SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 345 
'13 
JUl -3 Pl2:44 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish a Magna Carta for ]3arangays. A barangay serves as 
a venue where perspectives of different people are considered and discussed. 
Due to· the significant role played by banmgays as basic political units, this 
legislative measure proposes the following: 
1. That barangay 'officials be considered as regular government employees with 
fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement 
benefits and other fringe benefits to which a regular government employee is 
entitled; 
2. That basic necessities, such as regular supply of clean and potable water, 
public transportation, schools, health centers and Barangay halls, be provided 
to every barangay; . 
3. Automatic release of share from national taxes; 
4. Transfer of funds to the barangay for the maintenance of roads and bridges; 
5. Mandatory share of ba.rangays in taxes, fees and other charges; and· 
6. Priority in employment. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
==--=~~ 
L~~ 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 345 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
"",Ai., 
AN ACT 
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'13 . JUl -3 PlZ:44 
TO ESTABLISH THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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ARTICLE I 
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TITLE. DECLARATION OF POLICY AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Magna Carta for 
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Barangays." 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote, 
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develop and improve the general welfare of barangay residents, raise the economic 
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and social status of barangay officials, grant every barangay, the basic facilities for 
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decent, healthy and comfortable living therein, and provide new measures that will 
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ensure its enjoyment of local autonomy to ascertain the effective performance of its 
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role as the primary planning and implementing unit of government programs, 
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projects and activities, and as a forum in which the collective views of the people in 
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the community may be crystallized and considered. 
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SEC. 3. General Principles. - The following are the general principles of this 
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Act: 
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a. The National Government shall give more attention to the development of the 
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barangay, as it is the base of this country's economy. 
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b. Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to solve its 
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problems on its level. 
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c. Self-help or people power shall be the guiding principle in all barangay 
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development projects. 
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ARTICLE II 
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BARANGA Y OFFICIALS AS REGULAR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 
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SEC. 4. The Barangay Officials as Regular Government Employees. - The 
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punong barangay, sangguniang barangay members, the sangguniang kabataan 
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chairman, the barangay secretary, and barangay treasurer in all barangays are 
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hereby declared regular government employees, and as such are entitled to fixed 
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salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits and 
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such other fringe benefits which, under Civil Service laws, rules and regulations, a 
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regular government employee may be entitled to. 
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SEC. 5. Salaries of Barangay Officials. - As soon as the appropriate steps and 
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measures are undertaken by each city or municipality in coordination with the 
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individual barangay involved on matters relating to the sources of fund and the 
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corresponding appropriation ordinance, which in no case shall be later than six (6) 
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months from the approval hereof, all barangay officials mentioned in paragraph 4 
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hereof, shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries: 
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1. Punong Barangay - An amount equivalent to the salary of a sangguniang 
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bayan member of his municipality. 
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2. Six (6) Sangguniang Barangay Members - An amount equivalent to eighty 
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percent (80%) of the salary of a sangguniang bayan member of his 
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municipality. 
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3. Sangguniang Kabataang Chairman, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer -
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An amount eqUivalent to seventy-five percent (75%) of the salary of a 
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sangguniang bayan member of his municipality. 
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ARTICLE III 
34 
BASIC PRIORITIES IN THE BARANGAY 
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SEC. 6. Drinking Water for Every Barangay. - It is the right of every barangay 
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to have a regular supply of clean and potable water. To attain this goal, every city or 
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municipality, as the case may be, is hereby enjoined to construct and! or maintain at 
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least one (1) deep well with pumping device for drawing drinking water to supply 
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the needs of everyone thousand (1,000) residents for each barangay within its 
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jurisdiction. 
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SEC. 7. Transportation for Every Barangay. - It is also the right of every 
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barangay to have public transportation available at least once a day. For this 
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purpose, every municipality or city, as the case may be, should make such necessary 
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representations before the appropriate government agencies to require public utility 
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companies operating within its jurisdiction to provide the minimum means of 
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transportation in every barangay. 
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SEC. 8. Schools, Health Centers, and Barangay Halls for the Barangays.\ -
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Every barangay is entitled to have at least one (1) elementary school: Provided, That 
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there shall be at least one (1) high school for every five (5) kilometers from the 
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barangay center. It shall also be the right of every barangay to have one (1) health 
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center and one (1) barangay hall. 
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ARTICLE IV 
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MEASURES TO ASSURE ENJOYMENT OF LOCAL AUTONOMY 
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SEC. 9. Automatic Release of Share from National Taxes. - It shall be the 
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duty of the National Treasury to remit automatically to the barangays every end of 
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the calendar year their just share from the national taxes. 
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SEC. 10. Transfer of Funds to Barangay for the Maintenance of Roads and 
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Bridges. - All public funds appropriated from the National Treasury for the 
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maintenance of barangay roads and bridges and other similar constructions shall be 
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transferred or remitted directly to the general fund of every barangay for their 
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proper disposition by the barangay officials subject to auditing laws, rules and 
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regulations. 
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SEC. 11. Mandatory Share of Barangays in All Taxes, Fees or Other Charges. 
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- Twenty-five percent (25 %) of all taxes collected on real property located within the 
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barangay shall be considered barangay funds and shall be allocated in accordance 
with existing laws. In addition thereto, each barangay shall be entitled to ten percent 
(10%) from all other forms of taxes, fees, penalties, compromises or other charges 
collected from persons residing in the barangay or entities whose office and/ or 
manufacturing plant is located within the barangay. 
SEC. 12. Equitable Share of Barangays from Proceeds of Utilization and 
Development of Natural Resources. - For the exploitation, utilization and 
development of natural resources within its territory, every barangay shall be 
entitled to an equitable share of the proceeds derived therefrom. The amount of the 
barangay share shall be determined by the City or municipality concerned after 
consultations with the concessionaires, the municipal or city officials and barangay 
officials, taking into account the extent of the exposure of the barangay residents to 
pollution, flood and ecological imbalance: Provided, however, That this equitable 
sharing rate for each barangay shall be resolved by all parties concerned not later 
than six (6) months from the approval of this Act. 
Revenues derived from this source shall also from part of the general fund of 
the barangay. 
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ARTICLE V 
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SUNDRY MATTERS 
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SEC. 13. Scholarship Grant. - Every barangay shall sponsor at least one (1) 
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scholarship grant every year leading to any bachelor degree to be awarded by a 
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committee of five (5) persons appointed by the Sangguniang Barangay with the 
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approval of the Punong Barangay after competitive examinations are given to 
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applicants who should be bona fide residents of the barangay. The grant shall 
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include tuition fees and all other school fees, reasonable allowances for school 
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books, supplies, transportation, and other expenses as the barangay may deem 
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appropriate. 
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SEC. 14. Priority in Employment. - Residents in every barangay shall have 
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the priority in the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any government 
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construction or development projects within the barangay. 
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SEC. 15. Cooperative Enterprise. - Cooperative enterprises in the barangay 
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shall be encouraged and every barangay is directed to give full assistance for the 
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establishment and organization of said enterprises and to take every possible effort 
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to make cooperative undertakings a way of life in the barangay. 
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ARTICLE VI 
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ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT 
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SEC. 16. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the Department of Interior 
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and Local Government shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may Be 
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necessary to implement the provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued 
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pursuant to this Section shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in a 
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national newspaper of general circulation and by such other means as the Secretary 
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of Local Government deems reasonably sufficient to give interested parties general 
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notice of such issuance. 
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SEC. 17. Budgetary Estimates. - The Secretary of Department of Interior and 
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Local Government shall submit to the Congress the necessary budgetary estimates 
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to implement the provisions of this Act concerning the allowances, insurance, 
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medical, dental and retirement benefits, and other fringe benefits of barangay 
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officials, including the basic priorities in the barangays and the barangay SCholarship 
24 
grant. 
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SEC. 18. Penal Provision. - Any person who shall willfully interfere with, 
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restrain or coerce any barangay official or barangay resident in the exercise of his or 
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her rights guaranteed by this Act or who shall in any other manner commit any act 
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to defeat any of the provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished by a 
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fine of not less than Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) nor more than Two Thousand 
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Pesos (P2,OOO.OO), or by imprisonment of six (6) months and one (1) day, or both, 
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subject to the discretion of the court. 
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If the offender is a public official, the court shall, after conviction, order his 
35 
dismissal from the government service, in addition to the above-mentioned 
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, . , 
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penalties. 
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SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. - All acts and decrees, executive orders, 
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implementing rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the 
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provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 20. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, 
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the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. 
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SEC. 21. This Act shall take effect after its publication in two (2) national 
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newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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