MANILA, Philippines -- Progressive solons are pushing the passage of a bill seeking to increase the salary of government nurses to encourage them to continuously serve the country, particularly in poor rural areas.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Kabataan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Anakpawis party-list groups pushed for the passage of House Bill 5230, which seeks to raise the minimum salary grade level of nurses in public hospitals and other related institutions from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.
Under HB 5230, the salary of government nurses will be increased from P15,649 to P24,887, which is equivalent to Salary Grade 15 based on the Nursing Act of 2002 or Republic Act 9173.
ACT party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, author of HB 5230, said the bill has yet to be taken up for deliberation by the House Committee on Appropriations, headed by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya.
“There is definitely an urgent need to pass the bill. Nurses' salaries must be increased substantially to provide an incentive to stay and lessen the outflow of our nurses to other countries," he said.
Gabriela party-list Reps. Luz Ilagan and Emmie de Jesus also pressed on the need for the immediate passage of HB 5230.
“The bill has been referred to the appropriate committee. But as of now, it has not been taken up. It is dismaying because this has been the struggle of nurses,” Ilagan said.
Another author of the pro-nurses measure, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño said HB 5230 "will rectify the gross neglect of these public servants and encourage them to work in the country instead of going abroad.”
He lamented that instead of easing the plight of public nurses all over the country, the government further aggravated the situation by not allocating enough funds for the implementation of R.A. 9173.
“It was proven to be an empty promise, with the government failing to allocate funds for the law’s implementation,” he said even as he urged the government to start addressing the shortage of working nurses.
To be known as “Government Nurses’ Salary Upgrading Act of 2011,” HB 5230 provides adequate remuneration for government nurses to enhance general welfare as part of the government’s mandate to make available essential health services to all Filipinos.
Among the authors of the bill are party-list Reps.Neri Javier Colmenares (Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis),and Raymond Palatino (Kabataan).
Source Manila Bulletin
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