Nurses’ group happy as SC upholds validity of law on higher minimum pay

The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) upholding the validity of an unfulfilled 2002 law that sets the minimum pay for government nurses at Salary Grade 15.

FNU president Maristela Abenojar said Republic Act No. 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 has not been implemented yet because it was not funded.

“Noong pa pong 2002, nagkaroon tayo ng batas na Republic Act 9173, ngunit hindi po ito nabigyan ng budget at that time kaya hanggang ngayon po ay hindi pa rin po ito napapatupad,” she said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV aired on GMA News TV.

“Ito pong nakaraan nagpalabas na po ang Supreme Court ng approval na dapat po ipatupad na ang Salary Grade 15 para sa mga nurses. Kami ay natuwa sa balitang ‘yan,” she added.

On Wednesday, the SC ruled in favor of government nurses by declaring Section 32 of the law, a provision that sets the minimum pay of nurses at Salary Grade 15 or at least P30,000, as valid. 

However, the SC noted that implementing this clause would require a law providing funds for it.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday called for its funding and estimated that it will require P1 billion to cover 7,193 Nurse 1 positions in government. 

Abenojar said the Senate is eyeing to get the fund from the P63-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, the P6-billion fund of the postponed 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and the P100-billion unutilized revenue of the Sin Tax law.

The minimum pay at Salary Grade 15 for government nurses should also be the entry salary of all nurses, Abenojar said.

“Kapag na-resolve ang problema na ito na sahod na nakabubuhay para ating mga nurses, makakatiyak po tayo na mas marami pa pong Pilipino ang aming mapaglilingkuran at maililigtas ang buhay,” she added.

According to Abenojar, the current minimum salary of a Nurse 1 is around P20,000 only.

Senator Cynthia Villar on Sunday backed the increase in the salary of nurses working in government health institutions, saying it is only through higher compensation that students will be encouraged to pursue the profession. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News