Senator Erwin Tulfo has filed Senate Bill (SB) 1612 seeking to significantly increase the minimum salary grade of nurses in the public sector, citing chronic understaffing, low compensation, and the continuing exodus of Filipino nurses to work abroad. Filed on December 15, the measure aims to amend Section 32 of Republic Act 9173, or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, by upgrading the entry-level salary grade of nurses from Salary Grade (SG) 15 to SG 19. The adjustment is intended to better reflect the critical role nurses play in the country’s healthcare system and to help retain skilled professionals in local hospitals and health facilities. “Nurses in the Philippines are heroes—compassionate, steadfast, hardworking, and selfless,” Tulfo said in the bill’s explanatory note. “Yet their compensation remains insufficient and does not match the level of responsibility, risk, and service they provide to the public.” Many government hospitals and rural health units (RHUs) are facing severe manpower shortages. In some facilities, nurse-to-patient ratios reportedly reach as high as 1:40, far exceeding recommended international standards. Health experts have long warned that such conditions compromise patient safety and contribute to burnout among healthcare workers. The bill notes that low salaries and limited career growth opportunities have pushed many Filipino nurses to seek employment overseas, worsening the shortage of healthcare workers in the country. The situation is particularly dire in rural and geographically isolated areas, where access to healthcare services already remains limited. By increasing the minimum salary grade, SB 1612 seeks to make local nursing positions more competitive, improve morale, and encourage nurses to remain in government service. Tulfo emphasized that better compensation is not only a labor issue but a public health necessity. If enacted, the measure is expected to benefit nurses employed in government hospitals, state universities and colleges, local government-run health facilities, and other public health institutions. Supporters of the bill argue that the proposed salary upgrade would be a long-overdue investment in the country’s healthcare workforce, especially in the wake of lessons learned from recent public health emergencies.