Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
2988
HOUSE BILL NO. ___

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In his 2013 State of the Union Address, former United States President Barrack Obama hailed a
Filipino nurse, Menchu Sanchez, as a role model. He said: "We should follow the example of a
New York City nurse named Menchu Sanchez. When Hurricane Sandy plunged her hospital into
darkness, she wasn't thinking about how her own home was faring... Her mind was on the 20
precious newborns in her care and the rescue plan she devised that kept them all safe.”

While it is a laudable feat for a Filipino nurse to be featured in the former US President Obama's
speech, it is unfortunate that Filipino nurses search for greener pastures abroad. Filipino nurses
have become so prevalent in the US, that they have started their own national organization, the
Philippine Nurses Association of America.’ In California alone, twenty percent (20%) of all
registered nurses are Filipino”

Undeniably, state of health care in the Philippines would have been exceptional if only the best
nurses stayed here. However, we cannot truly blame them when they leave, as it is really more
enticing to work in countries which offer better living standards and higher salaries. In the
Philippines, the average salary of an entry-level nurse ranges from P8,000 - P13,500 per
month.° It is high time to acknowledge that these figures are demonstrably incommensurate to
what they do, especially considering how mentally and physically demanding their occupation is.

As such, this bill seeks to augment the salaries of government nurses to at least Thirty
Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00). With the ever-growing challenges that face our nurses, it is only
fitting to accord them the salary increase they rightfully deserve.

The immediate passage of this bill is collectively sought for.

: http://www.globalization 101 .org/the-case-of-the-philippine-nurses/
Ibid.
* http:/www.ble.dole.gov.ph/index. php/nurse


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2988

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

AN ACT
INCREASING THE BASIC SALARY OF GOVERNMENT NURSES TO THIRTY THOUSAND
PESOS (PHP30,000.00)

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

SECTION 1. All government nurses shall, regardless of their length of service, be
entitled to Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) basic monthly salary.

SEC. 2. The funds for the said increase shall be incorporated by the Department of
Health (DOH) in its budget for each fiscal year.

SEC. 3. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in cooperation with the
Department of Health (DOH) shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for the
effective and immediate implementation of this Act.

SEC. 4. All laws, decrees, executive orders, letters of instruction, rules and regulations
or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,