DOLE readies order aimed at ending 'exploitation' of health workers

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) together with Ang Nars group and other stakeholders is working on a department order which will soon end exploitative practices against nurses, doctors and other health workers.

DOLE met with health groups on Tuesday, March 7 at the labor department's office in Intramuros, Manila for an inter-agency consultation on the draft Department Order entitled "Guidelines Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Health Personnel in the Healthcare Industry."

The order which is yet to be signed by Secretary Bello III seeks to ban all forms of false volunteerism, false trainings, and contractualization of health workers.

Ang Nars Partylist have been advocating for stopping of these practices for years. Without these, thousands of job vacancies will open for nurses, the nurse advocacy group added.

Here are some salient points of the draft department order, courtesy of Lea Paquiz of Ang Nars:
• Removal of all False Volunteerism & False Trainings
• No more Contractual/Job Order for health workers
• No health worker shall be paid below minimum wage
• Overtime pay for work over 8 hours (example: long endorsement)
• Overtime pay if you work 6 days in a week
• No compressed work week (12hours x 4days)
• Free Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) for all workers, including students and medical interns
• Right to join Unions and do Collective Bargaining
• Night Shift Differential, Hazard Pay, Holiday pay




The participants for department order consultation include the following agencies: DOLE-BWC, DOLE-OSHC, DOLE-NCR, DOH-HHRDB, ILS, PAMET, PRC-BON, OHNAP, PTAP, PCOM, PNA, ANG NARS and Hospital Unions.

Photo by Ang Nars Partylist.

Ang Nars is also pushing for regularization of Nurse Deployment Project (NDP) nurses which are currently under contract of service, but the DOH says it will take more time tfor they depend on DBM for funding.