By Liza Soriano

MANILA — Fourth District Quezon City Representative Marvin Rillo announced that the Philippines produced 37,098 new registered nurses in 2024. However, he emphasized that there is no assurance all of them will pursue careers in nursing.

“Due to financial pressures, many may seek immediate employment in other fields, even if it means not practicing nursing,” said Rillo, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, on Thursday (January 2, 2025).

Rillo noted that in the past, many nurses transitioned to other professions, including real estate, insurance, and car sales. Others joined the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

“We are not offering enough compensation to encourage new nurses to stay in their profession,” Rillo added.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines currently faces a shortage of 127,000 nurses, a figure expected to rise to 250,000 by 2030.

ia/mnm

By Junex Doronío

MANILA –The government’s Ayuda Sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP) is set to help a greater number of low-wage workers, especially those employed by micro and small enterprises, in the months ahead, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo said on Sunday (01 Dec 2024).

“We expect the AKAP’s cash aid to help employees receiving ‘minimal’ wages such as those working for micro service and retail shops as well as small-scale producers,” Rillo, a member of the House committee on appropriations, said in a statement.

Rillo’s remarks came not long after Speaker Martin Romualdez led the distribution of AKAP aid to more than 13,000 beneficiaries, mostly employees of small merchants, at a mall in Quezon City.

“Employees of micro and small establishments in Metro Manila are particularly exposed to economic adversity because they receive lower wages,” Rillo said.

The statutory general minimum wage rate for workers in Metro Manila is currently pegged at P645 per day.

However, there is a separate and lower legal minimum wage rate of P608 per day for workers in service and retail shops with 15 employees or less, and manufacturing activities with less than 10 regular laborers.

Rillo said the AKAP’s cash aid “serves as a vital safeguard against economic hardship” for vulnerable low-income earners severely affected by the rising cost of living.

Administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the AKAP has an allocation of P26.7 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Law.

The program has an allocation of P39.8 billion in the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Law previously approved by the House of Representatives.

“The bigger allocation simply means that the program will benefit more individuals whose families are struggling to make ends meet,” Rillo said.

Based on DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s Memorandum Circular 30, series of 2024, eligible AKAP beneficiaries may receive P1,000 to P10,000 in cash aid, depending on the type of assistance.

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By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Acknowledging that their inadequate salary in the home country have compelled many Filipino nurses to seek the proverbial greener pastures abroad, a lawmaker on Sunday (10 November 2024) took notice that some 20,948 Filipino nurses sought jobs in the United States in first nine months of this year.

Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo has championed the welfare of Filipino nurses as he vigorously pushed for the passage of his House Bill No. 5276, which seeks to raise by 74 percent, or to P67,005 (Salary Grade 21), the basic monthly pay of entry-level nurses in government hospitals.

At present, entry-level nurses at Department of Health (DOH) hospitals receive P38,413 (Salary Grade 15) in basic monthly pay.

“We maintain that higher pay is still the most effective way for us to improve job satisfaction and retain some of our nurses here in the local health sector,”

Rillo, vice chairperson of the House committee on higher and technical education, said in a statement.

He noted that a total 20,948 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates from the Philippines took their first U.S. licensure test from January to September this year, apparently hoping to obtain gainful employment in the “land of milk and honey” America.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, Sen. Raffy Tulfo has also been batting for the passage of his Senate Bill No. 2694, which seeks to increase by 40 percent, or to P53,873 (Salary Grade 19), the basic pay of entry-level nurses in public health institutions.

Both bills seek to amend the 22-year-old Philippine Nursing Act.

“The number of Philippine-educated nurses seeking to practice their profession in America and other foreign labor markets remains very high, mainly on account of inadequate pay here at home,” Rillo lamented.

Citing data from the U.S. National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc., Rillo also disclosed that a total of 4,456 nursing graduates from India also took their first U.S. licensure test from January to September, along with 2,665 graduates.

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By Liza Soriano

MANILA — The new law on allowing students to take exam despite absence of permit should be strictly enforced especially as the final examinations in schools near, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo said.

“We are counting on regulators to make sure that all schools do what is required to comply with the prohibition,” Rillo, one of the principal authors of the No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Law, said in a statement on Sunday (April 15, 2024).

“Effective compliance by schools will be best assured by strong enforcement,” the vice chairperson of the House committee on higher and technical education added.

Rillo reminded both Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Education (DepEd) that they are duty-bound “to take appropriate steps to ensure that education is accessible to all.”

The new law reinforces the right of all citizens to education and compels all schools to allow disadvantaged students to take their periodic and final examinations even if they have unpaid tuition and other fees.

Under the new law, also known as Republic Act No. 11984, educational institutions found guilty of violating the ban “shall be subject to administrative sanctions” by regulators.

(el Amigo/MNM)

MANILA — In a bid to enhance urban mobility and promote sustainable transportation, Congress has approved an increase in funding for bicycle lanes.

Quezon City Representative Marvin Rillo announced that the budget for the Active Transport and Safe Pathways Program (ATSPP) has been raised to P1 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Law.

Rillo, who serves as the vice chairperson of the House committee on Metro Manila development, emphasized the need to expedite the development of protected bicycle lanes.

The increased budget is specifically allocated for lanes with durable physical separation from mixed traffic lanes, aiming to provide safer and more efficient routes for cyclists.

Notably, the approved amount of P1 billion is double the initial request of P500 million made by the Department of Budget and Management during the budget submission for congressional approval.

Rillo, a member of the House appropriations committee, expressed satisfaction with the decision to allocate additional funds, underscoring the importance of prioritizing active transportation initiatives.

The P1 billion funding for the ATSPP is included in the 2024 budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). This new allocation supplements the amounts allocated in previous years, with P705 million and P2 billion earmarked for the program in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The move to bolster funding for bicycle lanes reflects a growing recognition of the significance of sustainable and eco-friendly transportation solutions.

As cities worldwide grapple with traffic congestion and environmental concerns, investing in infrastructure that supports active transport is seen as a crucial step towards creating more livable and resilient urban spaces.

This latest development is expected to contribute to the ongoing efforts to encourage cycling as a viable mode of transportation, promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional vehicular traffic.

(IAmigo/MNM)