Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 23) — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Friday said he intends to deal with nurses’ demand for better pay – particularly those employed in private facilities – after the thousands of nurse vacancies in government hospitals are filled.
Herbosa told reporters that he believes the call for higher salaries largely comes from private nurses whom he said are generally paid less than their counterparts in the government.
“Yung mababa ang pay, I think sa private (hospitals) yun [On the low pay, I think that’s in private hospitals],” the health chief said. “That’s another issue that I will tackle after the shortage, because the salary grade for government is I think acceptable.”
In 2020, the Department of Budget and Management upgraded the pay of entry-level nurses in public hospitals from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15, which is around ₱32,000.
The Alliance of Health Workers said it is demanding a ₱33,000 entry-level salary for all public and private health workers in the country, as it cited the rising prices of basic commodities. Health workers’ groups have long attributed the exodus of Filipino nurses to low wages in the country.
“Sabi nila through legislation, the people who are pushing for higher pay, na i-legislate niyo nalang ‘yan na bawal mag-sweldo nang mababa sa nurse. Kasi they’re thinking ‘yun ang cause na umaalis ‘yung nurses,” Herbosa said.
“My thinking is umaalis ‘yung nurses kasi there’s a need outside. Meron din silang vacant positions abroad…So, if you’re asked to be hired for a job, syempre you’ll go to the highest bidder…If you have options to go to the US or to the Middle East, kukunin ng nurses natin ‘yun. So, ninanakaw talaga ‘yung ating Filipino nurses,” he added.
[Translation: The people pushing for higher pay said there should be a law passed prohibiting low salaries for nurses. They’re thinking that’s the reason nurses leave. My thinking is that nurses leave because there’s a need outside. There are also vacant positions abroad. So, if you’re asked to be hired for a job, of course you’ll go to the highest bidder. If our nurses have the option to go to the US or the Middle East, they’ll take it. So, other countries are really robbing us of our Filipino nurses.]
Herbosa earlier said there are around 4,500 available positions for nurses in government hospitals in the country. As a temporary solution, he has proposed hiring nursing graduates who scored at least 70% in their board exam, but the Professional Regulation Commission said it cannot issue a temporary license or permit to those who have not passed their board exam.
READ: Herbosa: DOH working with PRC to address nurse shortage
