The outgoing President of the Republic of the Philippines, Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III vetoed one of the highly anticipated law by the country’s Nurses, a law that seeks to improve the Nursing profession, including the salary increase for Nurses to almost P25,000.00. Pres. Aquino rejected the proposed law despite the fact that his term as president nearly ends.
According to Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. the President has rejected the enrolled consolidated House Bill No. 6411 and Senate Bill No. 2720 entitled “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Nursing Law Towards Quality Health Care System, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
The veto message of Pres. Aquino has been transmitted to both House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon. Pres. Aquino noted in his veto message that the minimum base pay for entry-level nurses has already been increased through Executive Order No. 201, series of 2016, which raised their total guaranteed annual compensation from P228,924.00 to P344,074.00.
Pres. PNoy explained that while they recognize the objective of the bill to promote the well-being of the country’s nurses, they cannot support the bill in its present form because of its dire financial consequences. In granting the said increase to nurses, they could be above their other similarly situated counterparts, such as optometrics and dentists.
Pres. Aquino was quoted as saying “To grant the proposed increase will not only undermine the existing salary structure of medical and health care practitioners, but will also cause wage distortion not only among health professionals but also among other professionals in government,” Aquino said.
The outgoing President who will end his term on June 30, also pointed out that the proposed law would also affect the financial viability of private hospitals and non-government health institutions, and could cause “unintended repercussions, such as possible downsizing of hospital personnel and consequent increase in health care costs.”
