A health worker takes a break in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Alliance of Health Workers)
MANILA, Philippines — The government may not have enough available funds to cover the back pay of thousands of government nurses affected by a controversial budget circular, Malacañang said Tuesday.
But presidential spokesperson Harry Roque allayed nurses’ worry and said their back pay may be included in the proposed budget for 2022.
“Doon po sa back wages ‘no, kaya nga po humihingi ng guidance kasi mukhang wala pong sapat na funding for that for now,” he said in a press briefing.
(Regarding the back wages, we are asking for guidance because it looks like we don’t have sufficient funding for that now.)
“But huwag naman tayong mag-alala kung ang guidance ng ES [Executive Secretary] ay magbibigay ng back pay eh pupuwede naman po iyang isama sa 2022 budget ‘no,” he added.
(But don’t worry because if the guidance of the Executive Secretary is to give back pay, we can include that in the 2022 budget.)
Roque likewise assured that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is also looking for sources of funds to cover the prospective pay increase for nurses.
“Now iyong prospective naman po, hahanapan po ng DBM item sa DOH [Department of Health] budget kung saan kukunin ‘no iyong halaga na kinakailangan para doon sa increase ‘no. At kampante naman po si Secretary Wendel [Avisado] na makakahanap tayo ng pondo sa existing budget ng DOH,” Roque said.
(Now on the prospective pay [increase], the DBM will look for an item within the DOH budget where the amount will be sourced. Secretary Wendel is confident we can find funds in the existing budget of the DOH.)
Last year, the DBM issued a circular raising the salaries of entry-level nurses but at the same time demoted senior nurses and put a freeze on increases in their pay.
A group of nurses at the Philippine General Hospital has sought the release of salaries worth at least P43 million that some 823 nurses were supposed to receive in 18 months but did not.
READ: Fight not over as nurses claim P43 million in back pay