NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. No._ssa
Senate
o{ tljf
72 J113 P5 20
RECEIVED Wi:
Introduced by Senator PIA S. CATETANO
AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE MIDWIFE FOR EACH BARANGAY AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
'
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Currently, in the Philippines, health care professionals are sorely lacking and 
unequally distributed in rural and urban areas. Further, economic conditions, which 
exacerbate already stressful working environments, as well as lack of opportunities for 
professional development and .he increasing cost of education in the field of medicine, 
has led to the migration of doctors and nurses.1 This offers a great potential for midwives 
to augment the need for professional healthcare practitioners, especially in rural areas.
Midwives comprise one of the largest occupational groups in the public and private 
health system in the country. They work in the private or public sector in hospitals, birthing 
clinics, barangay health stations, or rural health units. In the rural areas, they are 
sometimes the first professionals that patients come in contact with in the health system. 
In fact, midwives are currently implementing public health programs in many areas.
Addressing infant and maternal mortality is an important aspect of healthcare, and 
requires a national and even global effort to ensure that proper health care is made 
available to both mother and child during and after birth. According to the Philippine 
Statistics Authority (PSA), there were 1,458 registered maternal deaths in the country in
1 Baclig, C. E. (2021, June 9). PH health workers: A pandemic of big work, small pay. Philippine Inquirer.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1443920/ph-health-workers-a-pandemic-of-big-work-small-pay.


2019.2 and in 2017, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) 
estimated that the Philippines' maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is at 121 per 100,000 live 
births. While this is significantly lower than the global MMR in 2020, which is 152 deaths 
per 100,000 live births, this is still well above Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.1 
of reducing global maternal mortality rates to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by
2030.3 The PSA also registered 21,723 infant deaths in the country in 2019,4 and in 2020, 
UNICEF estimated the country's Infant mortality rate at 21 deaths ner 1,000 live births.5
The premises above show the urgency of addressing infant and maternal mortality 
deaths, especially in areas where there is a shortage of health personnel. This bill, which 
the undersigned first filed during the 14th Congress, mandates that there should be one 
midwife in each barangay. Although the recomn ended ratio is une midwife for every 
5,000, most midwives currently cater to the needs of 10,000 to 30,000 individuals in their 
catchment area. Recognizing the importance of primary health care and the presence of 
midwives in the country, especially in the rural areas, the bill further seeks to increase the 
number of midwives in a barangay where there is a population of more than 5,000. This 
will enable the midwives to provide quality and efficient health care services.
Indeed, midwives play a key role in delivering patient-focused services that are 
accessible, affordable, and appropriate to the needs of patients, as individuals, and their 
families. The midwifery profession is central to the delivery of an elective health service, 
particularly in the rural areas.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested.
2 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2021, January 5). Registered Deaths in the Philippines 2019 
https://psa.gov.ph/press-releases/id/163734
3 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, (n.d.). Maternal Mortality.
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2021-report/progress-indicators/maternal-
mortality/
4 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2021, January 5). Registered Deaths in the Philippines, 2019. 
https://psa.gov.ph/press-releases/id/163734
5 UNICEF, (n.d.). Philippines, https://data.unicef.org/country/phl/


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. ^^3
Senate
ef tlje
•22 JUL13 P5 20
RECEIVED »y;
Introduced by Senator PIA S. CAYETANO
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AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE MIDWIFE FOR EACH BARANGAY 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ''^Midwife to the Barangay
Act"
Sec. 2. Statement of Pofcy. - It is the policy of i-hp State tc protect and promote 
the right to health of the people. The State shall provide appropriate programs and 
measures to provide access to affordable and Quality health and social services, 
especially in rural areas. The services of midwives, as front liners in the country's 
health care delivery system, are essential in achieving the S-tate's health policy, 
especially with regard to pre-natal and post-natal maternal, and newborn, care. 
Toward this end, this Act shall mandate the appointment of midwives for each 
barangay to increase access to health care services for the people, especially the 
underprivileged.
Sec. 3. Ratio of Midwivts to the Barangay. — All barangays shall be eguipped 
with one (1) midwife: Provided, That if the population of a barangay exceeds five 
thousand (5,000), the number of midwives shall be increased, as may be determined 
by the Department of Health (DOH).
Sec. 4. Pole of Midwives to the Barangay. - All Midwives to the Barangay are 
mandated to ensure that mothers and infants, in their respective jurisdictions, are 
given quality and essential health care services, including, but not limited to, pre-natal


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and post-natal care, breastfeeding support, providing information on the importance 
of immunization, and ensuring that infants are given the proper vaccines as provided 
in the DOH Expanded Program on Immunization, and proper car i and nutrition of both 
the mothers and the infants, and such other duties as shall be determined by the DOH.
Sec. 5. Appointment of Midwives to the Barangay. — Every city, first and 
second-class municipality, in accordance with the Local Government Code of 
Philippines, shall appoint a midwife in their respective barangays: Provided, That for 
third to sixth class municipalit as under first and second class provinces, the province 
shall appoint a midwife in every clustered barangay: Provided further, That for third 
to sixth class municipalities under third to sixth class provinces, the DOH, through its 
center for health development, shall appoint a midwife in every clustered barangay. 
DOH shall immediately determine which areas are in need of midvvives. Priority in 
appointments shall be given to remote areas where there are no existing health care 
professionals providing for the health care services of the population and areas which 
have high maternal mortality rate.
Sec. 6. Qualifications of Midwives to the Barangay, - The DOH shall provide for 
the qualifications of the Midwife to the Barangay, who shall, as much as possible, 
come from the same barangay or municipality where he or she will be appointed.
Sec. 7. Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care. - The DOH shall ensure 
that the midwives are equipped with appropriate training on Basic Emergency 
Obstetric and Newborn Care. R shall also deterrr;ine, subject to guidelines that it may 
issue, the need to further provide these midwives with training on Comprehensive 
Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care.
Sec. 8. Recruitment - The DOH shall formulate strategies and policies related 
to attracting and recruiting the following:
(a) high school graduates to study midwifery in accredited institutions, and
(b) barangay health workers, through a ladderized education program, to 
pursue midwifery.
The DOH shall also ensure their placement in areas in need of midwives and 
barangay health workers.
Sec. 9. Educational and Career Advancement - The DOH shall develop 
strategies and guidelines for the continuing education and career advancement of


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midwives, including the implementation of programs under Republic Act No. 10647, 
otherwise known as the "Ladderized Education Act of 2014" and empower them to 
pursue higher learning, which will help augment the delivery of health care service in 
the barangays and in the country.
Sec. 10. Compensation and Benefits. — All Midwives to the Barangay shall be 
appropriately compensated by the DOH or the LGUs, whichever is applicable, and shall 
be entitled to all the benefits provided in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as 
the ''''Magna Carta of Public Heaith Workers.'
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations, — The DOH, in cooperation with 
the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Civil Service Commission, and 
other concerned government agencies and non-government organizations, shall 
formulate and promulgate, within ninety days (90) from its effectivity, the "ules and 
regulations necessary to implement this Act.
Sec. 12. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions 
of this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the DOH. For the LGUs, the 
requirements shall be taken from their National Tax Allotment and other local funds. 
Thereafter, such funds as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the appropriations of the DOH and the respective LGUs.
Sec. 13. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected thereby 
shall continue to be in full forc« and effect.
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and other 
presidential issuances which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended or modified accordingly.
Sec. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect immediately after Its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in twc (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,