Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Midwives play a key role in delivering patient-focused services that are accessible, affordable 
and appropriate to the needs of patients, as individuals, and their families. Midwives comprise 
one of the largest occupational groups in the public and private health system in the Philippines. 
They work in the private or public sector in hospitals, birthing clinics, barangay health stations, 
or rural health units. In the rural areas, they are the first point of contact for patients coming 
into the health system. Truly, the midwifery profession is central to the delivery of an effective 
health service, particularly in the rural areas. 
Having said that, the increased community presence of midwives in rural areas is a step 
towards strengthening primary healthcare and ensuring the adequacy of professional healthcare 
practitioners in rural areas.  
This bill thus mandates to provide one midwife in each barangay. Although the recommended 
ratio is one midwife for every 5,000, most midwives currently cater to the needs of 10,000-
30,000 individuals in their catchment area. Recognizing the importance of primary healthcare 
and the presence of midwives in the country, especially in the rural areas, the bill further seeks 
to increase the number of midwives in a barangay where there is a population of more than 
5,000. This will enable the midwives to provide quality and efficient healthcare services.  
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. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
May 14, 2021
5:10 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT  
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE MIDWIFE FOR EACH BARANGAY, 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 “Midwife to the Barangay Act”. 
Sec. 2. Statement of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to 
health of the people. The State shall provide appropriate programs and measures to provide 
access to affordable and quality health and social services, especially in rural areas. The 
services of midwives, as front liners in the country's health care delivery system, are essential in 
achieving the State's health policy, especially with regard to pre-natal and post-natal maternal, 
and newborn, care. Toward this end, this Act shall mandate the appointment of midwives for 
each barangay to increase access to health care services for the people, especially the 
underprivileged.  
Sec. 3. Ratio of Midwives to the Barangay. – All barangays shall be equipped with one (1) 
midwife; Provided, That if the population of a barangay exceeds five thousand (5,000), the 
number of midwives shall be increased, as determined by the Department of Health (DOH).  
Sec. 4. Role of Midwives to the Barangay. – All Midwives to the Barangay are mandated to 
ensure that mothers and infants, in their respective jurisdictions, are given quality and essential 
health care services, including, but not limited to, pre-natal and post-natal care, breastfeeding 
support, providing information on the importance of immunization and ensuring that infants are 
given the proper vaccines as provided in the DOH Expanded Program on Immunization, and 
proper care and nutrition of both the mothers and the infants, and such other duties as shall be 
determined by the DOH.  
Sec. 5. Appointment of Midwives to the Barangay. – Every city, first and second-class 
municipality, in accordance with the Local Government Code of Philippines, shall appoint a 
midwife in their respective barangays: Provided, That for third to sixth class municipalities 
under first and second class provinces, the province shall appoint a midwife in every clustered 
barangay: Provided further, That for third to sixth class municipalities under third to sixth class 
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provinces, the DOH, through its center for health development, shall appoint a midwife in every 
clustered barangay. DOH shall immediately determine which areas are in need of midwives. 
Priority in appointments shall be given to remote areas where there are no existing healthcare 
professionals providing for the healthcare services of the population and areas which have high 
maternal mortality rate.  
 
Sec. 6. Qualifications of Midwives to the Barangay. – The DOH shall provide for the 
qualifications of the Midwife to the Barangay, who shall, as much as possible, come from the 
same barangay or municipality where he or she will be appointed.  
 
Sec. 7. Basic Emergency Obstetric care. – The DOH shall ensure that the midwives are 
equipped with Basic Emergency Obstetric Care. It shall also determine, subject to guidelines 
that it may issue, the need to further provide these midwives with training on Comprehensive 
Emergency Obstetric Care.  
 
Sec. 8. Compensation and Benefits. – All Midwives to the Barangay shall be appropriately 
compensated by the DOH and shall be entitled to all the benefits provided in Republic Act No. 
7305, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta of Public Health Workers.” 
  
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulation. – The DOH, in cooperation with the 
Department of Interior and Local Government, the Civil Service Commission, and other 
concerned government agencies and non-government organizations, shall formulate and 
promulgate, within ninety days (90) from its effectivity, the rules and regulations necessary to 
implement this Act. 
 
Sec. 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act 
shall be charged against the appropriations of the DOH. For the LGUs, the requirements shall be 
taken from their internal revenue allotment and other local funds. Thereafter, such funds as 
may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the 
appropriations of the DOH and the respective LGUs.  
 
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, and other presidential 
issuances which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly.  
 
Sec. 13. Effectivity. – This Act takes effect immediately after its publication in at least two (2) 
national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,