Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia supports RP nurses’ Indignation Rally

June 3, 2009

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer +63 9209056113, merci@hcwh.org


Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia supports RP nurses’ Indignation Rally

Manila- In a bid to protest the Salary Standardization Law which covers the nurses’ salary, environmental health group Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia, together with the Alliance of Health Workers, Community Health Workers and some 200 nurses, today joins the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) Indignation Rally in front of the Department of Health. They are calling on the President to veto the law.

“Everyday, nurses are tasked with the noble duty of taking care of the sick—ensuring patients’ comfort, facilitating their fast recovery and making sure that all patients are well taken cared of. The least the government can do is to provide the compensation they rightfully deserve,” said Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of the group.

In June 1, the Bicameral Conference approved the Salary Standardization Law which pegged the salary of nurses to Salary Grade (SG) 11 instead of Salary Grade 15 as mandated in the Nursing Law (Republic Act 9173).

At present, nurses’ entry level is SG 10 which is P12,026 (US$255). SG 11 is equivalent to P18,549 (US$394). Based on the Salary Standardization Law, the increase will be implemented over a four-year period starting July 1, 2009 which means the P6523 (US$138) increase will be spread over 4 years or a mere P1,630.75 (US$34) monthly increase per year.

“Nurses will hardly feel this increase and this is far from the Nursing Law which mandates SG 15 or P24,878 (US$528),” said Ferrer.

After tax deductions, SG 15 earners bring home only a meager P12,546 (US$266).

“As it is, SG 15 is already too small for nurses whose health is always at risk due to constant exposure to hazardous chemicals within the hospital premises,” Ferrer pointed out.

Workload is another issue. Ideally, a nurse to patient ratio is 1:15 based on Department of Health (DoH). However, current ratio is 1:40 to 80 or sometimes even 1:150 according to PNA.

“We want our nurses to serve in the country instead of choosing greener pastures abroad,” Ferrer pointed out. “Thus, we are enjoining our government to provide them a comfortable workplace with reasonable salary equivalent to the work that they do.”

Ironically, on International Nurses Day last month, 92 nurses flew to Japan as part of the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) where Japan opened its doors to 400 Filipino nurses. Filipino nurses in Japan will receive a salary of around P76,000 (US$1,600) upon completion of a myriad requirements, one of which is to learn the language and pass the national board exam given in Japanese language.

“The nursing profession is a noble one. Let us give them reasons to stay in the country.” (30)

HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.