Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE BARANGAY PRIMARY 
HEALTH CARE PROGRAM, PROVIDING SECURITY OF TENURE, BENEFITS, AND 
INCENTIVES TO BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is among the early adopters of the Community Health Workers model for 
the delivery of primary health care. The Barangay Health Worker (BHW) program has 
been around since the 1980s and is largely sustained by volunteers, most of whom are 
mothers and women in the communities. Despite being a vital force in the delivery of 
primary health care, BHWs remain to be undercompensated.  
As such, this measure is proposed in recognition of the vital role of barangay health 
workers (BHW) who are at the frontline of primary health care. This proposed measure 
provides for the institutionalization of incentives and benefits for BHWs which shall include 
a monthly honorarium of not less than P3000, allowances, insurance coverages, leave 
credits, pension benefits, training programs etc. This measure also recognizes and 
empower the rights of BHWs to self-organization, security of tenure and other support 
mechanisms to enable them to perform their duties and responsibilities effectively and 
efficiently to promote barangay health and well-being.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
September 16, 2022
1:08 pm
4905


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE BARANGAY PRIMARY 
HEALTH CARE PROGRAM, PROVIDING SECURITY OF TENURE, BENEFITS, AND 
INCENTIVES TO BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
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 "Barangay Health and Wellness 
Reform Act."  
SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. – The State shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and to provide conditions for health empowerment, where each 
individual has access to information and services that will bring about health and well-
being. The Primary Health Care Approach is recognized as the major strategy towards 
health empowerment, emphasizing the need to provide accessible and acceptable health 
services through participatory strategies such as health education, training of barangay 
health workers, community building and organizing. Towards this end, this Act shall 
strengthen and institutionalize primary health care programs at the barangay level by 
providing and upgrading vital and essential health facilities, human resource development 
and fiscal support. 
The government and all its instrumentalities shall recognize the rights and vital role of 
barangay health workers (BHW) who are at the frontline of primary health care to organize 
themselves, to strengthen and systematize their services for their community to make a 
venue for sharing their experiences and recommending policies and guidelines for the 
promotion, maintenance and advancement of their activities and services, to security of 
tenure, to decent living allowances and other support mechanisms to enable them to 
perform their duties and responsibilities effectively and efficiently to promote barangay 
health and well-being.  
4905


SECTION 3. Definition. – “Barangay health worker” refers to a person who is duly 
registered with the municipal or city health board and who voluntarily renders primary 
health care services in the community.  
 
SECTION 4. Registration. – Barangay health workers shall register with the local health 
board in the city or municipality in which they render service. The local health board, 
through the provincial health boards in the case of municipalities, shall furnish a copy of 
such registry to the DOH, which is hereby mandated to maintain a national register of 
barangay health workers. The registered health workers shall be given appropriate proof 
of said registration.  
 
The municipal or city local health board shall regularly update the BHW registry which 
shall include, among others, the number of years of service of each BHW, trainings and 
seminars attended, and accreditation as provided in Section 5 hereof. The municipal or 
city local health board shall submit a copy of the updated registry to the provincial health 
board and the DOH central office every year and post it in the municipal/city bulletin board 
and barangay health centers.  
 
SECTION 5. Accreditation. – The municipal or city health board shall accredit BHWs in 
accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the Department of Health (DOH). It shall 
be the duty of the municipal or city health board to ensure that all registered BHWs shall 
undergo training programs under any accredited government and non-government 
organizations and/or the DOH Provided, that the DOH shall develop a basic training 
course for newly recruited BHWs that can be completed within a period not later than one 
(I) year upon their assumption to work.  
To be accredited, a newly recruited BHW must have completed satisfactorily the basic 
training course which will be certified by the municipal or city health officer concerned. 
Unless this requirement is fulfilled, he shall be considered as a barangay health trainee.  
 
SECTION 6. Number of Barangay Health Workers. – The DOH shall determine the 
ideal ratio of barangay health workers to the number of households: Provided, that the 
total number of barangay health workers nationwide shall not be less than one percent 
(1%) of the total population. 
 
SECTION 7. Incentives and Benefits. – In recognition of their services, all accredited 
barangay health workers who are regularly performing their duties shall be entitled to the 
following incentives and benefits: 
 
a) A monthly honorarium of not less than Three Thousand Pesos (P3,000.00); 
 
b) Hazard allowance in an amount to be determined by the local health board of 
the local government unit concerned, but in no case less than One Thousand 
Pesos (P1,000.00) per month;  
 
c) Subsistence allowance equivalent to the meals they take in the course of their 
duty in order to make their services available at any and all times which shall 


not be less than One Hundred Pesos (P100.00) per day, to be computed in 
accordance with prevailing circumstances as determined by the local 
government unit concerned; 
 
d) Transportation allowance of not less than One Thousand Pesos (1,000.00) per 
month. Provided, that official travels like seminars, conferences and transport 
of patients outside of the barangay, shall be shouldered by the barangay LGU 
concerned and shall not be deducted from the travel allowance of BHWs;  
 
BHWs shall be entitled to ten percent (10%) discount in transportation fare 
during their incumbency; 
 
e) Health benefits during their incumbency which shall include: 
 
1) Free medical care when confined in any public hospital or health 
institution including surgery and surgical expenses medicines, x-ray and 
other laboratory fees; 
2) Ten percent (10%) discount on professional fees of attending physicians 
in private hospitals, private medical facilities, out-patient clinics and 
home care services; 
3) Ten percent discount (10%) and exemption from value added tax on the 
purchase of medicines and such other medical supplies, accessories 
and equipment unless confined in a public hospital or health institution; 
4) Emergency assistance not exceeding the amount of Five Thousand 
Pesos (P5,000.00) and chargeable to the barangay concerned, for 
expenses incurred in the nearest private hospital or clinic in case of 
extreme emergency where there is no available public hospital; 
5) Mandatory and immediate membership to the PhilHealth as indirect 
contributors which shall be borne by the LGU concerned, pending the 
full implementation of Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise known as the 
Universal Health Care Act. 
 
The LGUs concerned shall also endeavor to provide such other health benefits 
to BHWs not otherwise provided by the law; 
 
f) Insurance coverage which shall include, but not limited to, temporary and 
permanent disability, double indemnity, accident insurance, death and burial 
benefits. 
 
All BHW s who have rendered at least one (1) year of continuous service shall 
also be granted insurance coverage and benefits from the Government Service 
Insurance System (GSIS) which shall be borne by the LGU concerned. 
Provided, that the national government shall subsidize fifty percent (50%) of 
the contributions of fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities; 


 
g) Sick, vacation and maternity leaves as may be prescribed in the implementing 
rules and regulations of this Act. Provided that, the BHW s shall continue to 
receive their monthly honoraria, hazard, travel and subsistence allowances 
while on leave, for such period similar to existing laws and practices. 
 
h) Christmas bonus or cash gift to be given every December which shall be not 
less than their monthly honoraria, to be taken from the general fund of the 
barangay or from such other funds appropriated by the national government for 
the purpose; 
 
i) Retirement and pension benefits from the GSIS. Provided that, a BHW must 
have rendered at least thirty (30) years of service; 
 
j) Training, Education and Career Enrichment Program opportunities to be 
provided by the DOH in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education, 
TESDA, Department of Education and other concerned government agencies 
and non-governmental organizations, to wit: 
 
1) Educational programs which shall recognize years of primary health 
care service as credits to higher education in institutions with stepladder 
curricular that will entitle barangay health workers to upgrade their skills 
and knowledge for community work or to pursue further training as 
midwives, pharmacists, nurses or doctors; 
2) Continuing education, study and exposure tours, training, grants, field 
immersion, scholarships, etc.; 
3) College scholarship grants or TESDA scholarships for at least two (2) 
children of a barangay health worker who has rendered at least one (1) 
year of service. The scholarship shall continue in case of death or 
permanent incapacity of a barangay health worker arising out of and in 
the course of performing his duty. 
 
k) A second grade Civil Service Eligibility which shall be granted to BHWs who 
have rendered five (5) years of service. Provided, that should the barangay 
health worker become a regular employee of the government, the total number 
of years served as barangay health worker shall be credited to his/her service 
in computing retirement benefits. 
 
l) Free legal representation and consultation services which shall be immediately 
provided by the Public Attorney's Office in cases of coercion, interference, and 
in other civil and criminal cases filed by or against barangay health workers 
arising out of or in connection with the performance of their duties. The DOH 
shall also endeavor to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the 


Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). Legal services provided to BHWs shall 
be credited to the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) of lawyers, 
subject to the guidelines to be provided by the Supreme Court. 
 
m) Preferential Access to Loan for organized barangay health worker groups that 
have community-based income generating projects in support of health 
programs or activities and livelihood projects. The DILG or the LGU in 
coordination with other concerned government agencies shall provide, within 
one hundred eighty (180) days after the effectivity of this Act, a mechanism to 
access to loan services by organized health workers. The agencies providing 
loan services will set aside at least one percent (1 %) of their loanable funds. 
 
For this purpose, the LGUs, DOH, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), TESDA and other concerned 
agencies shall provide assistance to BHWs in developing and promoting such 
health program or activities and livelihood projects in pursuit of barangay health 
and wellness. 
 
n) Loyalty Award to be given to a BHW for every five (5) years of continuous and 
meritorious service rendered, as certified by the punong barangay concerned 
or by the municipal or city health board. The loyalty award shall be equivalent 
to his one-month honoraria to be taken from the general fund of the barangay 
or as may be subsidized by municipal, city or provincial LGU. This provision 
shall apply upon the effectivity of this Act. 
Barangay health trainees shall be entitled to benefits and incentives as provided in 
paragraphs a), b), c), d) and h).  
 
Such benefits and incentives that shall be shouldered by the LGUs may be increased, 
upon review of the local health board, after considering, among others, the present 
consumer price index (CPI) as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 
 
SECTION 8. Security of Tenure. – The services of accredited barangay health workers 
shall not be terminated even after the term of the punong barangay and sangguniang 
barangay members, except for cause as provided by law and after due process. Provided, 
that if a BHW, upon appeal, is found by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to be unjustly 
dismissed from service, he shall be entitled to reinstatement without loss of benefits and 
incentives from the time of his termination up to the time of his reinstatement. The Civil 
Service Commission shall resolve termination cases against BHWs judiciously not later 
those ninety (90) days from the receipt of a complaint.  
 
SECTION 9. Discrimination Prohibited. – A barangay health worker shall not be 
discriminated against with regard to gender, civil status, creed, religious or political beliefs 
and ethnic groupings in the exercise of their functions.  
 


SECTION 10. Right to Self-Organization. – Barangay health workers have the right to 
freely form, join or assist organizations to obtain redress of their grievances through 
peaceful concerted activities for purposes not contrary to law, and with utmost regard to 
service to patients and the continuous operation of barangay health services in the 
interest of public health, safety or survival of patients.  
 
SECTION 11. Role of Barangay Health Workers. – As one of the key partners in a 
reformed local health care delivery system, the DOH and LGUs shall support the involving 
roles of BHWs in a reformed health system as: 
 
1) Advocate – to support, promote and/or champion current health programs, 
project, and activities (PP As) to improve access to and quality health services 
towards the improved health status of the community; 
 
2) Educator – to guide, advise, counsel the community on the current DOH and 
LGU health priorities as importance of birth plan and facility-based delivery in 
reducing maternal and infant deaths; newborn screening for the early detection 
of congenital metabolic disorders which may leads to mental retardation and 
even death, among others; 
 
3) Disseminator – to remain regular communication with local professional health 
workers (e.g., MHO, PHN, RHM, DOH Rep, Hospital staff) on health events 
and updates and concerns relevant to the community and inform the same to 
catchment HH/community for appropriate action, if necessary; 
 
4) Linker – to facilitate access to or association of the community with a relevant 
network of or specific health and non-health service providers within or even 
outside the BHE catchment, for instance: referral of pregnant women to a 
health facility which basic/ comprehensive emergency obstetric newborn care 
capacity; network with the Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA) for training; 
 
5) Record keeper – to maintain updated lists/records of health data, health 
activities/events in the community, such as buy not limited to data/records on 
FICs, OPT result, GP, pregnancy tracking, pre-natal and post-natal women; 
exclusive breastfeeding mothers, blood-letting activities. 
No BHW shall be utilized or subjected to any partisan political activity. 
 
SECTION 12. Representation in the Local Health Board and Health Care Provider 
Network. – The president of the municipal or city association of BHWs shall be a member 
of the municipal or city local health board. The Presidents of each component city and 
municipality of a province shall elect among themselves the BHW representative to the 
provincial health board. 
 


The BHWs shall also form part of the Health Care Provider Network as may be 
determined by the DOH and LGUs concerned in the implementation of primary health 
care programs and services.  
 
SECTION 13. Local Health Plan. – Local government units are hereby mandated to 
formulate their respective local health plans in harmony with the national health plan 
formulated by the DOH. The BHWs shall actively take part in the formulation, 
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the health plans insofar as primary health 
care programs, projects and activities are concerned.  
 
SECTION 14. Barangay Health Center. – There shall be at least one (1) barangay health 
center which shall have basic and essential facilities and provisions as prescribed by the 
DOH to effectively carry out primary health care programs and services in the barangay.  
 
The BHWs shall provide assistance in the barangay health centers and field school in 
coordination with the city, municipal and provincial health offices. Provided, that the 
barangay health centers shall assist in disaster risk reduction programs. 
 
SECTION 15. Botika sa Barangay. - The DOH shall provide the guidelines in the 
establishment and Management of "Botika sa Barangay" programs and services. The 
DOH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall give appropriate trainings to 
BHWs, in consultation with relevant professional organizations and associations.  
 
The BHWs shall provide assistance to the Botika sa Barangay programs and services 
under the supervision of the city/municipal health officer.  
 
SECTION 16. Education and Information Campaign. – The DOH shall conduct an 
education and information campaign that would enhance the knowledge and skills of 
BHW s on primary health care through various forms including, but not limited to, online 
E-Learning and multi-media, and in major Philippine dialects.  
  
The DOH, in coordination with TESDA and other concerned agencies shall also assist 
the LGUs in the development of education modules or materials to promote the collective 
experiences and learnings of BHWs on primary health care, as well as to promote 
traditional and complementary medicine.  
 
The DOH shall also maintain an updated roster of registered and accredited BHWs that 
is accessible to the general public.  
 
SECTION 17. Funding. – Funds for the benefits and incentives of barangay health 
workers and for the implementation of local health programs, projects and activities, shall 
be allocated from the following sources: 
 
1) Ten percent (10%) of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) for LGUs; 
2) Ten percent (10%) of the LGUs share in the national wealth; 
3) Ten percent (10%) of the tobacco excise tax; 


4) At least ten percent (10%) of the LGUs' incomes derived from local economic 
enterprises (LEE); and, 
5) Ten percent (10%) of the LGUs' incomes derived from the LGUs' own sources 
of revenue and local taxes in accordance with the Local Government Code. 
Provided, that the LGUs concerned shall first fulfill the benefits and incentives due for 
BHW s in accordance with this Act. Provided further, that any expenditure by the LGUs 
for the benefits and incentives of BHWs shall be exempt from the forty-five percent (45%) 
limit on allocation for personal services of LGUs in the case of first to third class LGUs, 
and fifty-five percent (55%) in the case of fourth class or lower class LGUs.  
 
SECTION 18. Penalty Clause. – Any local government official concerned who violates 
any provision of this Act may be administratively charged in accordance with law.  
 
SECTION 19. Rules and Regulation. – The Department of Health and the Department 
of Interior and Local Government, in consultation with the Department of Education, the 
Civil Service Commission, the Government Service Insurance System, and other 
concerned government agencies and non-governmental organizations, shall formulate, 
not later than one hundred eighty days (180) from the effectivity of this Act, the rules and 
regulations necessary for its effective implementation. 
 
SECTION 20. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the 
remainder of any provision hereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. 
 
SECTION 21. Repealing Clause. – Republic Act No. 7883 is hereby repealed. All laws, 
decrees, executive orders, and other presidential issuances which are inconsistent with 
this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 22. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or at least in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.  
Approved, 
 
 
 
Approved,