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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Very low pay and insufficient benefits significantly drive Filipino health workers 
to migrate en masse abroad where the pay and benefits are enough reasons to 
leave behind their country and 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 a mere P18,134.00 and for nurses, P8,944.00. 
The salaries by health workers also pale in comparison with those of educators, 
accountants, and engineers who have salaries ranging from P14,041.00 to 
P24,921.00. Other human resources in the health sector such as midwives, 
dentists, and physical therapists are in no better positions. 
In the hands of health workers are matters of, quite literally, life and death. To 
retain them in the country for the service of the Filipino people should be a 
matter of utmost priority. 
This bill pushes for higher entry salary grade levels for health workers so as to 
halt their emigration en masse. The Filipino people are in need of our skillful 
doctors and nurses; our doctors and nurses deserve a decent living. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
w 
LOREN LEGARDA 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
I 
4 
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 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as "Entry Level Salary of 
Human Resources for Health Act of 2009". 
SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. Pursuant to Section 11 of Article XI11 of the 
Constitution, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to provide increases in 
the salaries of entry level positions of priority HRH taking into account the 
necessity to retain competent health workers in the country and the hazards 
these HRH face in the workplace. 
SECTION 3. Governing Principle. Government shall ensure the achievement of 
health for all Filipinos by providing accessible, affordable, and quality health 
services. The Government recognizes the critical role of the HRH in the 
realization of this vision. 
The State shall ensure that HRH are: 
a) Equitably distributed such that adequate numbers are fielded based on 
needs not on the affluence and level of development of cities and key 
municipalities; 
b) Competent and capable of delivering quality health services, driven 
with the right motivation and attitudes; 
c) Fairly compensated considering the existing economic realities of the 
country; and 
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 terms 
shall have the corresponding meaning: 
Entry level - lowest level within a given hierarchy or class of employee. 
HRH - acronym for human resources for health or health worker. 
Priority HRH- refers to the list of health care workers which are included in the 
provisions of this act because they comprise the usual skill mix found in 
hospitals, health facilities and rural health units. 
- Prioritization of HRH was based on the Human Resources for 
Health Master Plan (HRHMP) 2005-2030,2006 HRH Stock Survey, 
Salary - Wage or compensation for work done by an individual HRH. 
o Basic - Refers to basic compensation as stated in the unified 
Compensation and Position Classification System prescribed under 
Presidential Decree No. 985, as amended. 
o Gross - Over and above the basic'salary that an HRH receives from 
his/ her employers and includes allowances and benefits. 
Salary Grade (SG) - designates a salary range to which a number of job titles are 
assigned. 
ARTICLE I1 
Coverage 
SECTION 5. National Coverage. This Act shall cover the jobs and/or position title 
of priority HRH on fulltime and part time basis, permanent or temporary, 
including casual, job order, contract of services and non-organic personnel of the 
government. Government owned or controlled corporations and financial 
institutions with original charters and uniformed personnel are encouraged to 
follow this Act, specifically those whose salary grades are below and/or not at 
par with the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Local Government Units. Local government units shall adopt the 
provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 7. Private Sector. Private sector shall adhere to the provisions stated in 
this Act. 
ARTICLE 111 
New Entry Level and Salary Grades 
SECTION 8. Adopting the New Entry Level Salary Grades for Priority HRH. The 
provisions on this Act shall replace and supplant the unified Compensation and 
Position Classification System prescribed under Presidential Decree No. 985, as 
amended. 
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The new entry level Salary Grade (SG) takes into consideration the following; 
1. Number of years of study; 
2. Presence of licensure examination or its equivalent; 
3. Level of responsibility and occupational hazards; and 
4. Comparability of qualifications. 
Increases shall range from three to five SGs across different professions. The 
specific increases per HRH shall be defined' in the Implementing Rules and 
Regulations. 
TYPE OF HRH 
Physician 
Dentist 
Nurse 
Midwife 
Medical Technologist 
The matrix below illustrates new salary grades compared to existing SG of 
selected HRH. 
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Tablel. Existing and New Entry Level Salary Grades (SG) for Priority 
HRH in the Government 
EXISTING SG 
NEW ENTRY SG 
SG 14 
SG 22 
SG 13 
SG 21 
SG 10 
SG 18 
SG 6 
SG 12 
SG 11 
SG 17 
(Med. Tech.) 
Physical Therapists 
(PT) 
Occupational 
Therapist (OT) 
Pharmacist 
Nutritionist-dietitian 
SG 10 
. SG16 
SG 10 
SG 16 
SG 10 
SG 16 
SGlO 
SG 16 
(ND) 
Radiologic 
I SG8 
I SG14 
Technolvogist (Rad. 
Tech.) 
Medical Social Worker SG 11 
SG 16 
(MSW) 
Medical Records 
I SG 10 
I SG15 
Officer (MRO) 
Psychologist 
SECTION 9. Creation of New Plantilla Positions in the Government for other types of 
HRH. For the other types of HRH that are not included in the matrix and no 
plantilla position has been created as of the time of the passage of this bill, the 
above provisions shall apply once plantilla positions have been created 
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ARTICLE IV 
Appropriations 
SECTION 10. Budget Appropriations. In order to ensure the implementation of 
this Act, the following provisions shall be strictly adhered to: 
1) The Department of Budget and Management shall appropriate funds 
for the implementation of this Act. Implementation shall take effect on 
the next fiscal year from approval of this Act. 
2) Government owned and controlled corporations as well as local 
government units shall charge the implementation of this Act to their 
respective funds. 
3) The private sector shall ensure mechanisms to implement the 
provisions of this Act. 
ARTICLE V 
Implementation 
Section 11. Implementation Scheme. This Act shall be implemented within 5 
years from the date of approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations 
ARTICLE VI 
Final Provisions 
SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health shall 
within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, take the lead role in 
convening a Technical Working Group composed of Department of Budget and 
Management, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor and Employment, 
Department of Interior and Local Government, Local Government Units and the 
private and labor sector that will formulate the Implementing Rules and 
Regulations of this Act, as well as undertake study on salary scheme beyond 
entry levels. 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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