111 ONA nurses to receive atleast P12-K salary raise

Posted on November 03, 2020 by Admin

ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. announced that 111 nurses assigned at the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC) -- 19 permanent, 4 casual, and

88 Contract of Service (COS) status --- will receive a position upgrade with around P12,000 salary raise starting next year.

Mayor Lazatin said that all 19 permanent and 4 casual RLMMC nurses with a present Salary Grade (SG) 11 equivalent to P22,316 will be upgraded to SG 15, with a monthly basic salary of P33,575.

Meanwhile, all 88 COS nurses with SG 10 of P20,000 basic monthly salary will be upgraded to SG 15, amounting to P32,000.

“Ang nasabing hakbang [na ito] ay bilang pagkilala sa binibigay na serbisyo at sakripisyo ng ating mga city health nurses, lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya,” Lazatin said.

City Budget Officer Corazon Ayson furthered that the city government has appropriated a total budget of P43,058,700 for the salary increase of the said 111 nurses -- P9,266,700 for the 19 permanent and 4 casual RLMMC nurses, and P33,792,000 for 88 COS RLMMC nurses.

“Nais ni Mayor Lazatin na maayos na agad ang proseso para sa inisyatibong ito, sa lalong madaling panahon, nang sa gayon ay maibigay agad ang salary increase next year,” Ayson shared.

Ayson explained that although there are 30 permanent nurses employed at RLMMC, only 19 of them needed to have their salaries adjusted since the 11 nurses are already receiving their accorded salaries.

This is in line with the national government’s pay adjustment, following the Department of Budget and Management’s Budget Circular 2020-4, pursuant to Section 32 of Republic Act No. 9173, or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002.

Mayor Lazatin’s Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas shared that the city government is pushing for the said salary increase in recognition of the crucial role they play in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

“Sa ganitong paraan, masuklian man lang natin yung kapaguran nila sa pag-aalaga sa mga Angelenos, sa kabila ng panganib na dala ng virus na ito,” Calaguas said.

Calaguas also shared that the RLMMC headed by Dr. Froilan Canlas, is diligently observing safety and health protocols, particularly the regular swabbing every two weeks of the 42 health workers assigned at the COVID-19 wards.

It can be recalled that in August of this year, the city government has allocated P10M for the immediate release of the Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for city health workers handling COVID-19 patients. The health workers received their SRA last October, amounting to 50% of their monthly salary. They are also afforded free lodging, which allows them to isolate themselves.