Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. ______ 
Introduced by Representative CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF NURSES, ASSIGNING AT LEAST ONE 
REGISTERED NURSE FOR EVERY BARANGAY IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Explanatory Note 
The Philippine economy experienced a surge in growth in 2001 due to the 
increased demand for Filipino professionals abroad, foremost of which is the 
demand for registered nurses. This demand for Filipino nurses abroad helped fuel 
the Philippine economy with the remittances they sent to the country. However, the 
foreign demand for Filipino nurses has waned through the years, thus leaving many 
of our nurses unemployed and/or underemployed here in the Philippines. Last 
year, it was cited that there are about 124,000 licensed and registered Filipino nurses 
who are jobless, underemployed or are doing non-related work based on data from 
the Department of Health (DOH). 
The unemployment and/or underemployment of our nurses here or their non- 
deployment for abroad should not be considered a problem, but must be viewed as 
an opportunity. The vast resources of competent Filipino nurses actually present a 
welcome opportunity for our government to improve the delivery of health services in 
the country, particularly in far-flung barangays normally not catered by the 
conventional government health centers. The government may engage the services of 
these nurses to be at the forefront of the government health care programs. 
February 7, 2024
5:03 pm  
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The attached bill proposes that the government mobilize and utilize these 
unemployed or underemployed nurses by dispatching at least one registered nurse 
to every barangay in the Philippines. This will not only address the problem of the 
unemployment and underemployment of our professional nurses, but will be 
considered a leap in improving the health service delivery in the country. 
 
 
The duties of each dispatched nurse include educating their respective 
barangays on the importance of health, hygiene, sanitation, and wellness. Their goal 
is not only to address the immediate medical needs of the community, but also, 
through education, to prevent illnesses and ailments. As Benjamin Franklin once 
said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” 
 
In view of the foregoing, I recommend the immediate passage of this bill. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. ______ 
Introduced by Representative CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF NURSES, ASSIGNING AT 
LEAST ONE REGISTERED NURSE FOR EVERY BARANGAY IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "A Nurse 
in Every Barangay Act". 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies. - The State affirms labor as a primary 
social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their 
welfare. Towards this end, it is further declared the policy of the State to promote a 
sustained and cultivated reservoir of national talents, preserving the skills and 
aptitude of our trained professionals, particularly our nurses, through the utilization 
and maximization of their medical knowledge that will likewise help promote the 
right of the people to health, thereby achieving the realization of a healthy and 
productive citizenry. 
Sec. 3. Program for the Employment of Nurses in Every Barangay. - There 
is hereby established a program for the employment of nurses in every barangay, 
for the purpose of improving the delivery of public health care services, and to 
provide relevant and timely education on wellness, hygiene, sanitation and 
other health safety measures to the poorest communities in rural areas as well as 
underprivileged communities in the urban areas, while providing gainful 
employment to registered nurses and utilizing their professional competencies. 
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Sec. 4. Role of Local Government Units. -  Each local government 
unit is mandated to employ one (1) registered nurse in every barangay 
within their jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, local government units shall 
determine whether the need for additional registered nurses is necessary, based on the 
proportion of the population of the barangay.  
 
Sec. 5. Recruitment, Selection, and Training. - The local government  
units shall secure the assistance of the Department of Health in recruiting, 
selecting, and in training the registered nurses employed by local government units 
to ensure their capability in addressing public health and wellness concerns of the 
barangays. For this purpose, the Department of Health is hereby mandated to 
issue guidelines setting the qualifications of nurses to be deployed to the 
barangays as well as come up with a module for the relevant training of 
these nurses. The guidelines to be set shall in no case discriminate against 
the hiring of fresh graduates or newly passed registered nurses. 
 
Sec. 6. Minimum Qualification of Nurses. -  Nurses engaged  
under the program shall have the following minimum qualifications: must 
have a valid license issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission; must 
be willing to relocate to its assigned area, even temporarily; and must have 
passion for public health concerns. 
 
 
Sec. 7. Stipend. - Nurses employed under the program shall be 
entitled to a monthly stipend preferably equal to salary grade 15, consistent with 
the mandatory minimum entry-level pay for government nurses under the 
Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, or Republic Act No. 9173. 
 
 
Sec. 8. Duties. - Nurses under this program are required to provide 
an annual health status report regarding the health and wellness of the 
barangay and must provide suggestions to the local government units to improve 
the health and wellness of all citizens of the barangay. Each deployed nurse shall 
render information dissemination on disease prevention, basic maternal and obstetric 
care, pre-natal and post-natal care, teenage pregnancy counselling, family planning 
and reproductive health education, nutrition, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 
or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention, registration of live 
births, and educate barangay residents on all other important information on health, 
hygiene, sanitation and wellness. 
 


Sec. 9.  Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the  
Program under this Act shall be initially appropriated out of the funds of the 
respective local government units. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the full 
implementation of this program shall be included in the respective budget of the 
local government units in the General Appropriations Act. 
 
Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty days  
(60) from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Interior and Local Government 
and Department of Health shall promulgate the implementing rules and 
regulations, as may be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
 
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this  
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any 
provisions hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect. 
 
 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or  
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or 
contrary to the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
 
Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days  
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
 
  
Approved,