Article VII, Section 32 – “Salary. In order to enhance the general welfare, commitment to service and professionalism of nurses, the minimum base pay of nurses working in the public health institutions shall not be lower than salary grade 15…”

The quoted provision above is taken from the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9173). Seven years and counting, overworked registered nurses in public health institutions (a.k.a government hospitals) have yet to see the law implemented by the Department of Health.

In the midst of the global economic crisis and the emerging threat of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, you’d think that Filipino nurses would be hailed like heroes owing to the fact that Nurse OFWs bring in the dollars which keep the economy afloat while also being in the frontlines in the effort to keep the populace safe from the emerging pandemic.

However, the Filipino nurse remains the most exploited and unappreciated professional. Let me count the ways:

1. Newly-licensed nurses are required to pay private and government hospitals huge sums of money so they can work as unpaid volunteers in hospitals under the guise of training. This is exploitation with a capital E! Even clerk trainees in supermarkets get allowances.

2. Nurse-to-patient ratio in government hospitals is grossly disproportionate at 1:50. That’s one underpaid nurse caring for 50 patients. This scenario is inimical to the interests of both the nurse and the patient.

3. A proposal is currently pending in congress requiring nurses to render 2-years of local service before being allowed to seek employment abroad. This proposal is unfair and discriminatory at best.

And as if those listed above aren’t enough, Congress recently passed a law reducing the pay of government nurses from Salary Grade 15 to Salary Grade 11. In plain english, that’s a Php13,000 pay reduction in mandated monthly wage.  Now, that’s adding insult to injury!