PNA hits gov't
failure
to implement Nursing Act
THE Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)
yesterday assailed the government over the continued
non-implementation of the Nursing Act of 2002 (RA 9173) which
should have given those nurses working in government hospitals
higher pay.
PNA president Dr. Leah Samaco-Paquiz said
that under RA 9173, a nurse working in a government hospital
should be getting P16,093 a month in salary but the reality is
many are getting less than P10,000 a month.
"What is taking them so long to implement
this salary (upgrade)? We need to entice these nurses to work in
public health and in government service by this simple request
to provide them what is just and legal," Paquiz said, adding
that the low pay is one reason why Filipino nurses leave for
jobs abroad. "While salary is not the reason why nurses serve,
the high salaries offered by foreign employment becomes more
attractive to them. How do we expect these nurses to remain in
government service with this kind of salary?"
PNA said it will send 1,000 of its members to join Monday's
rallies along Commonwealth Avenue against President Arroyo when
the latter delivers her State of the Nation Address at the
Batasan. - Gerard M. Naval
