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Republic of the Philippines ‘5 RECEIVED 2
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2 CATE: JUL 02 2
Quezon City rime: 12 u
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILLNo. 7°53

Introduced by HON. RUTH MARIANO-HERNANDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Health workers are essential to our public health care delivery system. This isa fact that has
only been placed in the lens of national attention due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Our health care system is underfunded, under-compensated, overworked, and at the brink of
being overwhelmed.

Our nurses, doctors, medical technologists, and all other medical and allied health
professionals; the orderlies, laundry and linen staff, janitors, waste workers and all ancillary
and administrative personnel in our public health establishments are battling the current
COVID-19 public health emergency and all other diseases such as dengue fever and re-
emergent polio.

Our health workers at the frontline public hospitals and health establishments work with
amongst the lowest compensation, scant benefits that are not given on time, and increasingly
difficult working conditions.

Itneeds to be stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the public sector's dearth in
health workers due to the aforesaid conditions and the persistent lure of high-paying
opportunities abroad.

It is important to note that the enactment of the Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act
11223) targets the coverage of all Filipinos in terms of access to quality and affordable health
care services.

But in the short, medium and long term, we can only attain quality public health care if we are
able to encourage, hire and retain health workers in our public health facilities with adequate
compensation and the necessary benefits.

Itis in this context that this bill seeks to amend Republic Act 7305, otherwise known as the
Magna Carta for Public Health Workers Act, with the endpoint in view of (1) increasing the
salary levels, and (2) adding more to the existing benefits therein.


Among the proposals in this measure is a set of additional compensation to public health
workers: an across the board hazard pay, special risk allowance, increased subsistence
allowance, special longevity pay, increased laundry and clothing allowance, compensation for
injuries and rice subsidy allowance.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is urgently requested.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

7053
HOUSE BILL No. BS

Introduced by HON. RUTH MARIANO-HERNANDEZ

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA CARTA FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Health Workers Salary Upgrading Act of
2020”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to guarantee the
entry and retention of qualified and competent health workers in the public health care system
by ensuring the commensurate remuneration for their work loads and the hazards of their
respective professions. This policy is in furtherance of the Constitutional mandate to promote
the most adequate health care for the people by addressing the need for essential health
workers and professionals in all public health care facilities. This Act intends to improve the
socio-economic conditions of public health workers and bolster the public health sector in the
government service.

SECTION 3. Section 3 of Republic Act 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna Carta for
Public Health Workers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 3. [Definition] COVERAGE. - [For purposes of this Act, “health workers" shall
mean all persons who are engaged in health and health-related work, and all persons-
employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, health infirmaries, health centers, rural health units,
barangay health stations, clinics-and other health-related establishments owned and
operated by the Government or its political subdivisions with original charters and shall
include medical, allied health professional, administrative and support personnel
employed regardless of their employment status."] THIS ACT SHALL BE FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT,
“HEALTH WORKERS” SHALL REFER TO PERSONS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN HEALTH
AND HEALTH-RELATED WORK IN A HEALTH FACILITY OR OTHER RELATED
ESTABLISHMENT OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS
POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, INCLUDING MEDICAL AND ALLIED HEALTH

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PROFESSIONALS, ANCILLARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL OF SUCH
HEALTH FACILITY OR RELATED ESTABLISHMENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR
EMPLOYMENT STATUS.”

SECTION 4. Section 19 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 19. Salaries. - [In the determination of the salary scale of public health workers,
the provisions of Republic Act 6758 shalll govern, except that the benchmark for Rural
Health Physicians shall be upgraded to Salary Grade 24.] THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND
MANAGEMENT, IS HEREBY MANDATED TO ESTABLISH A NEW SALARY SCALE FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS FOLLOWING THE SALARY GRADES UNDER REPUBLIC
ACT 11466, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAW OF
2019": PROVIDED, THAT THE ENTRY LEVEL SALARY FOR ALL GOVERNMENT
MEDICAL DOCTORS SHALL BE SALARY GRADE 24, WHILE THE ENTRY LEVEL
SALARY FOR ALL GOVERNMENT NURSES SHALL BE SALARY GRADE 16.

XXX.
SECTION 5. Section 20 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 20. Additional Compensation, - Notwithstanding Section 12 of Republic Act
6758 and the provisions of Republic Act 11466, public health workers shall receive the
following ADDITIONAL allowances: hazard allowance, SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE,
subsistence allowance, RICE SUBSIDY ALLOWANCE, longevity pay, laundry AND
CLOTHING allowance, and remote assignment allowance.”

SECTION 6. Section 21 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 21. Hazard Allowance. - [Public health workers in hospitals, sanitaria, rural
health units, main health centers, health infirmaries, barangay health stations, clinics
and other health-related establishments located in difficult areas, strife-torn or
embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, prison camps, mental hospitals,
radiation exposed clinics, laboratories or disease infested areas or in areas declared
under state of calamity or emergency for the duration thereof which expose them to
great danger, contagion, radiation, volcanic activity/eruption, occupational risk or perils
to life as determined by the Secretary of Health, shall be compensated hazard
allowances equivalent to at least twenty-five-percent (25%) of the monthly basic salary
of health workers receiving salary grade 19 and below, and five percent (5%) for health
workers with salary grade 20 and above.] ALL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS
PERFORMING HEALTH AND HEALTH-RELATED WORK REGARDLESS OF WORK
LOCATION, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY HAZARD ALLOWANCE
AMOUNTING TO FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00): PROVIDED, THAT THIS RATE
SHALL BE EXEMPTED FROM INCOME TAX: PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT THE RATES
SHALL BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY AND INCREASED ACCORDINGLY BY THE
SECRETARY OF HEALTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND HEALTH WORKERS ASSOCIATIONS,
ORGANIZATIONS OR UNIONS.”

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SECTION 7. A new Section 21-A shall be inserted after Section 21 of the same Act to read
as follows:

“SECTION 21-A. SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE. - IN CIRCUMSTANCES, SITUATIONS,
AND LOCATIONS OF WORK WHEREIN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES EXPOSE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS TO GREAT DANGER,
OCCUPATIONAL RISKS, AND THREATS TO LIFE, AS DETERMINED BY THE
SECRETARY OF HEALTH, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE OF
AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT (25%) OF THE MONTHLY BASIC SALARY.”

SECTION 8. Section 22 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 22. Subsistence Allowance, - Public health workers who are required to render
service within OR IN THE VICINITY OF the premises of [hospitals, sanitaria, health
infirmaries, main health centers, rural health units and barangay health stations, or
clinics, and other health-related establishments] HEALTH FACILITIES AND OTHER
RELATED ESTABLISHMENTS in order to make their services available at any and all
times, shall be entitled to a full subsistence allowance of three (3) meals which may be
computed in accordance with prevailing circumstances as determined by the Secretary
of Health in consultation with the Management-Health Worker's Consultative Councils,
as established under Section 33 of this Act; PROVIDED, THAT SUBSISTENCE
ALLOWANCE SHALL BE COMPUTED NOT LOWER THAN SEVENTY FIVE PESOS
(P75.00) PER MEAL; Provided FURTHER, That representation and travel allowance
shall be given to rural health physicians as enjoyed by municipal agriculturists,
municipal planning and development officers and budget officers.”

SECTION 9. A new Section 22-A shall be inserted after Section 22 of the same Act to read
as follows:

“SECTION 22-A. RICE SUBSIDY ALLOWANCE. - ALL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS
SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A RICE SUBSIDY ALLOWANCE IN THE FORM OF CASH
AMOUNTING TO ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY PESOS (P1,250.00).

SECTION 10. Section 23 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 23. Longevity Pay. - A monthly longevity pay equivalent to five percent (5%) of
the monthly basic pay shall be paid to a health worker for every five (5) years of
continuous, efficient and meritorious services rendered as certified by the chief of office
concerned, commencing with the service after the approval of this Act: PROVIDED,
THAT FOR EVERY TEN (10) YEARS OF SERVICE, THEY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
SPECIAL LONGEVITY PAY EQUIVALENT TO ONE (1) MONTH BASIC SALARY.”

SECTION 11. Section 24 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 24. Laundry AND CLOTHING Allowance. - All public health workers required to
regularly wear uniforms shall be entitled to laundry AND CLOTHING allowance
equivalent to [One hundred twenty-five pesos (P125.00)] FIVE HUNDRED PESOS
(P500.00) per month: Provided, That this rate shall be reviewed periodically and
increased accordingly by the Secretary of Health in consultation with the appropriate

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government agencies AND HEALTH WORKERS ASSOCIATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS OR
UNIONS concerned, taking into account existing laws, rules and regulations.”

SECTION 12. Section 28 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 28. Compensation for Injuries. - Public health workers shall be protected against
the consequences of employment injuries in accordance with existing law. Injuries
incurred while doing overtime work shall be presumed work-connected. PUBLIC
HEALTH WORKERS WHO MAY BE INJURED OR CONTRACT ANY DISEASE WHILE IN
‘THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN AMOUNT OF
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00): PROVIDED, THAT THE AMOUNT
OF ONE MILLION PESOS (P1,000,000.00) SHALL BE GIVEN TO PUBLIC HEALTH
WORKERS WHO MAY DIE WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTY:
PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT ENTITLEMENT TO COMPENSATION UNDER THIS
SECTION SHALL NOT PRECLUDE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS FROM CLAIMING ANY
OTHER BENEFITS FOR THE SAME INJURY PROVIDED FOR BY OTHER LAWS.”

SECTION 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the immediate implementation of
the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act in the year
following the approval of this Act.

SECTION 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Health, after
consultation with appropriate agencies of the Government as well as professional and health
workers’ organizations or unions, shall formulate and prepare the revised implementing rules
and regulations in accordance with this Act.

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. -If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain
in force and effect.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 17. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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