and KABATAAN Party-List Representative SARAH JANE I. ELAGO.

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS,
PROVIDING FOR THEIR EDUCATION AND TRANING,

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES,
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The State has the primary responsibilty for people's sight to health. ‘This is guaranteed in the
Philippine Constitution provision that “the state shall protect and promote the right to health of
the people and instill health consciousness among them™ and shall “adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods,
health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority
for the needs of the under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall
also endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers."”

In the Philippines, even before the 1978 Alma Ata Primary Health Care Declaration, many non-
government organizations (NGOs), had taken the lead in training community health workers and
providing health services in the communities. The government later on joined the bandwagon to
train barangay health workers (BHWs)?

‘Community health workers and/or BHWs are integral part at of health service provision at the
community level as they provide basic health care services to the community. They provide first
aid, collect vital statistics, maintain records, and make reports; participate in community meetings’
provide assistance to health center activities like nutrition education, monitoring and feeding;
immunization education, monitoring, and dispensing family planning services, sanitation and

! ‘Philippine Constitution, Anicle I, Section 15


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“This bill, secks to give our Barangay Health Workers the due recognition that they deserve by
‘granting them a compensation and benefits package, 2s well 2s security of tenure and free education
and training programs for barangay health workers.

‘Such would not only encourage more people to become BHWs but would also contribute to the
improvement of community health services and better people’s health.

8% — The immediate passage of this bill, thus, is earnestly sought.
9

saueun=

11 Approved,

R

B

4

1s

16

17

18

9 REP, INAND R. GAITE

20 Bayan Muna Partylist

21

22

2B .

24

26 ——.

26 =REP. . REP. EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT
27 Bayan Mama Parfylist Bayan Muna Partylist

28

2»

30

3

32

33. REP. CASTRO D. BROSAS
34 AGA Teathers Partylist RIEL A Women’s Party
35

36

37

38

39

40 REP. LELAGO


of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. ©562

Introduced by
BAYAN MUNA Representatives FERDINAND R. GAITE,
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE and EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Representative ARLENE D. BROSAS
and KABATAAN Party-List Representative SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS,
PROVIDING FOR THEIR EDUCATION AND TRANING,
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES,
‘COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1 Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Barangay Health Workers Act of
2020."

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.

‘The State recognizes the rights and vital role of barangay health workers (BHW) who are among

of equal pay for equal work and work of equal value.
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — AS used in this Act:

2) Barangay Health Worker (BHW) shall refer to a person who is appointed to act as a
health worker in a barangay unit in accordance with Section 4 hereof

1b) Magna Carta far Public Health Workers shall refer to Republic Act No. 7305; and

©) Public Health Worker (PHW) shall be as defined in Section 3 of the Magna Carta for

Public Health Workers as referring to all persons who are engaged in health and
health-related work, all persons employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, health


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

status.

SECTION 4. Appointment of Barangay Health Workers. — There shall be appointed in each
barangay such number of BHWs as the Department of Health (DOH) shall determine and
recommend in consideration of the number of households in a barangay; Provided, That the
total number of BHWs per barangay shall not be less than three (3), nor more than one percent

(1%) of the barangay’s total population.
‘The DOH shall appoint the BHWs in each barangay.

All active and existing barangay health workers accredited by the local health board under
Republic Act No. 7883 shall be given preference in the appointment of BHWs pursuant to this
‘Act.

SECTION 5. Six-Month Education and Training Program for Barangay Health Workers. —
‘The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the University of the Philippines, shall
develop a competency-based education and training curriculum for all barangay health workers.
‘The curriculum shall train the community health workers as healthcare provider, community
organizer, health service manager, trainer and educator, and researcher. It shall include basic
orientation and training on health programs and institutionalized health service delivery system,
writing and communication skills, and program planning and development. Courses on basic
dental care, reproductive health, STI and HIV/AIDS prevention, nutrition, physical therapy,
traditional and herbal medicine and reflexology shall be offered.

SECTION 6. Accreditation and Competency Assessment. — Ebapreerercaee

‘competency

provided that this requirement shall be waived for those who have served as Barangay Health
Workers for five (5) or more years. Only those who have passed the assessment test or have
served as BHWs for five years or more will be accredited. The Provincial Health Board, with
the participation of TESDA, PhilHealth, and accredited training NGOs, is hereby mandated to
‘carry out the accreditation of Barangay Health Workers.

SECTION 7. Program Cost and Cost Sharing for Local Government Units. The basic
Education and Training Program shall be offered free of charge. Local governments shall
a ee eee aren Oa

‘of the basic course on Barangay Health Work depending on the income
anes peeeee

SECTION 8. Duties and Responsibilities. — ‘The BHWS shall perform in their respective
barangays the followings duties and responsibilities:

2) Those which the DOH, or the city, municipal or barangay sanggunian shall provide
by ordinance, subject to the guidelines to be promulgated jointly by the DOH and
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), in connection with the


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delivery of basic and primary health care services, the implementation of family
planning, feeding and nutrition, and immunization programs, disaster response and
mitigation, sanitation programs, and anti-drug abuse rehabilitation and information
‘campaigns, and the establishment of national or local health management
information systems;

D) Provide assistance to physicians, dentists, nurses, nutritionists, or midwives who are
stationed, of are otherwise providing services at the barangay health
center, daycare center or birthing center,

©) Administer first-aid, home remedies, provide health education, and respond in natural
calamities and disaster, and

@) Gather data about the health profile of the barangay, incidence of communicable or
chronic diseases, environmental or health hazards in the barangay, and other public
health-relevant event or information, and report the same to the local health board,

Provided that, all the necessary equipment and supplies needed by the BHWs in the performance
of their roles shall be provided for by the LGUs through the local health board.

Provided, further, that no BHW shall be made to perform or be involved in any partisan political
oo

SECTION 9. Compensation and Benefits. —The entry pay level of a BHW shall be the
prevailing rate equivalent to Salary Grade 1 (SG 1).

BHWs shall also be entitled to the following standards, incentives, and benefits
provided for Public Health Workers under the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers:

2) Normal hours of work;

b) Overtime pay for overtime work;
Rest day;

@) Nightshift differential;

©) Hazard allowance;

Further, BHW shall be covered by the existing statutory benefits such as GSIS,
Philhealth, and Pag-IBIG, as such, the total number of years served as barangay health
‘worker shall be credited to his/her service in computing retirement benefits. BHWs shall be
cntitled to the following additional benefits:

a) Free Legal Services— Legal representation and consultation services for barangay
health workers shall be immediately provided by the Public Attomeys’ 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


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SECTION 16. Non- diminution of benefits. — Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
liminate or in any way diminish entitlements, or other benefits being provided to or enjoyed by
BHWs under Republic Act No. 7883 or other laws and issuances.

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:

|. Ten percent (10%) of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) for LGUs;

“Ten percent (10%) of the LGUs share in the national wealth;

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‘Ten percent (10%) of the tobacco excise tax;

*

|. Atleast 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 concemed shall first fulfill the benefits and incentives due for BHWs in
accordance with this Act. Provided further, that any expenditure by the LGUs for the benefits
and incentives of BHW 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
(65%) in the case of fourth class or lower class LGUs.

SECTION 18. Penalty Clause. - Any local government official concemed who violates any
provision of this Act may be administratively charged in accordance with law.

SECTION 19. Rules and Regulation. - The Department of Health, the Department of
Interior and Local Government, Civil Service Commission, the Government Service Insurance
government agencies and non-government

ee eager Gea nh Cone ac ae of as A ec aks caso eos eceooy
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. Fffectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Apprend,