Higher pay for nurses proposed

The Anakalusugan party-list group would push for legislation to increase the minimum base pay of state nurses to Salary Grade 15 amid debates over whether a resolution of Congress was sufficient to amend the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 to prevent an increase in nurses’ salaries.

“It will be a disservice to our public nurses if we do not give the compensation due them,” said Anakalusugan nominee Mike Defensor.

Solicitor General Jose Calida, in a case at the Supreme Court, said the government cannot be compelled to increase the salary of public nurses “without any legal basis.”

Calida said Section 32 of the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, which increased the entry-level pay of nurses in public health institutions to Salary Grade 15, has effectively been repealed by a 2009 joint resolution of Congress.

Repeal

Joint Resolution No. 4 repealed all provisions of all laws prescribing salary grades for government officials and employees other than those in the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989.

The resolution effectively set back the minimum base pay of state nurses to Salary Grade 11.

Defensor said Anakalusugan would also work for the passage of a law to standardize the salary and allowances of barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars.