Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bit No, 6696

INTRODUCED BY: REPRESENTATIVE MARISOL C. PANOTES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill secks to institutionalize Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in every barangay
throughout the country

The important role played by BHWs in delivering frontline health care services even to
the remotest barangays in the country has reached both houses of Congress in 1995, when it
enacted into law Republic Act No. 7883 which granted incentives and benefits, like Hazard
Allowance, Subsistence Allowance and other non-monetary benefits to them. It is however, a
reality that the incentives and benefits granted under the aforementioned law were not even
sufficient for their daily sustenance because their benefits are left to the determination by the
local health board. They were even often subjected to political persecution for the reason that they
are unjustly terminated upon the change of barangay administration wasting in the process their
years of training and experience in the field of health care selivery

It is therefore just and proper for these hardworking very important workers of the
barangays that their efforts must be given due recognition by way of granting incentives and
benefits that will properly motivate them to work doubly harder

It is worthy to mention that the government began to train BHWs to fill the vacuum left
by doctors and nurses. who opted to look for greener pasture abroad, which had resulted in what,
was then called the “brain-drain”. These BHWs, who perform vital functions in the delivery of
frontline health services to the people in every barangay. including far-flung barangays, have
been doing multi-tasks serving as a leader, as a teacher, and as a service provider, to attend to the
immediate needs of the barangay

The noble objective of this bill is not only to grant security of tenure to accredited BHWs
but also to provide a monthly honorarium in the amount equivalent to not less than the minimum
‘wage of workers in a particular locality in addition to their hazard and subsistence allowances and
other non-monetary benefits granted under existing laws, These BHW’s shall only be terminated
for cause or upon reaching the retirement age of sixty-five (65) years. Under this situation, the
experience and trainings they had accumulated over the years will not go down the drain to the
‘great benefit of the people in the barangay

‘The foregoing reasons warrant the approval of this bill

MARISOL C. PANOTES
Representative
Second District, Camarines Norte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6696

INTRODUCED BY: REPRESENTATIVE MARISOL C. PANOTES

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS — (BHWs),
PROVIDING A MONTHLY HONORARIUM, IN ADDITION TO INCENTIVES AND
BENEFITS GRANTED UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7883 AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Institutionalization of Barangay Health Workers (BHW’s). - The
Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) is hereby institutionalized.

SEC. 2. Number of BHW’s. - Each barangay with a population of not more than three
(3) thousand shall have one (1) BHW.

‘The number of BHW’s in a barangay with a population of more than three thousand shall
be determined by the Punong Barangay, with the concurrence of the Sangguniang Barangay, but
in no case shall be more than three (3) BHW’s.

SEC. 3. Appointment. - The BHW shall be appointed by the Punong Barangay subject to
existing laws on appointment

SEC. 4, Security of Tenure. ~ The BHW shall only be terminated for cause or upon
reaching the age of sixty-five (65) years

SEC. 5. Honorarium, Incentives and Benefits. ~ The BHW’s shall be entitled to a
monthly honorarium in the amount equivalent to not less than the minimum wage of workers in a
particular locality in addition to their hazard and subsistence allowances and other non-monetary
benefits granted under Republic Act No. 7883

SEC. 6. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be charged
against the appropriations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) of the
year following its enactment into law and thereafter.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
Which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly

‘SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation

Approved,