Baguio City Rep. Mark Go has filed a bill on December 4 that aims to raise the minimum salary grade for medical and health service professionals.
Once passed, House Bill 8138 will promote the salary grade of entry-level positions in certain health professions. These include dentists, medical technologists, pharmacists, occupational and physical therapists, veterinarians, optometrists, nutritionist-dieticians, psychologists, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, midwives, and medical laboratory technicians.
Go said the bill seeks to promote the salary grade of other medical and health professionals in accordance to their respective qualification standards, and to address the wage distortion in light of the Department of Budget and Management’s circular that raised nurses’ salary grade to grade 15.
Go said that while the salary upgrade of nurses is a welcome development, this has also created a wide disparity in compensation between nurses and other medical and health service professionals in the public sector, considering that these professions may require similar or higher qualifications.
Go cited an estimate of 17,000 to 22,000 health professionals that leave the Philippines annually to work abroad due to higher income and better employment opportunities. He also mentioned a study that revealed that nurses and medical technologists are paid the lowest among six ASEAN member countries.
Go said public health is ensured when multiple disciplines come together to practice their distinct professional expertise. He added that he hopes the salary upgrade will uplift the country’s current medical and health service professionals and encourage them to serve the public. – Press release
