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With the events that transpired during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for competent nurses in the Philippines has increased. Given the low salary grade, harsh working environment, and physically demanding work, knowing the Salary Grade of a Nurse in the Philippines is essential before diving into this honorable profession.
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Why is There a Sudden Demand for Nurses in the Philippines?
Many Filipinos have at least undergone the “Should I be a Nurse?” phase. After all, in the Philippines, the nurses’ training is world-class, giving graduates an edge in the global nurse market.
What’s more, Filipinos are known worldwide for having the best nurses. So, the prospect of working as a nurse abroad will always be a plan for many.
Also Read: Full List of Passers — November 2022 Nursing Licensure Exam
The Concerning Waves of Resignation Amids the Pandemic
While they are in high demand, nurses in the Philippines are paid way less than their counterparts abroad. In fact, with nurses risking their lives during the pandemic, it has become more apparent that their meager salaries are not worth their lives. This led to a mass resignation amidst the pandemic, lowering the efficiency of Filipino healthcare. Furthermore, many more nurses themselves don’t want to take the risk for personal reasons.
Average Salary Grade of a Nurse in the Philippines
The minimum salary of Registered Nurses working in government centers in the Philippines is SG 15 or ₱ 35,000 per month (source), with different variations depending on the region. The region with the highest salary grade is the National Capital Region for Private Duty Nurses, with pay of ₱ 36,000 monthly.
For entry-level nurses, their pay ranges from ₱20,000 to ₱25,000 monthly, depending on their region and the hospital they work under.
Though these numbers might be deceiving, a considerable number of nurses are still vastly underpaid, especially those working in the private sector contractually.
Salary Grade Table of 2022
The table below indicates the salary range of nurses who work in the public sector for the year 2022.
| Position | Salary Grade | Amount |
| Nurse I | SG 15 | Php 35, 097 |
| Nurse II | SG 17 | Php 41,608 |
| Nurse III | SG 19 | Php 49,835 |
| Nurse IV | SG 20 | Php 55,799 |
| Nurse V | SG 22 | Php 69,963 |
| Nurse VI | SG 24 | Php 88,410 |
House Bill No. 4599 – Salary Increase for Nurses Act
A new bill has been passed in the Senate to increase the salary of registered nurses. Submitted by the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, they aim to have the minimum salary grade of all nurses up to ₱50.000.
The House of Representatives submitted this bill to entice nurses to stay and serve in the country. If passed, the bill will apply to all nurses in the public and private sectors.
Additionally, the bill also aims to stop the contractual hiring of nurses, which gives an unfair salary as low as ₱8,000 to ₱13,500. These contractual hirings occur in public and private sectors, though more prominent in private hospitals.
Social Benefits of a Nurse
During the 100th-anniversary celebration of the Philippine Nurses Association, President Marcos stated that the government had distributed ₱25.82 billion worth of benefits for the welfare of Filipino nurses.
Additionally, President Marcos said that the present benefits given to nurses include Hazard duty pay, COVID-19 sickness and death compensation, meals, transportation and accommodation allowances, Special Risk allowance, COVID-19 allowance, and life insurance.
Philippine Nursing Practice Act of 2022
Even with the number of nursing graduates in the Philippines annually, numbering 80,000, many of these graduates proceed to work abroad. Furthermore, this disparity in numbers was made more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic when a shortage of health workers was felt.
In addition, high turnover rates were seen at the pandemic’s peak since poor working conditions and low salary rates became apparent. Due to this, many nurses opted to work overseas.
Also read: LGU Salary Grade in the Philippines
Solution to Address the Demand
To revitalize the practice of nursing in the country, Sen. Francis Tolentino has made an effort to propose a new comprehensive nursing law. The proposed Nursing Practice Act of 2022 introduces the Advanced Practice Nurse, which he claimed to be the “prime mover” of the nursing profession relating to the Universal HealthCare Law.
An Advanced Practice Nurse is a nurse who has obtained a higher level of theoretical knowledge and decision-making skills in specialized areas of nursing. Moreover, an APN also needs to demonstrate proficiency in the clinical utilization of such knowledge in providing expanded and coordinated expert care.
The skills above need to be recognized by a higher educational institution in addition to being a registered nurse. Another goal is to give the nurse the ability to teleconsult. The APN and Physician in charge can agree that the nurse can act on behalf of the Physician in cases of emergency. Examples of such are the Physician’s absence or lack of ability to assess patients.
Closing Thoughts
The practice of nursing is challenging physically and mentally. However, those with clear professional goals can persevere and endure hardships. Additionally, the Philippine nursing curriculum emphasizes patient care and mastery of basic nursing skills, qualities that are valued overseas. These positions deserve attention in their home country. – WhatALife!/Vaughn
Sources: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)
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