Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.__1366

Introduced by Represeniative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

AN ACT CREATING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER EDUCATION
TRAINING PROGRAM, INCREASING COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS
FOR BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS (BHWs), APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THERFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under the Constitution, the State is mandated to adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development with the goal of making essential goods,
health, and other social services available to all its citizens at an affordable cost.

Our Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) play
a critical role in the advancement of the country’s health and human development agenda, as
they provide front-line health services at the community level and act as health educators,
community organizers, and primary care providers within their local villages. Due to the
recognized lack of doctors and nurses in rural areas, BH Ws are often called upon to provide a
wide-array of information te constituents, administer first-aid and preventive care, as well as
become emergency responders in times of calamity.

Given their importance, it is disappointing that barangays in far-flung rural areas have
only one or two volunteer BHWs to meet the health needs of the barangay residents. This
despite there being at least 219,433 active BHWs in the country spread out across 42,028
barangay ‘idered volunteers, and the law does
not prescribe a fixed allowance for them nor do they enjoy security of tenure or retirement
benefits.

This proposed bill seeks to prescribe a fixed monthly compensation and an Education
and Training Program for BHWs to assist them in developing further their skills and in
acquiring new knowledge. Through this bi, we will be able te develop deserving BHWs into
skilled medical professionals and ensure a continuous supply of health workers to respond to
the needs of their communities.

The immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._1366

Introduced

Representative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

AN ACT CREATING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER EDUCATION AND
TRAINING PROGRAM, INCREASING COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS
FOR BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS (BHWs), APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THERFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Seetion i. Short Titie. — This Act shall be known as the “Barangay Health Worker
Act”.

Section 2, Declaration of Principles. — It is the policy of the State to 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 furtherance of this, the State shall endeavor to provide accessible and quality health
services through barangay health workers as front-liners in community-based health
interventions.

Section 3. Coverage. — The provisions of this Act shall be applicable to all barangay
health workers under Republic Act No. 7883. For the purposes of this Act, the term barangay
health worker shall refer to a person who @ a training program under any
accredited government or non-government organization primarily to render health care
services, pursuant to Republic Act No. 7883.

Section 4. Six-month Education and Training Program for Community-based
Health Workers. — The Department of Health in coordination with the University of the
ippines, shall develop a competency-based education and training curriculum for all
barangay health workers. The curriculum shall train community health workers as healthcare
providers, community organizers, health service managers, trainers and educators, and
It shall include besic orientation and training on hy Programs and
institutionalized health service delivery sysiem, primary healthcare, basic community
organizing, local health research, social health insurance navigation, basic local resource
generation and mobilization, training needs analysis, basic report writing and communication
skills, and program planning and development. Courses on basic dental care, reproductive
th, STI and HIV tion, nutrition, phy: ic life support,



traditional and herbal medicine and reflexology shall also be offered. Such program shall be
credited as units earned in higher education institutions with stepladder curricula that will
entitle BBHWs to upgrade their skills and knowledge for community work or to pursue
further training as midwives, pharmacists, nurses or doctors.

Section 5. Acereditation and Competency Assessment. - The Department of
Health, in coordination with local governments and the Civil Service Commission, shall
conduct a competency assessment test upon completion of the Education and Training
Program, provided that this requirement shal! be waived for those who have served as
Barangay Health Workers for at least five (5) years. Only those who have passed the
assessment test or have served as BHWs for at least five (5) years 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 6. Program Cost and Cost Sharing for Local Government Units. — The
basic Education and Training Program shall be offered free of charge. Local government
Units shall adopt a cost-sharing financing scheme with the National Government through the
DOH for the implementation of the basic course on Barangay Health Work depending on the
income level of the concerned local government units.

Section 7. Compensation and Other Incentives. — All accredited Barangay Health
Workers shall be entitled to a monthly basic pay of six thousand pesos (P6,000.00). They
shall likewise be entitled to the incentives and benefits provided under the Magna Carta for
Public Health Workers and shall be covered by all existing statutory benefits such as PAG-
IBIG, GSIS and PhilHealth. In addition, they shall be given burial and disability assistance in
h results to disability, especially if
such occurs in the duration of his service. A regular adjustment in monetary and other non-
monetary incentives shall be made to help improve the living condition of Barangay Health
Workers.

A BHW who has served for less than five (5) years upon the passage of this Act will be given
a pro-rated amor d on years of service.

Section 8. Compensation based on PhilHealth Utilization. — PhilHealth is directed
to develop a compensation package for accredited BHWs based on PhilHealth utilization for
programs, including but not limited to, social health insurance navigation, maternal neonatal
child health care and nutrition, primary care packages, rehabilitation, and recovery of senior
citizens and Persons with Disability (PWD), provided that compensation received from
PhilHealth will be over and al ly basic pay.

Section 9. Mandatory Continuing Community-based Health Education. — The
DOH, in cooperation with TESDA, shall formulate a module for Mandatory Continuing
Comn based Health Education HE), Each accredited BHW will be required to
undergo an MCCHE at least every three (3) years of active service, or as warranted by the
DOH.

Section 10. Implementing Agencies. — Within one (1) year from the effectivity of
this Act, the TESDA and DOH, with the participation of various health union representatives



shall formulate, finalize and launch the BHW education training program, assessment, and
national certification program. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG),
DOH, LGUs and other appropriate government agencies, with the participation of various
health union representatives shall provide the Implementing Rules and Regulations necessary
to carry out the provisions of this Act. The Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be
published in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general

Section 11. Appropriation. — An initial allocation of Fifty Million pesos
(P50,000,000.00) shall be included in the General Appropriations Act to support the policies
and objectives under this Act. Congress shall provide subsequent approp
budget of the Department of Health from sin tax revenues.

Section 12. Non-dimi fits, — Nothing in this law shall be construed to
eliminate 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, at the time of the
promulgation of this Act.

Section 13. Separability Clause. — Should any provision of this Act be declared
unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected thereby shall remain valid and operational.

Section 14. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, circulars, issuances, rules

and regulations and parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed,
amended, or modified accordingly.

Section 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation in the
Philippines.

Approved,