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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _____ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by  
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,  
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,  
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
SALARY GRADE 15 MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY FOR NURSES 
IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Salary upgrading for nurses and other professionals is long overdue. 
For decades, nurses were denied of their rightful salaries as mandated by 
Republic Act No. 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002. The law 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. 
Instead of rectifying this gross neglect, the government through Joint Resolution 
No. 4 or the Salary Standardization Law III in 2009 pegged the salary grade of nurses 
to SG 11 from the original SG 10. After which Executive Order 201, approved in 2016, 
maintained the SG 11 as entry level salary grade level for nurses and provided measly 
salary increases like all other previous salary standardization laws. 
As of end December 2019, a nurse 1 in national government hospitals receive 
P20,754 per month under Salary Grade 11. Those in devolved hospitals and health 
facilities receive less, due to the provision of the Salary Standardization Law allowing 
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lower salaries based on the capacity and classification of the local government units. 
While President Rodrigo Duterte issued statements and promises in favor of 
increasing the salaries of national government workers, including teachers and nurses, 
the government never ever implemented the salary grade 15 entry salary grade for 
nurses as mandated by RA 9173. 
Republic Act No 11466 or the Salary Standardization law of 2019 signed by 
President Duterte on January 8, 2020 only allots P22,316 per month to Salary Grade 11. 
Salary Grade 15 for the first tranche is equivalent to P32,053 per month.  
On October 8, 2019, the Supreme Court declared as valid Section 32 of the 
Philippine Nursing Act or Republic Act No. 9173 which states that “the minimum base 
pay of nurses working in public health institutions shall not be lower than salary grade 
15”. On December 13, 2019, the Supreme Court released the final and executory 
decision.  
In response to the Supreme Court decision and the continuing calls and demands 
of nurses, the Duterte administration allotted Three Billion pesos (P3,000,000,000) 
under the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Funds of the Republic Act No 11465 or the 
General Appropriations Act of 2020.  
However, halfway into the year 2020, and in the midst of battle against the 
COVID-19 pandemic, nurses salaries are yet to be upgraded based on the Supreme 
Court decision. 
On July 17, 2020, the Department of Budget and Management issued Budget 
Circular No. 2020-4 on Upgrading the Entry Level of Nurse Positions. The Budget 
Circular upgrades the Nurse 1 position from SG 11 to SG 15 effective not earlier than 
January 1, 2020. 
However, the DBM Budget Circular excludes nurses in some government 
agencies such as those employed in GOCCs/GFIs covered under RA 10149 or the 
GOCC Act of 201. Said employees including the nurses are exempted from RA No. 
6758 and are implementing their respective Compensation and Position Classification 
System (CPCS). Moreover, salary adjustment of contractuals and casuals are dependent 
on availability of funds. 
It is high time that we truly honor our nurses who are risking their very own lives 
bravely fighting in the frontlines against the COVID-19 pandemic by providing for 
salaries and benefits that are rightfully due them. 
This Bill aims to mandate the implementation of Salary Grade 15 as the national 
minimum salary for nurses in the public sector nationwide, regardless of employment 


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status and agency classification. 
This Bill was first filed by Bayan Muna Party-List Reps. Ferdinand Gaite, Carlos 
Zarate and Eufemia Cullamat, ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro, Gabriela 
Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Party-List Rep. Sarah Elago in the 
18th Congress as House Bill 7517. 
The urgent passage of this bill, thus, is earnestly sought. 
Approved, 
________________________________ 
Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO 
ACT Teachers Party-List 
________________________________ 
Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS 
GABRIELA Women’s Party 
________________________________ 
Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
KABATAAN Party-List 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _____ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by  
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,  
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,  
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
SALARY GRADE 15 MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY FOR NURSES 
IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 
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 
Act of 2020.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the Government’s concern 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. Coverage. The minimum salary shall cover all nurses in all public health 
facilities: 
(a) whether regular, or non-regular, including contractuals, contract of service, job-
order, casuals, co-terminus and project-based, and
(b) whether nationally or locally-funded, including Government-Owned and
Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Government Financial Institutions (GFIs),
and Local Government Units regardless of classification.
SECTION 4. Minimum Salary for Nurses. The minimum monthly salary for nurses 
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shall be equivalent to salary grade (SG) "15" of the Salary Standardization Law. Salary 
grade levels and salaries of Nurse 2 and higher shall be adjusted accordingly. The Job 
Grade and salary levels of nurses employed in GOCCs/GFIs covered by RA 10149 shall 
also be upgraded and shall be equivalent  to the SG 15  under the current Salary 
Standardization Law. 
 
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, 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 Personnel 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. 
 
Provided that, should certain Local Government Units have insufficient funds, they 
may request for a subsidy from the National Government. 
 
Provided further, that GOCCs shall include in their respective corporate budget the 
funds necessary to implement the upgraded salaries of nurses. 
 
SECTION 9. Constitutionality. Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the validity 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 


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Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
  
SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,