Bill 8138 filed for salary grade hike of health professionals

Baguio City, Philippines – After the salary grade of nurses was upgraded per Department of Budget and Management circular 2020-4 released on July 17, Baguio City Congressman Mark Go is now pushing for the salary grade hike for other health professionals.

Go has filed House Bill 8138 which aims to promote the salary grade of entry level positions in certain health profession such as dentists, medical technologists, pharmacists, occupational and physical therapists, veterinarians, optometrists, nurition dieticians, psychologists, radiologic technologist, respiratory therapists, midwives, and medical laboratory technicians.

When it becomes a law, salary grade level for entry level dentists would become SG 17, veterinarians to SG 16, medical technologists to SG 16, nutritional dietician to SG 15, occupational therapist to SG 15, pharmacist to SG 15, physical therapist to SG 15, Psychologists to SG15, Radiologic technologist to SG 15, Respiratory therapist to SG 14,midwives to SG 11 and medical laboratory technician to SG 8.

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Congressman Go hopes that its approval will uplift the country’s current medical and health service professionals and will reduce the estimated number of health professionals leaving the country to work abroad for higher compensation and better employment opportunities.

An estimated number of 17,000 to 22,000 health professionals have been reported leaving the country for said reasons.

On June 18, DBM has issued Budget Circular 2020-4 to implement the decision of the Supreme Court with regards to the validity of Section 32 of R. A. 9173 or the “Philippine Nursing Act of 2002” effective January 2020.

With this, the salary grade 11 status of entry level nurses has become salary grade 15 wherein, nurses can now avail an amount of P32,053,000 as monthly salary.

Section 32 states that, “In order to enhance the general welfare, commitment to service and professionalism of nurses the minimum base pay of nurses working in the public health institutions shall not be lower than salary grade 15.

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