13.AuG 2013 ©

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS ) q
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) \
FIRST REGULAR SESSION ) \

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Introduced by Representative Rufus 8. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No,_2402

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill mandates the inclusion of day care workers among public health workers
who have certain rights and privileges under the law.

Republic Act No. 7305 or the “Magna Carla of Public Health Workers” is the law
governing the rights and privileges of public health workers in the country. Under the said
law, public health workers are defined as all persons who are engaged in health and health-
related work, and all persons employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, health centers, rural health
units, barangay health stations, clinics and other health-related establishments owned and
operated by the Government or its political subdivisions with original charters and shall
include allied health professional, administrative and support personnel employed regardless
of their employment status.

This law does not include day care workers whose positions are created under
Republic Act No. 6972 or An Act Establishing a Day Care Center in Every Barangay,
Instituting Therein a Total Development and Protection of Children Program, Appropriating
Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes. Said law provides that barangay day care workers
in accredited day care centers shall receive a monthly allowance of not less than five
Hundred Pesos (P500.00) to be charged to the annual appropriations of the Department of
Social Welfare and Development. Since the decentralization of basic health and social
services in 1990, the local government unit is directly responsible for the management and
operation of day-care centers and the compensation of day care workers.

As of 2000, there were 32,787 day-care centers in 41,943 barangays all over the
country. This is an improvement from year 1998 when 26.7 per cent of the barangays did
not have day care centers. Day care workers are not only confined in taking care of their
wards. They likewise assist the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
during calamities and facilitate the referral of cases of child abuse to the Department. The
compensation provided for by law is no longer commensurate to the tasks they perform and
the responsibilities they hold.

This bill addresses that need by amending Sections 3 and 22 of Republic Act No.
7305 to include day care workers under the enumeration on who are public health workers.
This would effectively address the meager allowance presently received by day care workers
and give them the recognition that has long been due them.

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

RUFUS 8. RODRIGUEZ

MAXIMO B/ Wy eves, JR.

CPM,



SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No__2402

AN ACT
TO UPHOLD THE RIGHTS AND PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF DAY CARE WORKERS
BY CONSIDERING THEM PART OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MAGNA CARTA OF
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta of
Public Health Workers’, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 3. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, “health
workers" shall mean all persons who are engaged in health
and health-related work, and all persons employed in all
hospitals, sanitaria, health infirmaries, health centers, rural
health units, barangay health stations, DAY CARE
CENTERS, clinics and 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
employment status.

SECTION 2. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta of
Public Health Workers’, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 22. Subsistence Allowance. - Public health workers
Who are required to render service within the premises of
hospitals, sanitaria, health infirmaries, main health centers,
tural health units and barangay health stations, DAY
CARE CENTERS or clinics, and other health-related
establishments in order to make their services available at
any and all times, shall be entitled to full subsistence
allowance of three (3) meals which may be computed in
accordance with prevailing circumstances as determined
by the Secretary of Health in consultation with the
Management Health Workers’ Consultative Councils, as
established under Section 33 of this Act: Provided, That
representation and travel allowance shall be given to rural
health physicians as enjoyed by municipal agriculturists,
municipal planning and development officers and budget
officers.


SEC. 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the remainder of
this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and their
implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly,

SEC. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least
two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,