A measure prohibiting the exploitative volunteerism of nurses both in public and private hospitals and health care facilities was filed at the House of Representatives, a press release from Congress said.

House Bill 5641, principally authored by Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus, seeks to put a stop to the unscrupulous practice of many hospitals of using volunteerism or on-the-job training to exploit the country's nurses.

The bill provides that any registered nurse found to have been a victim of exploitative volunteerism shall be entitled to a full refund of all fees illegally collected and payment of unpaid salaries, which shall not be les than the applicable minimum wage for services rendered.

Any person found guilty of committing these prohibited acts shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than one year and a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P500,000.

If the violator is a hospital, clinic or health care facility, it shall be given 15 days to comply for the first offense, a fine of P100,000 for the second offense and P100,000 plus a ban from availing of services of volunteer registered nurses for the third offense.

If the offender is an association, corporation or juridical person, a warning shall be issued for the first offense, suspension of license to operate for not less than one month but not less than six months for the second offense and the cancellation of the license to operate for the third offense.

The bill mandates the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Employment to monitor the compliance with and implementations of the provisions of this Act by public hospitals or health care facilities.

The bill, to be known as "An Act Prohibiting Exploitative 'Volunteerism' of Nurses," is co-authored by Reps. Teddy Casiño and Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis), Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers) and Raymond Palatino (Kabataan).*

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