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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House bill bumps up nurses' entry-level pay to P50,000 monthly

House bill bumps up nurses' entry-level pay to P50,000 monthly

Published Jun 10, 2026 11:53 pm

At A Glance

  • Militant lawmakers filed HB No. 9841, the Comprehensive Nursing Law of 2026, to mandate a P50,000 entry‑level salary for nurses and repeal the outdated Philippine Nursing Act of 2002.
  • The measure prohibits contractualization, guarantees benefits, and enforces safe nurse‑to‑patient ratios such as 1:6 in general wards and 1:1 in ICUs to protect both workers and patients.
  • Rep. Antonio Tinio stresses the urgency of passage, citing poverty‑level wages, mass migration of nurses abroad, and unsafe working conditions as a worsening national health crisis.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
(MANILA BULLETIN)


A measure filed in the House of Representatives by militant lawmakers seeks to to institutionalize a P50,000 entry-level salary for nurses.
Lodged by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, House Bill (HB) No. 9841 or the proposed Comprehensive Nursing Law of 2026 seeks to overhaul the nation's nursing sector by addressing what they described as systemic exploitation.
Aside from mandating a P50,000 entry-level salary for nurses, it aims to ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios to protect both healthcare workers and the public.
"The current system is built on the exploitation of our nurses. We export some of the world's best healthcare professionals while our own hospitals are severely understaffed and our communities lack basic care," Tinio said in justifying HB No. 9841.
"This bill is a decisive step towards correcting this injustice and building a health system that truly serves the Filipino people," he added.
The proposed law seeks to repeal Republic Act (RA) No. 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002. It directly addresses the core issues driving the nursing crisis: poverty-level wages, precarious employment, and dangerous working conditions.
"There is no place for contractualization and job insecurity in our hospitals. This bill mandates direct hiring and security of tenure for all nurses, in both the public and private sectors," Tinio explained, as he emphasized the bill's prohibition on all forms of contractualization in healthcare.
A cornerstone of the bill is the substantial increase in nurses' compensation. It mandates a minimum entry-level salary of P50,000 (Salary Grade 15) for nurses in the public sector, with a corresponding increase required in the private sector.
The current entry-level salary for public nurses in the Philippines as of 2026 is about P40,208 per month.
The measure also guarantees all legally mandated benefits, including overtime and hazard pay.
Safe ratios pushed
Perhaps most critically for patient safety, the bill establishes enforceable safe nurse-to-patient ratios, such as 1:6 for stable patients in general wards and 1:1 for intensive care units (ICU). This will end the current practice where a single nurse may be forced to care for 40 to 60 patients.
Tinio highlighted the grim statistics that underscored the need for the law: over 316,000 Filipino nurses have migrated abroad, while at least 124,999 are unemployed, underemployed, or have left the profession.
Of those employed locally, 106,694 work in private hospitals often for minimum wage.
"It is unjust that the nurses who cared for us during the pandemic continue to be paid wages that cannot sustain a family. It is time to recognize their sacrifice and provide true justice," asserted the Makabayan bloc member.
The Comprehensive Nursing Law also includes provisions for a strengthened Board of Nursing, improved nursing education focused on local needs, and mechanisms for career progression and professional development.
Tinio called for the urgent passage of the bill, noting it had been previously filed in four successive Congresses.
"The crisis has worsened with each passing year. We cannot afford further delay. The health of our nation depends on the well-being of our nurses," he concluded..

Related Tags

Makabayan bloc NURSES Antonio Tinio Renee Co Sarah Elago
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