 32.533


Rep. ARIEL B. CASILAO
Anakpawis Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
7196

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate,
ACT Teachers Partylist Reps. Antonio L. Tinio and France L. Castro,
Gabriela Women’s Party Reps. Emmi A. De Jesus and Arlene D. Brosas,
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel B. Casilao, and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane I. Elago

ANACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY OF NURSES
TO P30,000 AND PROVIDING FOR BENEFITS FOR NURSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as “The Nurses’ Salary Upgrading and Benefits
Act of 2018.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the Government's concer and responsibility to provide
‘adequate remuneration and benefits of health workers to enhance general welfare and to attract and
retain its rightful share of talents with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing
essential health services to all Filipinos.

SECTION 3. Raising of the Minimum Salary for Nurses. The present minimum monthly salary for
nurses shall be upgraded to P30,000. Salaries of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted
accordingly. The minimum salary shall cover all nurses in public health facilities, whether nationally
or locally-funded, and private health facilities and institutions.

SECTION 4, Benefits. Nurses in public and private sectors shall be provided with all applicable
benefits prescribed under Magna Carta of Public Health Workers or Republic Act No. 7305, including
overtime pay, night-shift differential, on-call pay; hazard pay subsistence allowance, housing facility
or housing allowance free annual physical examination and free hospitalization.

SECTION 5. Sanctions. A fine of not less than five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000,000) and/or
imprisonment of not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years shall be imposed upon
violation of any of the provisions hereof.

Provided that, for violations committed by government agencies, juridical persons, including local
government units or any other entity, the head of the agency and Board of Directors or executive
officials of the agency shall assume full responsibility.

SECTION 6. Refund and Compensation. Any nurse found to have been a victim of violation of any
section of this Act shall be entitled to backwages and full payment of unpaid benefits. In addition,

4


he/she shall be entitled to refund of interest and attorney’s fees to be paid by the agency if he/she is
forced to litigate.

SECTION 7. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health and the Department of Budget and
Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriation. The Government shall appropriate such amount as may be necessary
to carry out the objectives of this Act. Initial funds required for the implementation of this Act shall
be sourced from the General Appropriations Act Miscellaneous Personne! Benefit Fund and other
possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the President. The subsequent funds needed
for national public health institutions shall be included in the General Appropriations Act in the
allotment for the particular facility or institution. For devolved health agencies, funding shall be
included in the annual budget allotment for the provincial and district hospitals and local health units.

For private health facilities, funding shall be included in the corporate budget.

SECTI
unconstitutional, the vali

9. Constitutionality. Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or
or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions, orders,
ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed,
amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,