Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

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TIME:

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6277

HOUSE BILL

Introduced by Honorable MANUEL JOSE M. DALIPE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing
unit of government programs, projects and activities. It is also the forum in which the collective
views of the people in the community may be crystallized and considered. The barangay also
serves as the basic training ground for future leaders of the nation.

The important role of barangays necessitates that measures be adopted to promote the
welfare and prosperity of barangay officials and leaders who play a crucial role in nation
building and, therefore, should be given due recognition for their service to the community.

This proposed measure intends to help barangays better perform their mandate of
delivering basic services to their respective communities in the most efficient, most responsive
and most sustainable manner.

In view thereof, itis proposed that:

1. Barangay officials, including barangay tanods, be considered as regular
government employees with fixed salaries, allowances and other fringe
benefits, including retirement benefits, and membership to Pagibig, Philhealth
and GSIS that regular government employees are entitled to; and

2. Every barangay be provided with basic priorities such as regular supply of

clean and potable water, transport services, schools, health centers and
barangay hall.

Considering the gargantuan power and responsibilities of the barangay, it is high time
that we consider the plight of our undercompensated, and often neglected, barangay workers
and officials.

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

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MANUEL JOSE M. DALPE


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6277
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Honorable MANUEL JOSE M. DALIPE

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This act shall be known as "The Magna Carta for Barangays".

SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to promote, develop and improve
the general welfare of barangay residents, raise the economic and social status of barangay
officials, grant every barangay, the basic facilities for decent, healthy and comfortable living
therein and provide new measures that will ensure its enjoyment of local autonomy for the
effective performance of its role as the primary planning and implementing unit of government
programs, projects and activities, and as a forum in which the collective views of the people in
the community may be crystallized and considered.

SEC 3. General Principles. ~ The following are the general principles of this Act:

The national government shall give more attention to the development of the barangay,
as itis the base of this country's economy.

b, Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to solve its problems at its
level.

. Self-help or people power shall be the guiding principle in all barangay development
projects.

SEC. 4. The Barangay Officials as Regular Government Employees. - The punong
barangay, sangguniang barangay members, the sangguniang kabataan chairman, the barangay
secretary, barangay treasurer, barangay lupon and barangay tanods in all barangays are hereby
declared regular government employees, and, as such; are entitled to fixed salaries, allowances,
insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, membership in Pag-ibig Fund,
Philhealth and GSIS and such other fringe benefits that regular government employees may be
entitled to,

SEC. 5. Salaries of Barangay Officials. — As soon as the appropriate steps and measures are
undertaken by each city or municipality in coordination with the individual barangay involved
‘on matters relating to the sources of fund and the corresponding appropriation ordinance, which
in no case shall be later than six (6) months from the approval hereof, all barangay officials
‘mentioned in paragraph 4 hereof, shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries:

Punong Barangay - An amount equivalent to the salary of a sangguniang bayan member
of his municipality or city


Seven Sangguniang Barangay Members -An amount equivalent to eighty percent (80%)
of the salary of sangguniang bayan member of his municipality or
city

Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer - For each,
an amount equivalent to seventy-five percent (75%) of the salary
of a sangguniang bayan member of his municipality or city

SEC. 6, Barangay Employees. — All employees of barangays shall be entitled to have some
form of compensation such as Representation and Transportation Allowance to be determined
by each barangay according to their capacity but in no case lower than the minimum daily wage
Jaw as per ceilings set by the respective Regional Wage Board. They shall also be provided
with medical/dental benefits or health insurance.

SEC. 7. Drinking Water for Every Barangay. ~ It is the right of every barangay to have a
regular supply of clean and potable water. To attain this goal, every city or municipality, as the
case may be, is hereby required to construct and/or maintain at least one deep well with
pumping device for drawing drinking water to supply the needs of every one thousand residents
for each barangay within its jurisdiction.

SEC. 8. Transportation for Every Barangay. —It is also the right of every barangay to have
public transportation available at least once a day. For this purpose, every municipality or city,
as the case may be, should make such necessary representations before the appropriate
government agencies to require public utility companies operating within its jurisdiction to
provide the minimum means of transportation in every barangay

SEC. 9. Schools, Health Centers and Barangay Halls for the Barangays. - Every barangay
is entitled to have at least one elementary school, provided that there shall be at least one high
school for every five (5) kilometers from the barangay center. It shall also be the right of every
barangay to have one health center and one barangay hall.

SEC. 10. Priority in Employment. ~ Residents in every barangay shall have the priority in
the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any government construction or development
projects within the barangay

SEC. 11. Cooperative Enterprise. — Cooperative enterprises in the barangay shall be
encouraged and every barangay is directed to give full assistance for the establishment and
organization of said enterprises and to take every possible effort to make cooperative
undertakings a way of life in the barangay.

SEC. 12. Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Department of Interior and Local
Government shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act. Rules and Regulations issued pursuant to this Section shall take effect
thirty (30) days after publication in a national newspaper of general circulation and by such
other means as the Secretary of Local Government deems reasonably sufficient to give
interested parties general notice of such issuance.

SEC. 13. Budgetary Estimates. - The Secretary of Department of Interior and Local
Government shall submit to the Congress the necessary budgetary estimates to implement the
provisions of this Act conceming the allowances, insurance, medical and dental, retirement
benefits and other fringe benefits of barangay officials.

SEC. 14, Penal Provisions. — Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain or coerce
any barangay official or barangay resident in the exercise of his or their rights guaranteed by
this Act or who shall in any other manner commit any act to defeat any of the provisions of this
‘Act shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more
than two thousand pesos, or by imprisonment of six months and one day, or both, subject to the

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discretion of the court. If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his dismissal
from the government service.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. — All Acts and decrees, executive orders; implementing rules and
regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act arc hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. — If any provisions of this Act are declared invalid, the
remainder or any provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect upon its publication in two national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,