Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The barangay is the basic political unit under the Local Government Code, and its role as stated 
in the said Act involves planning and implementation of government policies, plans, programs, 
projects, and activities in the community. It is responsible for the delivery of basic government 
services. Further, the barangay is also an instrument of grassroots governance. It serves as a 
forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized, and considered 
and where disputes may be amicably settled. 
Under the policy of the State to guarantee and promote the autonomy of local government units, 
the barangay needs to be empowered and capacitated to allow for its fullest development as a 
self-reliant unit. It is also important to recognize the contribution of the main drivers of 
barangays—the barangay officials, in public service delivery and nation-building. 
To address these concerns, this proposed measure to be known as the Magna Carta for Barangays 
seeks to: 1) declare barangay officials as regular government employees and provide them 
benefits and privileges regular government employees may be entitled to; 2) promote the welfare 
of the barangay through the provision of basic utilities and services; and 3) promote genuine and 
meaningful local autonomy, through the provision of appropriate measures such as the automatic 
release of share from national taxes, and mandatory share of barangays in taxes, fees and other 
charges, among others.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the 
Filipino people, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
September 9, 2022
4:04 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUSTAVO S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
I. TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as "The Magna Carta for Barangays." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote, develop and 
improve the general welfare of barangay residents, raise the economic and social status of 
barangay officials, grant every barangay the basic facilities for decent, healthy, and comfortable 
living therein, and provide new measures that will inspire its enjoyment of local autonomy to 
ensure the effective performance of its role as the primary planning and implementing unit of 
government programs, projects, and activities, and as a forum in which the collective views of 
the people in the community may be crystallized and considered. 
SECTION 3. General Principles. – The following are the general principles of this Act: 
a.
The national government shall give more attention to the development of the barangay,
as it is the base of this country's economy and the frontline provider of government
services.
b. Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to solve its problems on its
level.
c.
Self-help or people power shall be the guiding principle in all barangay development
projects.
II. BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS REGULAR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
SECTION 4. The Barangay Officials as Regular Government Employees. – The punong 
barangay, sangguniang barangay members, the kabataang barangay chairperson, the barangay 
secretary, and barangay treasurer in all barangays are hereby declared regular employees, and 
as such are entitled to fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, 
retirement benefits and such other fringe benefits to which a regular government employee may 
be entitled to.  
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SECTION 5. Salaries of Barangay Officials. – As soon as the appropriate steps and measures 
are undertaken by each city or municipality in coordination with the individual barangay involved 
on matters relating to the sources of funds and the corresponding appropriation ordinance, which 
in no case shall be later than six (6) months from the approval hereof, all barangay officials 
mentioned in paragraph 4 hereof shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries: 
 
a. Punong Barangay - An amount equivalent to the salary of a Sangguniang Panlungsod 
member, if the barangay forms part of a city, or that of a Sangguniang Bayan member 
if the barangay forms part of a municipality.  
b. Six Sangguniang Barangay Members – For each, an amount equivalent to 80% of the 
salary of a Sangguniang Panlungsod member, if the barangay forms part of a city, or 
that of a Sangguniang Bayan member if the barangay forms part of a municipality.  
c. Kabataang Barangay Chairperson, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer - For each, 
an amount equivalent to 70% of the salary of a Sangguniang Panlungsod member, if 
the barangay forms part of a city, or that of a Sangguniang Bayan member if the 
barangay forms part of a municipality.  
 
III. BASIC PRIORITIES IN THE BARANGAY 
 
SECTION 6. Drinking Water for Every Barangay. – It is the right of every barangay to have 
a regular supply of clean and potable drinking water. To attain this goal, every city and 
municipality, as the case may be, is hereby required to construct and/or maintain at least one 
deep well with a pumping device for drawing drinking water to supply the needs of every one 
thousand residents for each barangay within its jurisdiction.  
 
SECTION 7. Transportation for Every Barangay. – It is the right of every barangay to have 
public transportation available at least once a day. For this purpose, every municipality or city, as 
the case may be, should make such necessary representations before the appropriate government 
agencies to require public utility companies operating within its jurisdiction to provide the 
minimum means of transportation in every barangay. In the event, that no public utility company 
can provide a daily means of transportation, the city or municipality of which the barangay forms 
part shall make the proper appropriations for the purchase of a barangay vehicle or whatever 
form of transportation the barangay requires considering the circumstances of its physical 
territory and surroundings.  
 
SECTION 8. Health Centers and Barangay Halls for the Barangays. – It shall also be the 
right of every barangay to have one health center and one barangay hall. 
 
IV. MEASURES TO ASSURE THE ENJOYMENT OF LOCAL AUTONOMY 
 
SECTION 9. Automatic Release of Share from National Taxes. – It shall be the duty of 
the National Treasury to remit automatically to the barangays every end of the calendar year 
their just share from the national taxes.  
 
SECTION 10. Transfer of Fund to Barangay for the Maintenance of Roads and Bridges. 
– All public funds appropriated from the National Treasury for the maintenance of barangay roads 
and bridges and other similar constructions shall be transferred or remitted directly to the general 
fund of every barangay for their proper disposition by the barangay officials.  
 


SECTION 11. Mandatory Share of Barangays in All Taxes, Fees, or Other Charges. – 
Twenty-five percent (25%) of all taxes collected on real property located within the barangay 
shall be considered barangay funds and shall be allocated by existing laws. In addition, thereto, 
each barangay shall be entitled to twenty percent (20%) from all other forms of taxes, fees, 
penalties, compromises, or other charges collected from persons residing in the barangay or 
entities whose offices and/or manufacturing plant are located within the barangay.  
 
SECTION 12. Equitable Share of the Barangay from the Proceeds of the Utilization and 
Development of National Wealth. – Every barangay shall be entitled to an equitable share of 
the proceeds derived from the exploitation, development, and utilization of natural wealth within 
its territory. The amount of 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, food, 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 form part of the general fund 
of the barangay.  
 
V. SUNDRY MATTERS 
 
SECTION 13. Scholarship Grant. – Every barangay shall sponsor at least one scholarship grant 
every year leading to any bachelor’s degree to be awarded by the Sangguniang Barangay with 
the approval of the Punong Barangay. The grant shall include tuition fees and all other school 
fees, reasonable allowances for schoolbooks, supplies, and transportation, and other expenses 
as the barangay may deem appropriate.  
 
SECTION 14. Priority in Employment. – Residents in every barangay shall have priority in 
the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any government construction or development 
projects within the barangay.  
 
SECTION 15. Cooperative Enterprise. – Cooperative enterprises in the barangay shall be 
encouraged and every barangay is directed to give full assistance to the establishment and 
organization of said enterprises and to take every possible effort to make cooperative 
undertakings a way of life in the barangay.  
 
VI. ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT 
 
SECTION 16. Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local 
Government shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the 
provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued under this Section shall take effect thirty (30) 
days after publication in a national newspaper of general circulation and by such other means as 
the Secretary of Local Government deems reasonably sufficient to give interested parties general 
notice of such issuance.  
 
SECTION 17. Budgetary Estimates. – The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local 
Government shall submit to Congress the necessary budgetary estimates to implement the 
provisions of this Act concerning the allowances, insurance, medical, dental, and retirement 
benefits, and other fringe benefits of barangay officials, the basic priorities in the barangays and 
the barangay scholarship grant. 
 


SECTION 18. Penal Provision. – Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain or coerce 
any barangay official or barangay resident in the exercise of his or their rights guaranteed by this 
Act or who shall in any other manner commit any act to defeat any of the provisions of this Act 
shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than 
two thousand pesos, or by imprisonment of six months and one day, or both, subject to the 
discretion of the court.  
 
If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his dismissal from the government service 
in addition to the abovementioned penalties.  
 
SECTION 19. Repealing Clause. – All Acts and decrees, executive orders, implementing rules 
and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended, or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 20. Separability Clause. – If any provisions of this Act are declared invalid, the 
remainder or any provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.  
 
SECTION 21. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the 
Official Gazette or two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,