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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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MANILA – Doctors giving pro bono services will be given tax relief once Senate Bill No. (SBN) 474 is passed into law.
SBN 474 would require that physicians rendering pro bono services to poor patients shall be entitled to tax credit to be deducted from their gross income.
“Some of the doctors in our country take up nursing courses to land a job as a nurse abroad since it promises a higher salary than the ones being offered domestically,” said Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, bill author.
Data from the Department of Health said majority of the physicians are concentrated in urban areas.
Attracting and retaining health workers in rural and other poor areas remain to be a key challenge in the field, the Philippines Health System Review by the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies said.
Trillanes lamented that the health workforce shortage limits the access of poor Filipinos to basic health care services.
The passage of the measure will encourage Filipino doctors to work in their own country, according to him.
“Doctors are among the main drivers of a country’s healthcare system,” he said. “Sadly, in our case, our country continues to suffer from poor healthcare condition, as many do not have access to quality healthcare services, and many healthcare workers, including doctors, opt to serve in areas and institutions where there are better opportunities due to their economic needs.”
Under the bill, the DOH and the Philippine Medical Association shall evaluate the pro bono services rendered by the physicians, considering the number of hours and the nature of treatment involved./PN
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