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

HOUSE BILL NO. _6009

Introduced by: REP. SALVADOR A. PLEYTO, SR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

When the first Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in the 16th century, they found
well-organized independent villages called barangays. It is the smallest administrative and
political subdivision in the Philippines since then.

Section 384 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) declares that, “as the
basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of
government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community, and as a
forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and
considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled”.

As such, the barangay and its officials should be empowered and entitled with a
Magna Carta to motivate them further in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.
This will also recognize our barangay officials as regular government employees with fixed
salaries and other benefits.

This measure also calls for the promotion of the welfare of the barangays with the
provision of basic services and facilities such as regular supply of clean and potable water,
public transportation, schools, health centers and barangay halls. Residents shall have the
priority in the hiring of workers in government projects within the barangay. Cooperative
‘enterprises shall also be encouraged.

In view thereof, passage of this bill is eamestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _ 6009

—)7
Introduced by: REP. SALVADOR A. PLEYTO, SR.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS AND.
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

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

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for
Barangays”.

SEC.2 Declaration of Policy — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to provide
efficient, effective and economical governance, the purpose of which is the general welfare of
the local communities (barangay) and all its inhabitants pursuant to the Local Government
Code.

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

a) The national government shall give more attention to the development of the
barangays, as they are the country’s basic political units.

b) Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to handle its concern
on its level. And

¢) 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 Iupon and barangay tanods in all barangays are
hereby declared regular government employees, and, as such, are entitled to the salary,
emoluments, allowances, and benefits, such as but not limited to insurance, medical and
dental coverage, retirement benefits and all the other fringe benefits to which a regular
government employee 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, the following barangay officials 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

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

city
Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson For each, an amount equivalent to
Barangay Secretary seventy-five (75%) of the salary of a
Barangay Treasurer 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 (RATA)
to be determined by each barangay according to their capacity but in no case lower than the
minimum daily wage law 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 maybe, should make such necessary representations before the appropriate
government agencies to require.

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 the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG) 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 DILG deems reasonably sufficient to
give interested parties general notice of such issuance.

SEC. 13. Budgetary Estimates — The Secretary of DILG shall submit to Congress the
necessary budgetary estimates to implement the provisions of this Act concerning 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 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 degrees, executive orders, implementing
rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 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 — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,