Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 5496

Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide government-mandated benefits and security of
tenure to the Barangay Health Workers in all Barangays by mandating their
appointment. This bill also seeks to define their duties, responsibilities,
compensation, and benefits.

Barangay Health Workers serve as the primary health care practitioners of
our people. They are considered as the front liners when it comes to public
health service delivery since Barangays are the smallest government units
and are the closest and most-accessible to the public. The work and
dedication they put into ensuring that their public receives adequate and
quality health care are truly of great magnitude.

At present, Barangay Health Workers are treated as volunteers. This means
that they are not formally-employed by the Barangays and as such, they do
not receive competitive compensation and benefits, despite the significance
of their work to society.

In order to address this, this bill, if enacted into law, will finally mandate the
appointment of Barangay Health Workers and will be treated as employees
of the government. This will give them compensation commensurate to the
gravity of their work, as well as the government-mandated benefits for them
to enjoy.

It is of utmost importance that we, as public servants alike, invest in
responsive and preventive healthcare as carried out by these f@nt liners.

As a manifestation of support to the main proponents of this measure both
in the Lower House and the Senate, this representation respectfully refiles
this bill.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5496

Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto

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 House of Representatives of the Philippine
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Barangay
Health Workers Act of 2019”.

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 workers
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 FIVE (5) BARANGAY
HEALTH WORKERS: 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 Section 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 APPPOINTED 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 lupongtagapamayapa, 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 than 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 WORKERS shall also: x x

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, for any reason, any provision of this Act
is declared unconstitutional on invalid, other provisions hereof which are not
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,
proclamations, and administrative regulations or parts hereof inconsistent
herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,