Gov’t nurses in Cebu to get pay hike

CEBU CITY—Nurses working in hospitals operated by the Cebu provincial government have something to smile about.

The provincial board approved on Friday an ordinance that will increase the salaries of nurses by at least P10,000 a month in the province’s 12 district hospitals, four provincial hospitals, the Cebu Provincial Health Office, and the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Morale booster

Provincial board member Glenn Anthony Soco, head of the budget and appropriations committee and author of the ordinance, said there was a need to boost the morale of nurses who risked their lives to save others.

Provincial budget officer Emme Gingoyon clarified that the pay hike does not cover outsourced nurses.

Based on the ordinance, those with Nurse I positions will receive a monthly pay of P32,053 from their current salary of P22,316.

Nurse II positions will also get an increase from P35,097 to P41,508 a month. Nurse III will earn P49,835 a month while Nurse IV will receive P55,799.

Eligible

Provincial Health Officer Chrisitina Giango said there are 176 occupied Nurse I positions in the province. But only 58 are employed by the province and eligible for the wage increase, while 118 are outsourced from LSERV Corp.

Giango said they had no exact number of the nurses holding higher positions as they were still modifying the plantilla positions for these levels.