REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 6629

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN IIL

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XII, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides:

“The State 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.”

In faithful observance of the abovementioned constitutional mandate, Republic Act No. 7160
provides that among the services devolved to local government units is the administration of health
and social services. Barangays then are responsible for the efficient and effective primary healthcare
services delivered through barangay health and daycare centers. However, RA 7160 does not
mandate the appointment of full-time health workers which would ensure that all barangays are able
to avail of the services rendered by the government.

This bill seeks to guarantee that every barangay will have a proportionate number of full-time
health workers with proper accreditation from the local health board. Furthermore, barangay health
workers will also be entitled to allowances and other benefits accorded to appointed barangay
officials. More importantly, our barangay health workers will have security of tenure.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

MANUEL. ABOCHAN IT
Representative
Magdalo Para Sa Pilipino Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5629

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS IN EVERY
BARANGAY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 7160, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991, FURTHER EXPANDING
THE BENEFITS OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS 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 “Barangay Health Workers
Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — Pursuant to Article XIII, Section 11 of the 1987
Philippine Constitution, the State hereby declares the policy of according utmost importance to the
health needs of the nation and shall henceforth endeavor to make essential goods, health, and other
social services available to all the people at affordable cost. Toward this end, the State shall ensure
that accessible and quality health services are extended to each individual through the barangay
health workers as the primary channel for implementing the State’s health policies down to the
barangay health needs, the State shall guarantee the appointment of a health worker in every
barangay as frontline health workers.

SEC. 3. Coverage. — The provisions of this Act shall be applicable to all barangay health
workers accredited to act as such by the local health board in accordance with guidelines issued by
the Department of Health (DOH). For the purposes of this Act, the term barangay health worker
shall refer to a person who has undergone training program under any accredited government or
non-government organization primarily to render health care services.

SEC. 4. Section 387 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government
Code of 1991, as amended, shall be further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 387. Chief Officials and Officers. — (a) There shall be in each barangay a punong
barangay, seven (7) sangguniang barangay members, the sangguniang kabataan chairman, a
barangay secretary, [and] a barangay treasurer, AND AT LEAST FIVE (5) BARANGAY
HEALTH WORKERS: PROVIDED, THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF


BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS PER BARANGAY SHALL IN NO CASE BE
MORE THAN 1% OF THE BARANGAY’S TOTAL POPULATION.”

SEC. 5. A new provision shall be inserted between Sections 395 and 396 of the same Act to

be denominated as Section 395-A, which shall read as follows:

“SEC. 395-A. APPOINTMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS OF BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS — THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER AS ACCREDITED AND
RECOMMENDED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR CITY HEALTH BOARD IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7883,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS AND
BENEFITS ACT OF 1995, SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR
CITY MAYOR OF THE AREA WHERE SUCH BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER
WILL BE APPOINTED IS LOCATED. A BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER
SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ALLOWANCES AND SUCH OTHER BENEFITS TO
WHICH OTHER APPOINTED BARANGAY OFFICIALS MAY BE ENTITLED TO.
NO PERSON DULY APPOINTED AS A BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER SHALL
BE REMOVED EXCEPT FOR VALID CAUSE AS PROVIDED UNDER EXISTING
CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND ONLY AFTER DUE NOTICE
AND HEARING.”

SEC. 6. Section 393, paragraphs (a) and (b) of the Local Government Code of the

Philippines, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 393. Benefits of Barangay Officials. —

(a) Barangay Officials, including barangay tanods and members of the
lupongtagamapayapa, shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as
may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal, or city ordinance in accordance with
the provisions of this Code, but in no case shall it be less than One Thousand Pesos
(P1,000.00) per month for the punong barangay and six hundred pesos (P600.00) per
month for the punong barangay and Six Hundred Pesos (P600.00) per month for the
sangguniang barangay members, barangay treasurer, [and] barangay secretary, AND
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS: Provided, however that the annual
appropriations for personal services shall be subject to the budgetary limitations
prescribed under Title Five, Book II of this Code; PROVIDED FURTHERMORE,
THAT THE BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THIS CODE SHALL BE WITHOUT
PREJUDICE TO THE APPLICATION OF AND ENTITLEMENT TO THER
INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS MAY BE
PROVIDED BY LAW SUCH AS REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6492 AND REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS AND INCENTIVES ACT.

(b) The punong barangay, the sangguniang barangay members, the barangay treasurer, [and]
the barangay secretary AND THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS shall also:


XXX”

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Department of Interior and Local
Government, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, shall within ninety (90) days from
the enactment of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of
this Act.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other parts not otherwise affected shall remain in full effect and force.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect immediately after its complete publication
in at least two newspapers of general publication.

Approved,