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President Toribiong last Thursday during his weekly press conference, signed an executive order upgrading the nursing office into a bureau in the Ministry of Health. Under the Executive Order No. 309, which was signed by the President on Thursday May 17th at the old Senate office in Koror, which the Bureau of Nursing will be headed by the Chief Nurse. The president recently found out that the nurses were paid $300 bi-weekly and was also informed that the Chief Nurse makes less than $25,000 annually. Under the 2012 supplemental budget proposed by the president stated that all government employees will receive a $20 COLA and that all nurses including the Chief Nurse will have an additional $20 for their paycheck towards living expenses. For the 2013 fiscal year budget the president and his staff will work together towards implementing a pay differential for nurses, that way nurses entering the workforce for the first time will not be paid the minimum.