Nurses seek higher wages

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of nurses belonging to the newly formed Justice for Nurses Coalition (JNC) yesterday marched to Mendiola to demand better compensation and working conditions.

Jossel Ebesate, head of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), said nurses in the country have long been neglected despite their significant role in keeping Filipinos safe and healthy, especially now that the country is facing threat from the deadly Ebola virus.

“We are overworked but under compensated. It’s about time the government look at us to see how we try to survive with the salary that we are getting despite the huge demands of our work,” he said.

The protesters assembled at the University of Santo Tomas before marching to Mendiola.

“Our call for salary increase for public and private nurses is not a selfish act. To have quality health care, health workers must also have quality and dignified working conditions. This is also for the welfare of the Filipino people,” the marchers said in a statement.

AHW is part of the JNC formed to advance the welfare of Filipino nurses. The other members of the coalition are Nurses for Change Movement, Nars ng Bayan and We-Nurse Inc.

The coalition is demanding the implementation of Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 which mandates that the entry salary of nurses shall be P25,000.

 – Sheila Crisostomo, Mayen Jaymalin