Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED
DATE July 6, 2022

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NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__ 1438

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE JOSE MARIA R. ZUBIRI JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The barangay is the foundational unit of Philippine governance. As such, an optimized
capability to deliver services by the barangay in a wide range of services will benefit the
nation

Health services are a mandated function of the barangay, as per Section 17 of Republic
‘Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, which states that the barangay
shall provide “health and social welfare services which include maintenance of barangay
health center and day-care center.” But while RA 7160 mandates that the barangay
provide health services, it does not mandate the appointment of full-time health workers
to ably deliver said services.

By appointing full-time health workers, access to affordable health care will be available
to our constituents. This is especially true in far-flung areas that are yet to have easy
access to hospitals. In fact, even in urban areas, steep prices often bar underprivileged
sectors from seeking necessary medical attention.

This bill seeks to address that oversight by ensuring that every barangay will have a
proportionate number of accredited full-time health workers, thereby guaranteeing that
the barangay fulfills its obligation to provide health services. These health workers shall
be appointed by the municipal or city mayor, given that they are accredited by the local
health board. These health workers will have security of tenure.

With the designation of barangay health workers, citizens in all comers of the nation will
be able to enjoy their right to accessible, affordable, and quality health care.
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

ETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.___1438

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE JOSE MARIA R. ZUBIRI JR.

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS IN
EVERY BARANGAY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7160 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE,
FURTHER EXPANDING THE BENEFITS OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Barangay Health Workers
Act of 2022.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — Pursuant to Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987
Philippine Constitution, the State hereby declares the policy of according utmost
importance to the health needs of the nation and shall henceforth endeavor to make
essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable
cost. Toward this end, the State shall ensure that accessible and quality health services are
extended to each individual through the barangay health workers as the primary channel
for implementing the State’s health policies down to the barangay health needs, the State
shall guarantee the appointment of a health worker in every barangay as frontline health
workers,

SEC. 3. Coverage. ~ The provisions of this Act shall be applicable to all barangay health
workers accredited to act as such by the local health board in accordance with guidelines
issued by the Department of Health (DOH). For the purposes of this Act, the term
barangay health worker shall refer to a person who has undergone training program under
any accredited government or non-government organization primarily to render health
care services

SEC. 4. Section 387 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of 1991 as amended, shall be further amended to read as follows:

“Section 387. Chief Officials and Officers. — (a) There shall be in each barangay a
Punong Barangay, seven (7) Sangguniang Barangay members, the Sangguniang
Kabataan chairman, a barangay secretary, (and) a barangay treasurer, AND AT LEAST
ONE (1) BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER: PROVIDED, THAT THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS PER BARANGAY SHALL IN NO
CASE BE MORE THAN 1% OF THE BARANGAY’S TOTAL POPULATION.”


SEC. 5. A New provision shall be inserted between Sections 359 and 396 of the same Act
to be denominated as Section 395-A, which shall read as follows:

“SECTION 395-A. APPOINTMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS OF BARANGAY
HEALTH WORKERS - THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER AS ACCREDITED
AND RECOMMENDED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR CITY HEALTH BOARD IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7883,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS AND
BENEFITS ACT OF 1996, SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR CITY
MAYOR OF THE AREA WHERE SUCH BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER WILL
BE APPOINTED IS LOCATED. A BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER SHALL BE
ENTITLED TO HONORARIA, ALLOWANCES AND SUCH OTHER BENEFITS TO
WHICH OTHER APPOINTED BARANGAY OFFICIALS MAY BE ENTITLED TO.
NO PERSON DULY APPOINTED AS A BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER SHALL
BE REMOVED EXCEPT FOR VALID CAUSE AS PROVIDED UNDER EXISTING
CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND ONLY AFTER DUE NOTICE
AND HEARING.”

SEC. 6. Section 393, paragraphs (a) and (b) of the Local Government Code of 1991, as
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“Section 393. Benefits of Barangay Officials. —

(a) Barangay officials, including barangay tanods and members of the lupong
tagapamayapa, shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be
authorized by law or barangay, municipal or city ordinance in accordance with the
provisions of this Code, but in no case shall it be less that One Thousand Pesos
(P1,000.00) per month for the punong barangay and Six Hundred Pesos (P600.00) per
month for the sangguniang barangay members, barangay treasurer, [and] barangay
secretary AND BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS: Provided, however, That the
annual appropriations for personal services shall be subject to budgetary limitations
prescribed under Title Five, Book II of this Code: PROVIDED FURTHERMORE,
THAT THE BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THIS CODE SHALL BE WITHOUT
PREJUDICE TO THE APPLICATION OF AND ENTITLEMENT TO OTHER
INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS MAY BE
PROVIDED BY LAW SUCH AS REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6942 AND REPUBLIC ACT
NO. 7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS
BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES ACT.

(b) The Punong Barangay, the Sangguniang Barangay members, the Barangay
treasurer, [and] the Barangay secretary AND THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER
shall also: xxx

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Department of Interior and Local
Government, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, shall within ninety (90)
days from the enactment of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for
the implementation of this Act

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional
or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and
effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent
with or contrary to this Act are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or amended


SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,