Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito is championing a measure to formalize and strengthen the country’s midwifery workforce, aiming to address long-standing concerns over job insecurity among frontline health workers.
Ejercito has filed Senate Bill No. 2044, or the Philippine Midwifery Empowerment Act, which seeks to create regular government “plantilla” positions and standardize salaries for midwives.
Many currently serve under job order or casual employment arrangements despite performing essential healthcare duties.
The senator said the bill aims to correct what he described as the “systemic neglect” of midwives, especially those serving in remote and underserved communities where access to healthcare remains limited.
“In many geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, sila ang una, at minsan ay tanging health provider. Filipino midwives walk long distances, cross rivers, and go the extra mile to reach mothers and patients who would otherwise have no access to basic health services,” Ejercito said in a statement Friday.
Under the proposed legislation, several key measures are outlined to improve the welfare of midwives.
These include the establishment of permanent positions to ensure job security, setting entry-level compensation at Salary Grade 13, and introducing a ladderized education system that would allow practitioners to gain degree equivalency based on experience.
“Gusto nating tuldukan na itong pananatili nilang job order o casual employees lalo na’t tuloy-tuloy at napakahalaga naman ang kanilang serbisyo sa ating health system,” he added.
Ejercito, a principal author of the Universal Health Care Act, emphasized that strengthening the midwifery sector is crucial to improving maternal and child healthcare nationwide.
He stressed that the success of universal health coverage efforts depends heavily on a well-supported and adequately compensated healthcare workforce.