Imagine earning ₱167,129 a month as a veterinarian.
No clinic rent. No expensive equipment to purchase. No inventory to manage. No worrying about whether your clinic will earn enough to pay the bills.
Sounds tempting?
A viral post showing government veterinarians earning as much as ₱167,129 monthly has caught everyone’s attention.
But is it true? YES!
According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), these are the 2026 basic monthly salaries at Step 1:
- Veterinarian I: ₱36,125
- Veterinarian II: ₱45,694
- Veterinarian III: ₱59,153
- Veterinarian IV: ₱81,796
- Veterinarian V: ₱102,603
- Veterinarian VI: ₱131,807
- Veterinarian VII: ₱167,129
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But here’s the catch.
Just because the salary grade exists doesn’t mean the position is available.
You cannot simply become Veterinarian VII by working for 20 years. There must be an approved plantilla position, and you must qualify for it.
Also, these are national government salary rates. Actual LGU salaries may differ.
Now, Here’s Something Worth Thinking About
A government veterinarian earning ₱100,000 monthly takes home a salary subject to deductions.
A private veterinary clinic generating ₱100,000 monthly might actually be losing money after paying salaries, rent, utilities, medicines, and other expenses.
₱100,000 in salary and ₱100,000 in clinic revenue are two very different things.
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Of course, private practitioners have the potential to earn significantly more. But they also shoulder the financial risks of operating a business.
So, perhaps the real question isn’t whether government veterinarians are earning too much.
Are veterinarians in private practice earning enough?
And for young veterinarians planning their careers, maybe it’s time to realize that owning a veterinary clinic isn’t the only path toward financial success.
Sometimes, the veterinarian without a clinic earns more than the veterinarian who owns one.
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Sources
Department of Budget and Management, National Budget Circular No. 601 (2026); DBM Index of Occupational Services and Salary Grades.
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Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
