EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1837
cftlF^un-ta'.r
20 SEP 21 A10 50
RECt
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
DIRECTING THE NATIONAL WAGES PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM 
WAGE FOR NURSES IN PRIVATE HOSPITAL
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution states that "Congress shali give highest priority to the 
enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human 
dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural 
inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the common good.1
It also mandates that the "State shall afford full protection to labor, local and 
overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of 
employment opportunities for all" and "guarantee the rights of all workers to self- 
organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, 
including the right to strike In accordance with law." It gives the workers the guaranty 
that they "shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a 
living wage" and gives them the right to "participate in policy and decision-making 
processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law."2
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economies and health of 
almost every nation in the world. The imposition of community quarantines, while
1 Article XIII, Section 1,1987 Philippine Constitution
2 Article XIII, Section 3,1987 Philippine Constitution


necessary in preventing the spread of the virus and helping our existing medical 
facilities cope with the growing riumber of infected, has undesIred but unavoidable
consequences. The pandemic [has led to a temporary halt in the operations of
(
different Industries and closure of many commercial establishments, thus resulting In 
job loss; and all of these are happening while the people linger in fear of getting 
infected, changing the way people live.
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This pandemic Indeed continues to affect the lives of many Rllpinos. According 
to the recent data from the Department of Health, there are already 286,743 cases as 
of September 20, 2020.3 With the number of cases continuing to rise, the countrys 
health care system continues to get overburdened as well. However, despite the
discouraging picture of the currerit health dilemma we are facing, medical frontliners
i
stay faithful to their commltment|to provide quality health care service to the people.
!
At the forefront of this battle are the nurses who play a very crucial role In 
responding to this public health emergency. Without them, health care Institutions 
would not be able to provide sufficient care to patients, especially at this time when 
their services are greatly needed.
Despite the critical importance of nurses in these desperate times, they are still 
being compensated considerably fer less than what their counterparts are receiving In
other countries. Based on the research conducted by data aggregator iPrIce Group,
!
which recorded the salaries of mid-level frontliners in seven ASEAN countries, 
experienced registered nurses in the Philippines earn about PHP40,381 a month. This 
is the lowest In comparison to Vietnam's PHP 62,200.00 per month, Indonesia's 
PHP 79,000.00 per month, Thailand's PHP 83,000.00 per month, Malaysia's 
PHP97,000.00 per month, and Singapore's PHP236,400.00 per month.4
The Bureau of Local Employment of the Department of Labor and Employment 
reported that entry-level registered nurses receive salary ranging from PHP 8,000.00
3 “COVID-19 Tracker: Department of Health Website," COVID-19 Tracker | Department of Health website, accessed September 
20,2020, https://www.doh.gov.ph/covid19tracker.
* Doris Dumlao-Abadilla, “PH Salary for Nurses, Med Techs Lowest in Southeast Asia," INQUIRER.net, September 3,2020, 
https;//new8lrtfo.inquirer.net/1330556/ph-salary-for-nurses-med-techs-lowe&t-in-eouthea&t-asia.


to PHP 13,500.00 a month.5 Registered nurses hired at hospitals commonly receive 
PHP 9,757.00 a month.6
Recently, pursuant Section 32 of the Republic Act No. 9173, otherwise known 
as the "Philippine Nursing Act of 2002", and as held valid by the Supreme Court In Ang 
NARS Party-Hst, et. aL vs. The Executive Secretary^ et aL (G.R. No. 215746), the 
government upgraded the entry-level of Nurse positions in public health institutions 
to SG -15, thereby increasing their basic monthly salaries from PHP 22,316.00 to 
PHP 32,503.00. However, while this law is definitely very beneficial to nurses working 
In the government, this does not include nurses working in the private hospitals.
The nurses working in private hospitals continue to receive meager salaries. 
While they are burdened with long hours of work and constantly exposed to health 
risks, the low salaries they receive do not reasonably and fairly recompense them. It 
is time to show our gratitude to our nurses by making their salaries and benefits not 
only commensurate to the services they provide but also comparable to those of 
government nurses.
I strongly urge a faithful enforcement of the provisions embodied In the 
Constitution that mandate our government to enact measures that will protect and 
enhance the right of all the people to human dignity and reduce economic inequalities. 
With this bill, I seek to provide our government an avenue by which it shall perform 
its constitutional duties. In essence, this bill seeks to give solutions that will address 
the current disparity between the salaries of nurses working in the government and in 
private hospitals, with a view of further protecting the welfare of the nurses, such as:
a. Directing the National Wages Productivity Commission of the Department of 
Labor and Employment to set a minimum wage exclusively for nurses 
employed In private hospitals, taWng into consideration all relevant factors, 
that ensures nurses are reasonably and fairly recompensed for the services 
they provide;
5 Department of Labor and Employment - Bureau of Local Employment, “Nurse", accessed September 15,2020, 
http://ble.dole.gov.ph/index.php/nurse.
8 Ibid.


b. Promoting the inclusivity of all stakeholders, especially those representing 
nurses, by mandating the conduct of a public hearing prior to setting the 
minimum wage to ensure that all affected stakeholders will be heard and 
their inputs taken into consideration; and
c. Penalizing any private hospital or person that will violate the provisions of 
the law.
For these reasons, I recommend the approval of this measure, which is a 
Senate counterpart of House Bill No. 7569 filed by Representatives Paolo Z. Duterte 
(1st District of Davao City), Claudine Diana D. Bautista (DUMPER PTDA Party-list), and 
Eric G. Yap (ACT-QS Party-list).
CYwTHIA A. VILLAR


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No.
uTt!'
20 SEP 21 A10 50
REtti'.;
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
DIRECTING THE NATIONAL WAGES PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM 
WAGE FOR NURSES IN PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Be It enacted by die Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines In 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Minimum Wage for
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Nurses in the Private Sector Act of 2020".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State has a duty to ensure that our nurses,
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who are medical frontliners by the nature of their work, are provided with adequate
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remuneration and benefits in order to compensate them for the dangers they face
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daily. Moreover, the State must ensure that nurses in the private sector are properly
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compensated to encourage talented nurses to stay In the country, rather than look for
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more lucrative work engagement abroad.
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Sec. 3. Directing die National Wages Productivity Commission (NWPC) of the
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Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to set an increased minimum wage for
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nurses in private hospitals. - The Department of Labor and Employment, through
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the National Wages Productivity Commission (NWPC), shall set a minimum wage for
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nurses employed in private hospitals, taking Into consideration the following relevant
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factors:


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(1) 
The cost of living;
(2) 
The wage established for work in the public sector or in other 
jurisdictions by employers who voluntarily maintain reasonable 
standards;
(3) 
The location of the private hospital;
(4) 
The private hospital's bed capacity; and
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Fair return of the employer's capital.
A minimum wage to be established under this Act for nurses In private hospitals 
shall be that which is as adequate as is economically feasible to maintain the minimum 
standard of living necessary for the health, efficiency, effectiveness and general well­
being of nurses in private hospitals, and must also take Into consideration the 
particular circumstances of private nurses' government counterparts. Additionally, 
nurses who are receiving salaries higher than the minimum wage that will be set by 
the NWPC shall be adjusted and Increased accordingly.
Sec. 4. Public hearing requirement before the setting of the minimum wage for 
nurses in private hospitals. - Prior to the setting of the minimum wage, a report to 
the Secretary of Labor and the NWPC shall first be submitted on the recommended 
minimum wage for nurses in the private sector. Thereafter, notice of the report shall 
be given to Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Nursing Association, the 
Philippine Board of Nursing, as well as other stakeholders including, but not limited to, 
the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, and a public hearing shall be 
conducted thereon within fifteen (15) days from submission of the report. Notice of 
any hearing provided for In this section shall be given by publication in such 
newspapers of general circulation and by such other means as the Secretary of Labor 
deems reasonably necessary to give general notice to stakeholders/interested parties. 
The rules of procedure that shall govern the conduct of the public hearings to be held 
for this purpose shall be determined by the Secretary of Labor.
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Sec. 5. Issuance of the Wage Order by the NWPC. - Within ten (10) days
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after the public hearing, the NWPC shall release an order containing the approved


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minimum wage based on the result of the public hearing. No such order shall take
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effect until fifteen (15) days from its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
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Sec. 6. Benefits. - Nurses working In private hospitals shall be entitled to all 
the benefits provided under the Labor Code, Magna Cana of Public Health Workers or 
Republic Act No. 7305, and other relevant laws, government announcements, rules, 
or regulations. Including, but not limited to, overtime pay, night-shift differential, on- 
call pay, hazard pay, subsistence allowance, housing allowance, free annual physical 
examination, and free hospitalization.
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Sec. 7. Penalties. - Any private hospital who violates the provisions of this
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Act shall pay a fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 100,000.00)
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and not more than One Million Pesos (PhP 1,000,000.00) for each violation.
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Any nurse who is a victim of a violation of this Act shall be entitled to back
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wages and full payment of unpaid benefits, as well as to the refund of attorney’s fees
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that may have been incurred in enforcing the concerned nurse's claim under this Act.
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Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall
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remain In force and effect.
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation inconsistent with
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the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 10. Effectivity Cause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
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following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general
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circulation.
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Approved,