Republic of the Philippines}
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City |

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS|
House Bill No. 2378

ATON UNIT
X SERVICE

Introduced by Representative Lorna C. Silverio

AN AC
STRENTHENING THE BARANGAY UNIT THROUGH SUPPORT FOR BARANGAY
OFFICIALS AND BARANGAY VOLUNTEER WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR,
OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill endeavors to strengthen barangay governance by providing barangay health
workers (BHW) and barangay tanods transformative capacity building and sufficient financial
empowerment.

The Local Government Code of 1991 provides that the barangay is the basic political unit
and the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, programs and activities
in the community. It is the forum for collective views of the people and where disputes may be
amicably settled.

Furthermore, the barangay attends to the basic needs of the community and delivers
various government services, including that of health and peace and order, At present, the BHW
and the members of the barangay peace-keeping unit called the barangay tanods provide services
on volunteer basis without any remuneration. They are working so hard under difficult situations
and yet, their effort, dedication and commitment in ensuring the physical wellbeing of people
and maintaining a safe and secure environment against criminality in the streets are unrewardeg.

The proposed reform under this bill provides financial and capacity building measures to
BHW and the barangay tanods, Its noble intention is to empower our barangay volunteer workers
and recognize, however minimal, their enthusiasm and dependability. It is imperative that we
strengthen barangay governance in our 42,036 barangays in the country if only to provide every
citizen and every family a chance to rise against poverty and allow them to experience that
change has come indeed

Thus, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Marne A. Plosers

LORNA C. SILVERIO



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
House Bill No, 2378

Introduced by Representative Lorna C. Silverio

AN ACT

STRENTHENING THE BARANGAY UNIT THROUGH SUPPORT FOR BARANGAY
OFFICIALS AND BARANGAY VOLUNTEER WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR
OTHER PURPO!

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 Reform Act of 2016.”

Sec. 2, Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to strengthen the
barangay as the smallest government unit of society. In order to provide sufficient services to the
people, the State recognizes the need to empower the barangay officials and the barangay health
workers through proper compensation and capacity building measures. Furthermore, the $
acknowledges the need to ensure continuity of programs, projects and services of every barangay
to effectively benefit the Filipino people.

See. 3. Definition of Terms, — For purposes of this Act, the following shall mean:

a) Barangay Health Worker (BHW) shall refer to a person who has undergone training
programs under any accredited government or no-government organization and who has
voluntarily render primary health care s in the community after having been
accredited to function as such by the loc with the guidelines
promulgated by the Department of Health (DOH); and

b) Barangay Tanod shall refer to all duly appointed members of the barangay tanod
brigades, which shall not be more than twenty (20) in each barangay as prescribed by
Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

Sec. 4. Honorarium of BHWs and Barangay Tanods. — In order to provide barangay support to
our barangay officials and volunteers, the following benefits shall be given by the national
government agencies for services rendered by the following barangay volunteer workers

a) Two (2) BHW in each barangay shall receive a monthly honorarium of not less than
Five Hundred (P500) pesos from the DOH.

b) At least twenty (20) Tanods, in each barangay, shall receive a monthly honorarium of
not less than Five Hundred (P500) pesos from the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG).

The barangays may choose to give additional honorarium to the aforementioned workers and
volunteers, Provided, that such additional honorarium shall be charged against the local budgets


of each barangay, Provided further, that the barangays shall ensure that all BHWs receive the
same honorarium.

Sec, 5. Capacity Building Measures for BHWs and Barangay Tanods. — In addition to the
financial benefits, the aforementioned national government agencies shall provide the following
capacity building measures to BHWs and Barangay Tanods:

a) Training and workshops on how to effectively exercise their duties and
responsibilities, and any other such training fit for BHWs and Barangay Tanods.

b) PhilHealth coverage for BHWs, which shall include medical and dental examination
and treatment in government hospitals, and fully subsidized by the DOH, Provided, that
indigent barangay volunteer workers, including barangay tanods, shall be covered
through the full national government subsidy scheme,

c) Free legal services from government lawyers or the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO)
for cases arising from acts committed in the performance of duty, Provided, that such
legal services shall continue, even after the expiration of the term of the barangay
volunteer worker, until its final disposition.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations, ~ The DILG, in consultation with the National
Liga ng mga Barangay and the DOH, shall issue the rules and regulations to implement this Act
within ninety (90) days after its approval.

See. 7. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the same
shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provision hereof.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause, — All laws, decrees, orders and issuances or portion thereof, as well as
rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

Sec. 9, ~ Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,