Pay hike for nurses sought

MANILA, Philippines - A party-list group has sought relief from the Supreme Court (SC) in a bid to increase the salary of government nurses.

Ang Nars party-list Rep. Leah Primitiva Samaco Paquiz asked the high court to compel the government to enforce a provision of Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, which requires that nurses in government health institutions should receive salary grade 15, equivalent to P25,000 a month.

Paquiz urged the SC to declare unconstitutional Section 6 of Executive Order No. 811, which set the entry level of nurses at salary grade 11. 

She said government nurses are entitled to salary grade 15 in accordance with the law.

She added that it is the ministerial duty of the government to implement the law notwithstanding the existence of EO 811 issued by the previous administration.

Paquiz said the Department of Budget and Management has acknowledged RA 9173 but opted not to implement it because it would distort the hierarchical relationships of medical and allied positions in the bureaucracy and would require additional funding for the government.

The group was joined by the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation headed by Annie Geron in filing the petition.

Named respondents were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and the Department of Health.