Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 649)
The short title of Republic Act No. 649 is the "Government Nurses Salary Act."
The positions covered include Chief Nurse and Superintendent of Nursing School or Chief Nurse, P.H.N. Section; Chief Nurse or Principal or Assistant Chief Nurse, P.H.N.; Assistant Chief Nurse, Assistant Principal, Dietician, Operating Room Supervisor and Nurse Supervisors in P.H.N. Section; Ward Supervisors, Nurse Instructors and Nurse Supervisors in P.H.N.; Head Nurse or Chief Nurse of hospitals of 40 beds or less; and General Duty Nurse or Staff Nurse in Institutional or Public Health Nursing.
The salary range for the Chief Nurse and Superintendent of Nursing School or Chief Nurse, P.H.N. Section is from P3,300.00 to P3,720.00 annually.
The Secretary of Finance and the Auditor General must certify to the President that there are available funds in the National Treasury in excess of the sums appropriated that are sufficient to cover the salary increases.
They are entitled to quarters and subsistence free of charge, provided they work not exceeding forty-eight hours a week.
They are entitled to an additional compensation of fifty pesos to sixty pesos a month in lieu of quarters, subsistence, and laundry allowance.
A nurse with professional qualifications higher than the standards required for the position and who has passed the Board Examination for Nurses and possesses the necessary civil service eligibility shall be given a higher rate of entrance salary.
The salary scale becomes effective when the Secretary of Finance and the Auditor General certify the availability of funds to cover the salary increases authorized.
The Act applies to nurses in both the National Government service and local and provincial government service, depending on the availability of funds.
Government nurses should work not exceeding forty-eight hours a week to qualify for quarters and subsistence benefits.