Schate TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE @flite of lie Beerttamp REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 25 AUG 19 P4:43 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S.B. No. 1219 Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri AN ACT UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF NURSES FROM SALARY GRADE 15 TO 19, AMENDING SEC. 32 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9173, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE PHILIPPINE NURSING ACT OF 2002" EXPLANATORY NOTE Article II Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares it the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people. Article XIII Section 12 further mandates the State to establish and maintain an effective health human resource system that is responsive to national needs and priorities. Nurses serve as the backbone of the Philippine healthcare system. They are indispensable to the successful implementation of Universal Health Care and play a vital role in ensuring the accessibility and quality of health services. Throughout the COVID- 19 pandemic, nurses displayed extraordinary courage and commitment as they endured long hours, difficult conditions, and significant personal risk in service of public health. Despite their essential role, the socio-economic conditions of Filipino nurses remain unsatisfactory. A recent study by regional data aggregator iPrice indicates that experienced registered nurses in the Philippines earn an average of only forty thousand three hundred eighty-one pesos per month. This figure is significantly lower than the salaries of their counterparts in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese nurses reportedly earn around sixty-three thousand two hundred pesos monthly, while Singaporean nurses earn as much as two hundred seventy-four thousand eight hundred pesos per month. This disparity highlights the undervaluation of Filipino nurses and contributes to the persistent outmigration of skilled health professionals. The World Health Organization has projected a shortage of one hundred twenty-seven thousand nurses in the Philippines. This figure is expected to rise to two hundred fifty thousand by the year two thousand thirty if systemic issues such as poor compensation are not addressed. The continuing shortage threatens the delivery of quality health services and undermines the long-term sustainability of the country's health system. This proposed measure seeks to raise the minimum salary grade of nurses in public hospitals from Salary Grade fifteen to Salary Grade nineteen. This policy intervention intends to provide a more just and competitive compensation framework, improve the retention of skilled nurses, and strengthen the country's healthcare capacity.
sought. oughtn view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnesty QUAN MIGUEL "MIGZ" F. ZUBIRT
Senate TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE Pifier of the cecretary REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES } First Regular Session 25 AUG 19 P4:43 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S.B. No. 1219 Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri AN ACT UPGRADING THE MINIMUM SALARY GRADE LEVEL OF NURSES FROM SALARY GRADE 15 TO 19, AMENDING SEC. 32 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9173, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE PHILIPPINE NURSING ACT OF 2002" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 9173 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "SEC. 32. Salary. - In order to enhance the general welfare, commitment to service and professionalism of nurses, the minimum base pay of nurses working in the public health institutions shall not be lower than [salary grade 15] SALARY GRADE NINETEEN (19) prescribed under Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the "Compensation and Classification Act of 1989": Provided, That for nurses working in local government units, adjustments to their salaries shall be in accordance with Section 10 of the said law."
Sec. 2. Appropriations. -The amounts necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the current year available appropriations of the Department of Health (DOH). Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous implementation shall be included in the annual general appropriations
Sec. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH and the Department of
Budget Management (DBM) shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 4. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of laws, orders, decrees, including rules
and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.
Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect
Sec. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
21 in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,