Compensation Policy Pathways for Radiologic Technologists in the Philippines: A Documentary Policy Analysis
Earl John R. TrinidadAbstract
Introduction:
Compensation is a significant determinant of health workforce sustainability particularly in systems grappling with migration, maldistribution, workforce shortages, and varied public-sector salary structures. While compensation for allied health workers in the Philippines evolved through laws, executive issuances, judicial interpretation, and administrative classification; it is important to highlight that these pathways of recognition for allied health workers did not evolve in a similar manner across different health professions.
Objective:
This study explored the pathways of compensation recognition among selected allied health professions in the Philippine public sector with focus on the profession of Radiologic Technology and the retained classification of Radiologic Technologist (RT) I.
Methods:
A qualitative documentary policy analysis using the Walt and Gilson policy triangle; institutional governance perspectives and documentary-analysis procedures. Policy documents between 1970 and 2025 which were publicly available were retrieved from the government archives, screened, coded and synthesized using content-analysis approach, comparative-analysis approach and policy-trajectory analysis approach.
Results:
Results show that there are diverse pathways taken for compensation recognition of the allied health professions. For the nursing profession; the route is the most formalized which is through the establishment of a statutory salary-floor for nurses; reinforcement through the judiciary; and implementation by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). For the Pharmacy profession; the route was taken for statutory compensation recognition which is profession-specific at an earlier period. On the other hand, for the Radiologic Technology profession the route was distinct in which Republic Act No. 7431 governs the profession; it does not provide a salary floor, however DBM Budget Circular No. 2018-2 upgraded the classification of RT II to RT V; but the RT I salary remained at Grade 11. Findings indicate that authority to establish position-classification and its retention; the mechanisms for fiscal-governance of the public sector and salary standardization; as well as the mechanisms for institutional-policy continuity substantially influence the compensation outcomes for allied health workers.
Conclusion:
This study provides baseline evidence for future policies for the review of compensation recognition among allied health professions. Specifically, the policy concern for Radiologic Technology is not the lack of recognition but the differentiated pattern of recognition across the Radiologic Technology series particularly at entry level.