From Overworked to Better Paid? Tulfo Seeks Higher Salary Grade for Nurses
NURSES – Filipino nurses may soon see long-awaited relief as a new Senate bill aims to significantly raise their minimum salary and address the ongoing shortage in public hospitals.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo has filed a measure seeking to raise the minimum salary grade of nurses working in public health institutions, as lawmakers intensify efforts to address chronic understaffing and low pay in the country’s health care system.
Filed on Dec. 15, 2025, Senate Bill No. 1612 aims to amend Section 32 of the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002. The proposed amendment would require a higher minimum base salary for nurses employed in government hospitals and other state-run health facilities, bringing their compensation more in line with existing pay standards for public sector workers.
Photo Source: DW
“Our country continues to face a growing shortage of nurses, driven largely by low salaries and the lack of competitive opportunities in the local health care system. Improving their compensation is necessary to retain skilled nurses, strengthen health care services and ensure that quality care remains accessible to all Filipinos,”
the bill read.
Under the proposed measure, the minimum salary level for nurses in public institutions would be aligned with the Salary Standardization Law. Tulfo noted in the bill’s explanatory note that despite their crucial role, nurses often endure heavy workloads and difficult working conditions in hospitals, rural health units, and during disaster response operations.
He also highlighted alarming nurse-to-patient ratios, which in some hospitals reportedly reach as high as 1:40. According to Tulfo, this situation is partly caused by inadequate compensation and limited career opportunities locally, prompting many Filipino nurses to seek employment overseas where pay and working conditions are more attractive.
To address these concerns, the bill proposes increasing the entry-level salary grade for nurses from salary grade 15 to salary grade 19. Tulfo said the proposed adjustment is intended to help retain skilled nurses, reinforce the public health care system, and ensure that patients continue to receive quality and timely care.
📷: Journal Online
The measure further states that funding for the proposed salary upgrade will initially be charged against the Department of Health’s current appropriations. In succeeding years, the necessary funds will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act to ensure sustainability.
The bill also directs the Department of Health, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, to formulate and issue the appropriate implementing rules and regulations to carry out the proposed changes.
The proposal is currently awaiting committee deliberation in the Senate.
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