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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENA TE 
S.B. 2495 
Introdu<;ed by Senator Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The 1987 Philippine Constitution is a landmark in terms of recognizing social 
justice vis-A-vis cultural communities as can be gleaned from the following provisions: 
I. 
"The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them." (Article II, Section 15); 
2. 
"The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural 
communities within the framework of national unity and development." 
(Article II, Section 22); 
Recognizing the provisions of the fundamental law, 
the barrier however at 
present is the distance or access between indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) and 
basic services, notably health assistance. Most tribes and settlements of indigenous 
cultural communities (ICC) are in the hinterlands and often inaccessible or could be 
accessed only through foot trails and would take a day or a number of days to reach. 
ICCs depend on their traditional medicines and healthcare whenever a member of the 
tribe becomes sick. 
It is not often that they can avail of the benefits of modem medicine 
and healthcare. 
For the past decades, government agencies (GA) 
and non-government 
organizations (NGOs) have sought ways to improve the health conditions ofIndigenous 
People (IPs). The usual practice has been by way of sending People/medical personnel 
to these indigenous communities in order to treat common illnesses. With the formal 
health care delivery system in the Philippines almost exclusively in the domain of the 
cities and municipalities, there is a need to train health workers from tribal communities 


not reached by health workers to intensity prctice of traditional and alternative medicine, 
as well as to provide first aid treatment for the members of ICCs where they belong. 
To overcome this situation government has trained barangay health workers to 
provide primary healthcare to members of the community. RA 7883 otherwise known as 
the "Barangay's Health Workers Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995" provides benefits 
to these barangay health workers. However, there are many tribal communities that 
cannot be reached by the Barangay Health Workers. They are also not available during 
the night, weekends and holidays that ICCs who get sick during these times are not 
provided with the needed health services. 
This legislation is designed to establish and institutionalize tribal health workers 
who would be responsible in providing primary health care in the communities where 
they reside, thus 24 hour health services can be provided to the tribal communities. The 
delegation of Tribal Health Workers in indigenous communities was recommended to 
complement the lead health agency in pursuing effective community-based health service 
in the remote and isolated areas. 
The immediate enactment is earnestly recommended. 
. VILLAR 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENA TE 
s.B.2495 
Introduced by Senator Villar 
AN ACT 
,. 
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STRENGTHENING THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN CULTURAL AND 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE TRAINING 
AND EMPLOYMENT OF TRIBAL HEALTH WORKERS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. Title - The act shall be known as the "Tribal Health Workers Act of 
2010" 
SECTION 2. Statement of policy and objective - The Philippine Constitution of 
1987 provides that the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to 
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social 
services available to all the people at affordable cost. It is also the policy of the State to 
provide cheap and affordable quality medicine and medical services to citizens in far-
flung areas and indigenous communities. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. 
As used in this Act, the following words and 
phrases shall be defined as: 
a. 
Barangay Health Workers -
RA 7883 defines barangay health workers as 
referring to a person who has undergone training programs under any accredited 
government or non-government organization and who voluntarily renders primary health 
care services in the community after having been accredited to function as such by the 
local health board in accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the Department of 
Health (DOH). 


b. 
Tribal Health Workers - refers to members of the ICC community who have 
undergone training by government or non-government organizations and are rendering 
voluntary health care in the tribal community. 
SECTION 4. 
Tribal Health Workers - All tribal communities which are located 
about 10 km from the barangay center are qualified to have tribal health workers (THW) 
depending upon the number of families residing therein. Every 30 families are entitled to 
one tribal health worker. An additional of 20 families with in tribal community entitles 
the community to an additional tribal health worker. 
SECTION 5. Selection and Training of Tribal Health Workers - The Tribal Chief 
shall appoint, in accordance to the traditions of the tribe the tribal health worker and 
submit his name to the local health board who in tum shall register the appointed tribal 
health worker. The local health board will furnish a copy of the list of tribal health 
workers to the Department of Health (DOH) which shall maintain a national list of tribal 
health workers. 
The DOH shall be responsible for the conduct of training to the tribal health 
workers. The DOH may contract the services of non-government organizations (NGOs) 
to conduct the training. The DOH shall be responsible for the content of the training, 
duration of training and the contracting of NGO-trainers in case it cannot carry out the 
training itself. 
SECTION 6 - Responsibilities of the tribal health workers - The THW is 
responsible for providing primary health care to members of the tribes. He is also 
responsible, in coordination with the fumily of the sick person, and/or local government 
units for bringing tbe sick person to the nearest clinic or hospital. 
Since primary health care may make use of herbal medicines that are traditional to 
the tribe, the THW is mandated to establish herbal garden in the community. The 
Barangay LGU, the municipal LGU and the CENRO ofthe DENR are hereby required to 
provide assistance to the THW in establishing such herbal garden. 
SECTION 7 - Benefits of Tribal Health Workers - Similar to the Barangay 
Health Workers who are provided with a number of benefits under RA 7883, the THW 
are granted the following incentives and benefits: 
(a) Free health care insurance and hospitalization - The THW shall be provided 
free government health care insurance, the Phil-Health Insurance. In addition, 
the THW shall be entitled to free hospitalization in case of work-related 
sickness or injury. The Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD) shall provide tbe insurance as well pay for the hospitalization of the 
THW. The DSWD shall work closely with the local health boards in the 
granting of these benefits to THW particularly in the identification of who are 
entitled to the benefits. 
(b) Educational benefits - The THW is entitled to free tuition in public high 
schools and universities. Should the THW not be able to benefit from this 
incentive himself this benefit is transferrable to one of his/her legitimate 


" 
children. These benefits can be availed of only for as long as he/she remains 
an active THW. 
(c) Continuing training - The DOH shall be responsible for providing continuing 
training to the THW on new and emerging primary health care management as 
well as new and emerging herbal medicines. 
(d) Free legal services - The Public Attorneys' Office shall provide free legal 
advice to THW if there is occasion that the latter needs one arising from or in 
connection with the exercise ofhislher duties and responsibilities as THW. 
SECTION 8 - Rules and regulations of this Act - The DOH, the DSWD, the 
DILG and the DENR shall be responsible for the formulation of the Implementing Rules 
(IRR) and Regulations (IRR) of this Act within 180 days from its approval. 
SECTION 9 - Separability clause - If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid, the remainder, or any provision of this Act not affected thereby shall remain in 
force and in effect. 
SECTION 10 - Repealing clause - All laws, executive orders, proclamations, and 
other presidential issuances which are inconsistent with this Act shall be deemed, 
amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION II - Effectivity - This Act shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in at least 2 newspapers of national circulation, whichever comes 
earlier. 
Approved,