Gov't doctors, nurses to get pay hike once 2009 budget bill OK'd

MANILA, Philippines – The government has allocated P20 billion to cover salary increases of all state workers, especially nurses and doctors, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said yesterday.

Funds for such purpose have not been included in the budget of line agencies like the Department of Health (DOH) because this was contained in the separate Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF), Andaya said, clarifying reports that government has not set aside a budget for nurses’ pay increases.

“In the case of the pay hike for DOH employees, the amount needed is not included in the agency’s proposed budget for 2009, but in the MPBF,” he explained.

“The confusion may have been triggered by the failure of some to appreciate the fact that funding provisions for the increases are not embedded in the budget of each of the agencies, but are set aside in a separate fund,” he said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo earlier lamented that government nurses had been left out, noting the “government’s refusal to upgrade their salaries and open new nurse plantilla positions which actually contribute to the sorry state of the nation’s health care system.”

The party-list congressman’s statement stemmed from the admission of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that funds have not been provided for such purpose, while the House appropriations committee was deliberating on the DOH’s P28.7-billion budget for 2009.

Andaya explained that the P20-billion allocation will finance the “first installment of a four-year plan to raise public sector pay,” pursuant to the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) III pending in Congress.

“Once the new pay template is approved, doctors and nurses will be getting salary hikes of between 34 percent and 69 percent, although on a staggered basis,” the Department of Budget and Management chief said.

Under the new pay template, the Salary Grade of a Medical Specialist IV will be raised from 24 to 25, and his monthly basic salary from the present P25,196 to P32,641 in July 2009, or by 29.5 percent, and to P54,975 in 2012, or a total hike of 68.4 percent.

“A Nurse III, on the other hand, will climb two rungs up from Salary Grade 16 to SG 18, and his monthly basic salary from the present P17,059 to P20,799 in July 2009, and further to P32,018 in 2012,” Andaya said.

“When the last of the four annual equal installments of the SSL III pay hike is completed in 2012, a Nurse III would have received a 54 percent hike in pay,” he added.