13" Congress of the Republic 
First Regular Session 
of the Philippines 
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
412 
~~ 
- 
~ 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish a magna carta for barangays. As the basic 
political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing 
unit of government programs, projects and activities. It is also the forum in 
which the collective views of the people in the community may be crystallized 
and considered. 
Due,; to the important role of barangays, it is but just that measures be 
adopted to promote their welfare and prosperity. 
This legislative measure proposes the following: 
1. That barangay officials be considered as regular government 
employees with fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and 
dental coverage, retirement benefits and other fringe benefits to which 
regular government employee is entitle : 
2. Basic priorities such as regular supply of clean and potable water, 
public transportation, schools, health centers and Barangay halls, 
should be provided every barangay. 
3. Automatic release of share from the national taxes; 
4. Transfer of funds to barangay for the maintenance of roads and 
bridges; 
5. Mandatory share of barangays in taxes, fees and other charges; 
6. priority in employment. 
The approval of this bill is, therefore, earnestly urged. 


I 
13* Congress of the Republic 
) 
of the Philippines 
) 
004 ,j@j 3Q ?to 150 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
I. - TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY 
AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES 
SECTION 1. Title ofAct. - This Act shall be known as "The Magna Carta 
for Barangays." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote, 
develop and improve the general welfare of barangay residents, raise the 
economic and social status of barangay officials, grant every barangay, the basic 
facilities for decent, healthy and comfortable living therein and provide new 
measures that will insure its enjoyment of local autonomy to ensure the effective 
performance of its role as the primary planning and implementing unit of 
government programs, projects and activities, and as a forum in which the 
collective views of the people in the community may be crystallized and 
considered. 
SEC. 3. General Principles. - The following are the general principles of 
this Act: 


a. The national government shall give more attention to the development 
of the barangay, as it is the base of this country's economy. 
b. Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to solve its 
problems on its level. 
c. Self-help or people power shall be the guiding principle in all barangay 
development projects. 
11. - BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS REGULAR 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 
SEC. 4. The Barangay Offi'cials as Regular Government Employees. - The 
punong barangay, sangguniang barangay members, the kabataang barangay 
chairman, the barangay secretary and barangay treasurer in all barangays are 
hereby declared regular government employees, and as such are entitled to fixed 
salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits 
and such other fringe benefits to which a regular government employee may be 
entitled to. 
SEC. 5. Salaries of Barangay Officials. - As soon as the appropriate steps 
and measures are undertaken by each city or municipality in coordination with 
the individual barangay involved on matters relating to the sources of fund and 
the corresponding appropriation ordinance, which in no case shall be later than 
six (6) months from the approval hereof, all barangay officials mentioned in 
paragraph 4 hereof, shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries: 
Punong Barangay - An amount equivalent to the salary of a sangguniang 
bayan member of his municipality. 


Six Sangguniang Barangay Members - An amount equivalent to eighty 
percent (80%) of the salary of a sangguniang 
bay an member of his municipality. 
Kabataang Barangay Chairman, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer - 
For each, an amount equivalent to seventy-five 
percent (75%) of the salary of a sangguniang 
bayan member of his municipality. 
111. - BASIC PRIORITIES IN THE BARANGAY 
SEC. 6. Drinking Water for E v e y  Barangay. - It is the right of every 
barangay to have a regular supply of clean and potable water. To attain this goal, 
every city or municipality, as the case may be, is hereby required to construct 
and/or maintain at least one deep well with pumping device for drawing 
drinking water to supply the needs of every one thousand residents for each 
barangay within its jurisdiction. 
SEC. 7. Transportation for E v e y  Barangay. - It is also the right of every 
barangay to have public transportation available at least once a day. For this 
purpose, every municipality or city, as the case may be, should make such 
necessary representations before the appropriate government agencies to require 
public utility companies operating within its jurisdiction to provide the 
minimum means of transportation in every barangay. 
SEC. 8. Schools, Health Centers and Barangay Halls for the Barangays. - 
Every barangay is entitled to have at least one elementary school, provided that 
there shall be at least one high school for every five (5) kilometers from the 


barangay center. It shall also be the right of every barangay to have one health 
center and one barangay hall. 
IV. - MEASURES TO ASSURE THE ENJOYMENT 
OF LOCAL AUTONOMY 
SEC. 9. Automatic Release of Share from National Taxes. - It shall be the 
duty of the National Treasury to remit automatically to the barangays every end 
of the calendar year their just share from the national taxes. 
SEC. 10. Transfer ofFunds to Barangayfor the Maintenance ofRoads and 
Bridges. - All public funds appropriated from the national treasury for the 
maintenance of barangay roads and bridges and other similar constructions shall 
be transferred or remitted directly to the general fund of every barangay for their 
proper disposition by the barangay officials. 
SEC. 11. Mandatory Share of Barangays in All Taxes, Fees or Other 
Charges. - Twenty-five percent (25%) of all taxes collected on real property 
located within the barangay shall be considered barangay funds and shall be 
allocated in accordance with existing laws. In addition thereto, each barangay 
shall be entitled to ten percent (10%) from all other forms of taxes, fees, penalties, 
compromises or other charges collected from persons residing in the barangay or 
entities whose office and/ or manufacturing plant is located within the barangay. 
SEC. 12. Equitable Share ~f the Barangay from the Proceeds of the 
Utilization and Development of National Wealth. - For the exploitation, 
utilization and development of natural resources within its territory. Every 
barangay shall be entitled to an equitable share of the proceeds derived from. 


The amount of barangay share shall be determined by the city or municipality 
concerned after consultations with the concessionaires, the municipal or city 
officials and barangay officials, taking into account the extent of the exposure of 
the barangay residents to pollution, flood and ecological imbalance: Provided, 
hoziiever, That this equitable sharing rate for each barangay shall be resolved by 
all parties concerned not later than six (6) months from the approval of this Act. 
Revenues derived from this source shall also from part of the general fund of the 
bar angay. 
hall sponsor 
V. - SUNDRY MATTERS 
SEC. 13. Scholarship Grant. - Every barangay 
t least one 
scholarship grant every year leading to any bachelor degree to be awarded by a 
committee of five persons appointed by the Sangguniang Barangay with the 
approval of the Punong Barangay after competitive examinations are given to 
applicants who should be bona fide residents of the barangay. The grant shall 
include tuition fees and all other school fees, reasonable allowances for 
schoolbooks, supplies and transportation and other expenses as the barangay 
may deem appropriate. 
SEC. 14. Priority in Employment. - Residents in every barangay shall have 
the priority in the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any 
government construction or development projects within the barangay. 
SEC. 15. cooperative Enterprise. - Cooperative enterprises in the 
barangay shall be encouraged and every barangay is directed to give full 
assistance for the establishment and organization of said enterprises and to take 


every possible effort to make cooperative undertakings a way of life in the 
barangay. 
VI. - ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT 
SEC. 16. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Local Government 
shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement 
the provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations 
issued pursuant to this 
Section shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in a national newspaper 
of general circulation and by such other means as the Secretary of Local 
Government deems reasonably sufficient to give interested parties general notice 
of such issuance. 
SEC. 17. Budgetary Estimates. - The Secretary of Local Government shall 
submit to the Congress the necessary budgetary estimates to implement the 
provisions of this Act concerning the allowances, insurance, medical, dental and 
retirement benefits and other fringe benefits of barangay officials, the basic 
priorities in the barangays and the barangay scholarship grant. 
SEC. 18. Penal Provision. - Any person who shall willfully interfere with, 
restrain or coerce any barangay official or barangay resident in the exercise of his 
or their rights guaranteed by this Act or who shall in any other manner commit 
any act to defeat any of the provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be 
punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than two 
thousand pesos, or by imprisonment or six months and one day, or both, subject 
to the discretion of the court. 


If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his dismissal from 
the government service. 
SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. - All Acts and decrees, executive orders, 
implementing rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 20. Separability Clause. - If any provisions of this Act are declared 
invalid, the remainder or any provisions thereof not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 21. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in two national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,