Senator Imee Marcos on Friday, 24 October, pushed for additional salary increases and benefits for thousands of midwives in the country.

“Our midwives are often the ones stationed in remote rural health units, providing services to nearby communities even though their main duty is to improve the condition of mothers and babies against diseases,” Marcos said.

The proposed measure would create a Board of Midwifery under the Professional Regulation Commission, which would ensure the proper training, licensing, and protection of midwives’ rights.

It would also expand their mandate—from birth supervision, maternal care, family planning, and immunization to newborn care.

Filipino midwives would also be allowed to use life-saving drugs to prevent the deaths of mothers and babies, especially in emergencies.

Marcos is also pushing for midwives to be paid no less than Salary Grade 11 in the public sector and no less than the minimum wage in the private sector.

“The life and health of every Filipino are at stake. We must increase the salaries, benefits, and respect for midwives who have long been the backbone of every barangay,” she added.