Senator Bong Revilla reiterated the need to implement R.A. 9173 or the “Philippine Nursing Act of 2002” which pegs the base pay of nurses in the public sector at Salary Grade 15 as he questioned its exclusion in the 2020 national budget despite the Supreme Court’s ruling.
In Revilla’s interpellation during the Senate’s hearing of the Department of Health budget, the veteran legislator emphasized that the implementation of the mandated base pay for government nurses will convince them to pursue a career in the country rather than going abroad by making their salaries competitive.
“More than 19,000 nurses leave the country every year.”
According to a data released by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), more than 19,000 nurses leave the country every year to pursue a career abroad, particularly in countries like United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand where they earn 10 times more.
Under R.A. 9173, the minimum base pay of entry-level public nurses is P30,531 (SG 15), a difference of P9,777 from their current take home pay of P20,754 (SG 11). On the other hand, Nurse II will be SG 16 (P 33,584).
“Dapat sundin natin at dapat po maisama natin ito sa budget dahil Korte Suprema na mismo ang nag-utos nito,” the seasoned lawmaker said.