Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo on Sunday said at least 20,948 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates from the Philippines have taken their first United States of America’s licensure test from January to September in a bid to obtain gainful employment there.
The lawmaker, vice chairperson of the House committee on higher and technical education, has championed the welfare of Filipino nurses, and is the proponent of House Bill No. 5276 to raise by 74 percent or to P67,005 (Salary Grade 21), the basic monthly pay of entry-level nurses in government hospitals.
The current entry-level nurses at a Department of Health hospital receive P38,413 (Salary Grade 15) in basic monthly pay.
Senator Raffy Tulfo pushed for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2694 to increase by 40 percent, or to P53,873 (Salary Grade 19) for an entry-level nurse in any public health institution. Both bills seek to amend the 22-year-old Philippine Nursing Act. Rio N. Araja
“We maintain that higher pay is still the most effective way for us to improve job satisfaction and retain some of our nurses here in the local health sector,” Rillo’s statement read. The country is currently reeling from a growing shortage of nurses, largely due to sustained overseas migration with a dearth of 127,000 nurses, a number that is expected to increase to 250,000 by 2030, according to the World Health Organization.
