Bill to hike wages of new nurses to P60,000

A lawmaker has sought to double the monthly salary of entry-level nurses to P60,901 to discourage them from leaving the country. Under House Bill No. 7933, Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor wants the starting paygrade of all government nurses raised from Salary Grade 15 to Salary Grade 21. “Unless we assure our nurses a higher standard of living here at home, we are guaranteed to lose a larger number of them in the years ahead,” Defensor said. Around 19,000 nurses leave every year to work abroad. —Nestor Corrales