Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS.
Second Regular Session

5568

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Rep. TEDDY A. CASINO:

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to upgrade the minimum salary grade level of public doctors to encourage
more medical professionals to work in government hospitals instead of going abroad.

According to the Intetnational Labor Organization, health professionals leave the country
because of “colonial mentality, economic needs, career development and better standard of
living abroad.” The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) said that the most common reasons
for doctor migration are low salaries and inhumane working conditions.

‘The Philippines is said to be the umber one exporter of aurses and the number two
exporter of doctors in the world. Yet, 7 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a health
professional

According to AHW, in Quirino Province district hospitals, ewo 24-hour shift doctors serve
alternately. ‘They also reported that in August last year, the Aglipay District Hospital
administration sent home all inpatients because their cwo doctors were on leave.

Data from IBON Foundation showed that in 2007, there were only seven (7) government
doctors for every 200,000 Filipinos, way below the World Health Organization standard
ratio of 1 doctor to 5,000 patients.

According to AHW, “resident doctors in government hospitals (salary grade 18) eam
P26,259/month, while doctors in the private sector get P20,135/month.” The group savs
resident doctors average more than 110 hours a week, more than the mandated hours of
work per week under the I abot Code while Municipal Health Officers are on call 24 hours a
day. They are not given overtime pay and on-call pay. This does not even take into accovot
the situation of contractual resident doctors in government hospitals.



The poor situation of doctors in the country does not only push doctors to leave for abroad

(with some even studying nursing), it also discourages students from pursuing a career in
medicine

Because of this, health groups suggest an increase in the pay of government doctors.
According to them, a minimum of P50,000 per month will be sufficient, though still far from,
the salaries abroad. The nearest approximation in the Salary Standardization Law 3 is Salary
Grade 24 equivalent to P49,750/month (SSL3 full implementation).

Increasing the salaries of doctors is one important step that may help mitigate the
‘outmigration of doctors and ensure quality healthcare for our people.

Io this light, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
Approwd,

TEDDY A. CASINO
Bayan Muna Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 556 8

Introduced by Rep. TEDDY A. CASINO

AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE OF GOVERNMENT
DOCTORS FROM SALARY GRADE 16 TO 24

Beit enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in Congres assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as “The Government Docto” Salary
Upgtading Act of 2011.”

SECTION 2. Dectaration of Policy. It is the Government's concern and responsibility to
Provide adequate remuneration for public hospital doctors to attract and retain its rightful
share of talents with che end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing essential health
services to all Filipinos,

SECTION 3. Raising of the Minimum Salary Grade Level The present minimum salary
grade of government doctors (Medical Officer D shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 16 to
Salary Grade 24. Salary grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted
accordingly.

SECTION 4. Coverage. ‘this Act shall cover all resident doctors in public hospitals
whether nationally or locally funded.

SECTION 5. Rules and Regulations. The Depanment of Health and the Department of
Budget and Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations of the
Provisions of this Act.

SECTION 6. Appropriation. The Government shall appropriate such amount as may be
Recessary to catty out the objectives of this Act Initial funds required for the
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive Branch of the
goverament and other possible sources that may be determined by the Office of the
Presideot. The subsequent funds nceded shall be included in the General Appropziations Act
for the year following the implementation of this Act.


SECTION 7. Constitutionality. Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or
sucoastitutional, the validity or constitutionality of the other provisions shall not be affected
thereby.

SECTION 8, Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, leters of instructions, zesolutions,
orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are
hereby cepealed, amended, or modified accardingty.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Act shall cake effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
two (2) newspapers of gencral circulation.

Apprond,