Digicast Negros
January 31, 2021 By Carla P. Gomez

Former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Saturday, January 30, that the complaint of the provincial government nurses on the downgrading of their positions has been elevated to the Office of the President and it is being acted on.

Benitez, provincial consultant on economic affairs, met with the nurses Saturday to listen to their concerns after a new Department of Budget and Management circular downgraded their positions.

There are about 109 nurses, mostly working in provincial government hospitals, affected by the DBM circular.

“They have valid concerns so we elevated them to the Office of the President through Senator Bong Go. They have responded and I think they are meeting Monday to discuss all the issues that were not considered by the memorandum circular,” Benitez said.

DBM and Department of Health officials will meet on the matter, Benitez said.

Under the circular, DBM changed its ranking system so instead of having positions from nurse level one to seven, it is now only up to level six, he said.

“The nurses’ salaries have not been affected but what are unclear are their functions, or duties and responsibilities, which need to be clarified,” Benitez added.

Benitez is asking that the execution of the DBM circular be held in abeyance for two weeks pending DBM and DOH clarifications.

Under the DBM memorandum, those classified from nurse 2 to 7 will be downgraded 1 rank lower.

The modification of the nurses’ positions was made with the upgrade of entry-level nurses holding Nurse 1 positions from salary grade 11 to 15.*