Group hits contractualization of nurses; press monthly pay

BAGUIO CITY  – A coalition that calls for the stoppage of contractualization of nurses and the upgrading of nurses' monthly payto at least P25,000 upon entry, will lead this year's Nurse's Week commemoration here.

Recently formed, the Justice for Nurses Coalition, which the Health for the People Brigade (H4PB) and the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)spearhead will lead activities  on October 29 that include a press
conference at the PNA-Baguio Chapter Office, after, a Solidarity March at11:00 am.

The last week of October every year is Nurse's Week.  The new coalition enjoins all nurses and health professionals in Baguio City and nearby LaTrinidad, in both public hospitals and private clinics to participate in
commemorative activities.“The solidarity march hopes to raise public awareness on the plight of nurses, especially those who render voluntary services in hospitals justto obtain certificates of employment or competency,” said PNA-BaguioPresident Ruth Thelma Tingda, also a convenor, of the Justice for Nurses
Coalition.This year's Nurse's Week commemoration carries the theme “Kagalingan ng mga Nars ay para sa Kalusugan ng Mamamayan” (Nurses' Welfare is for the People's Health).

Tingda added that some nurses work as contractual, still others land non-nursing jobs such as business-process outsourcing, bank tellers and medical representatives or sales agents of transnational drug companies.
According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), nurses comprisethe largest number of health workers in the hospitals and other health facilities in the country. Tingda said, however, nurses continue to be
exploited through extended and uncompensated duty hours, heavy work loadand low salaries, affirming that the nursing situation in the country isin a state of crisis.

The Philippine government fails to provide funds despite the passage ofthe Nursing Law of 2002 that until lately nurse salaries cannot comparewith suggested standards for a living wage, according to Health for the
People Brigade Spokesperson Marc Mendiola.Besides calls for living wages for health workers and against contractualjobs, the Justice for Nurses Coalition also calls for more plantilla nurse positions especially in government hospitals like the Baguio General Hospital and the Benguet General Hospital.

The nursing profession suffers the most unemployment compared to other professions in the country, according to Mendiola, despite the steadyflight of nurses who have opted work abroad.