Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3123

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: REP. ROMERO “MIRO” S. QUIMBO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Local Government Code devolved the delivery of health care services to
the local government units (LGU), aiming for self reliant LGUs which would deliver
more direct and immediate health care services to the people. In the devolved set
up, local government units are tasked to deliver primary and secondary health care
services. And at the forefront of primary health care delivery are the barangay
health workers or BHWs.

At the grassroots where medical practitioners are far in between, BHWs are
tasked with information dissemination on child and maternal health care programs
and provision of initial response to health risks. It is thus safe to say that our
government’s primary responder to any health problem and primary advocate of
health prevention is the barangay health worker. They surge into the farthest
areas to perform their duties, heedless of the perils along the way. As front-liners,
BHWs are entrusted with primary health care delivery but the benefits and
incentives they receive are not commensurate with the heavy responsibilities they
bear.

Republic Act 7883 or the Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives
Act of 1995 allowed for the institutionalization of remunerations for our BHWs but
the law has to be updated to be in step with present realities. Apart from the
hazard and subsistence allowances enshrined in RA 7883, our BHWs nationwide
receive somewhere between P100 to P2,000 monthly honorarium depending on the
discretion of the local leaders. Although BHWs are categorized as volunteers, such
irregular and measly amount does not give them the dignity and recognition they
deserve for the valuable work they do. Having to depend on the whims of the local
leaders for the amount of their honorarium further demoralize the BHWs as they
are often at the mercy of politicians and are often caught in political clashes.

‘This bill aims to rectify such gaps by providing for a fixed monthly
honorarium for all accredited BHWs. This bill also seeks to expand the benefits
and incentives under RA 7883 by adding provisions for cash gift, separation pay,
and disability benefit.

In support of around 220,000 accredited barangay health workers in the
country, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought,

=
= ‘ROMERO “1 ‘S. QUIMBO
€presentative

Second District, Marikina City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSEBLLNO. 3123

Introduced by: REP. ROMERO “MIRO” S. QUIMBO

AN ACT GRANTING A FIXED MONTHLY HONORARIA AND ADDITIONAL
BENEFITS TO ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AMENDING FOR
THIS PURPOSE SECTION 6 OF REPUBLIC ACT 7883 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS

THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS’ BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES ACT OF
1995

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

SECTION 1. Section 6 of Republic Act 7883 otherwise known as the “Barangay
Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995” is hereby amended to read as
follows:

Section 6. Incentives and Benefits. - In recognition of their service, all
accredited barangay health workers who are actively and regularly performing
their duties shall be entitled to the following incentives and benefits:

a) HONORARIA - ALL ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS SHALL
BE ENTITLED TO A FIXED MONTHLY HONORARIA OF FOUR THOUSAND
PESOS (P4,000.00).

b) CASH GIFT — ALL ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS SHALL
RECEIVE A CASH GIFT OF TWO THOUSAND PESOS (P2,000.00) TO BE
GIVEN EVERY DECEMBER.

) SEPARATION PAY - ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS WHO
HAVE SERVED FOR TEN (10) YEARS AND ABOVE SHALL BE ENTITLED
TO TWO THOUSAND PESOS (2,000.00) FOR EVERY YEAR OF SERVICE.

d) DISABILITY BENEFIT - ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS
WHO SUSTAIN INJURY OR SICKNESS ARISING OUT OF AND IN THE
COURSE OF PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO TWO
THOUSAND PESOS (P2,000.00) FOR EVERY YEAR OF SERVICE.

e) Hazard Allowance - 90x

SECTION 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health, in
cooperation with the Department of Interior and Local Government, and other
concerned government agencies, shall formulate, within one hundred eighty days
(180) from its effectivity, the rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act.

SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
shall remain valid and subsisting.


SECTION 4. Repealing Clause -- All laws, issuances or any part thereof
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. Effectivity -- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,