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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.1842

Introduced by Representative LEILA M. DE LIMA

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is a declared policy of the State to uphold the right to health of the Filipino
people, as mandated by Article XIII, Section 11 of the Constitution, which reads:

SECTION 11. The State shall 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.

The World Health Organization prescribes a ratio of 10 doctors and 10 nurses
per 10,000 persons.’ However, in the Philippines, the nationwide ratio is 3.7 doctors
and 8.2 nurses per 10,000 Filipinos. Furthermore, the distribution of doctors and
nurses throughout the country remains skewed, which means remote, geographically
isolated or impoverished areas and regions have even worse ratios, with 0.8 doctors
per 10,000 Filipinos in BARMM® and 1 doctor per 40,680 Filipinos in the Davao

region.

In response to the human resource crisis in the health sector, barangay health
workers (BHWs) have become increasingly utilized and significant in the delivery of
health services within the most basic political units of barangays, especially in remote

+ UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team. (20 April 2020). Estimating Local Healthcare Capacity to
Deal with COVID-19 Case Surge: Analysis and Recommendations. Retrieved fro

https:/up. edu. ph/estimating-local-healthcare-capacity- to deal-with-covid-19-case-surge-analysis-and-
recommendations/.

? Ibid.

5 Ibid.

“A double whammy for public health. (3 November 2023). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from
https://opinion inquirer.net/167778/a-double-whammy-for-public-health

1


and rural areas where access to advanced medical facilities and medical practitioners
is difficult or unavailable. BHWs thus serve as frontliners in providing the most basic
of the country’s health care programs and services. As such, there is a need to
properly recognize the invaluable role of BHWs in the country's health care system,
particularly in providing access to medical information and government health services
and programs to the Filipino people especially in impoverished and far-flung areas.

At present, there are over 250,000 BHWs nationwide.° Their roles, functions,
and incentives and benefits are governed by Republic Act No. 7883, otherwise known
as the “Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995.” Under R.A.
No. 7883, BHWs are volunteers who receive allowances with amounts to be
determined by the Local Government Unit (LGU) with jurisdiction over the area they
serve. As a result, while BHWs in first-class cities and municipalities receive higher
compensation, “BHWs in remote and low-income areas often receive as little as P50
per month.”6

This bill seeks to institutionalize standardized and fair compensation among
BHWs nationwide by proposing a minimum monthly honorarium regardless of the
status of the LGU under which the BHW serves. The bill also enhances the benefits
and incentives provided in R.A. No. 7883, including insurance coverage from the
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), in recognition of their critical role as
government frontliners.

There has long been clamor for the passage of a Magna Carta for BHWs, and
in the 19" Congress, the Senate passed Senate Bill No. 2838 for this very objective.
In the House of Representatives under the 19" Congress, 49 bills seeking to establish
a Magna Carta for BHWs and give them their due recognition, compensation, and
benefits, were consolidated into House Bill No. 6557, which was authored by 142
Representatives. Since the bill was identified as a priority for passage in the 19"
Congress by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, the House
initially considered adopting the Senate Bill as an amendment to the House Bill.
Unfortunately, the House ultimately reconsidered adopting the Senate Bill and
withdrew the transmittal of the counterpart House Bill. This current bill largely adopts
SB No. 2838.

BHWs play an indispensable role in the delivery of health care services in our
communities. They are a vital cog in our country's health system, and a public face of
a caring government. We can no longer let them down. It is high time that we pass a
Magna Carta that will protect the rights and promote the welfare of our BHWs.

5 Cabalza, D. (13 June 2025). Congress hit for failing to pass Magna Carta for Barangay Health
Workers. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2070362/congress-hit-
for-failing-to-pass-magna-carta-for-barangay-health-workers.

* Ibid.


Early approval of this measure is earnestly sought.


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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

1842

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative LEILA M. DE LIMA

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS

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

CHAPTER |
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for
Barangay Health Workers.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is declared policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.
It is also 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 the communities.

The State acknowledges that primary health care is a key component in
attaining universal health care and, with the support of local government units (LGUs),
the participation of communities, and volunteerism of the population, is an effective
strategy towards realizing health empowerment and delivering effective health care
programs and services.

The State values the indispensable role of barangay health workers (BHWs) as
frontliners in providing primary health care services and, therefore, shall adopt policies
that will harness their potential as partners in national development.

Pursuant thereto, the State shall define their roles and responsibilities,
prescribe the methods for their recruitment and retention, identify programs for

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capacity-building and career advancement, and provide avenues to ventilate and
resolve issues concerning them.

In recognition of the spirit of volunteerism and concern for the upliftment of the
health and general welfare of communities, the State shall also promote the welfare
and well-being of volunteer BHWs and provide them with incentives and benefits
through the collaborative efforts of LGUs and the national government.

SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all BHWs, whether as volunteers of
employees of government, and all LGUs and national government agencies that
mobilize BHWs to expand the delivery of primary health care services to communities,
families, and individuals.

CHAPTER II
THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS IN
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DELIVERY

SEC. 4. The Role of BHWs in Providing Primary Health Care. — The BHWs shall
serve as frontliners in supporting the delivery of primary health care in the community.
They shall form part of the community health teams of the barangay health station,
health center, or any other primary health care facility of the municipal/city health office
established to provide primary health care services to a barangay or a part of it, or a
cluster of barangays. For this purpose, BHWs are hereby declared as members of the
cadre of community health care workers.

The head of the barangay health station, health center, or any other primary
health care facility, of the municipal/city health office, shall exercise day-to-day direct
control and supervision over BHWs.

The BHW shall perform the following roles:

(a) Primary Health Care Service Provider — to assist the health facilities in
providing primary health care services to the members of the community;

(b) Health Educator — to provide knowledge and skills to community members
in the prevention and management of simple illnesses;

(c) Auxiliary Community Organizer — to assist in organizing and mobilizing the
community towards self-reliance; and

(a) Record Keeper — to assist in the development and maintenance of a
community health profile, and collect health data and information of families and
individuals in the community.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11223, or the “Universal Health Care Act,”
certified BHWs, who have undergone the certification process under Section 10 of this
Act, shall serve as primary care providers and act as the navigator, initiator and
continuing point of contact in the health care delivery system. They shall endorse

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patients to the next level of health care provider within the health care provider network
to which the barangay health station, health center, or any other primary health care
unit, belongs: Provided, That except in emergency or serious cases and when
proximity is a concern, access to higher levels of care shall be coordinated by the
certified BHWs.

To effectively and efficiently perform these roles and expectations, the BHWs
to be assigned to a barangay should be residents of the community.

The Department of Health (DOH) shall promulgate the policies, guidelines, and
the specific duties and responsibilities of registered and certified BHWs.

SEC. 5. Coordination Between the Health Station/Health Center/Health Care
Facility of the Municipa/City Health Office with the Barangay. — The head of the
barangay health station, health center, or any other primary health care facility, of the
municipal/city health office shall coordinate and collaborate with the punong barangay,
or with several punong barangays in the case of health centers providing services to
a cluster of barangays, in the implementation of programs and activities to address the
primary health care needs of the communities.

Pursuant to Section 17(b)(ii) of the Local Government Code, the punong
barangay shall support the delivery of health services in the community by ensuring
the maintenance of the health station/center, particularly in providing the necessary
additional logistical support, supplies, and services needed by BHWs.

SEC. 6. Number of Barangay Health Workers. - The determination of the
number of BHWs who can serve a barangay or a cluster thereof shall be guided by
and based on, among others, the catchment population, the community health profile,
and the need for different primary health care services.

The DOH, in consultation with LGUs, shall determine the ideal ratio of BHWs
with the required competencies to households and issue an updated policy on this
ratio every five (5) years.

CHAPTER Ill
REGISTRATION, CAPACITY-BUILDING, AND RETENTION

SEC. 7. Registration. - In addition to qualifications to be set by the
municipal/city health board, an applicant must meet the following requirements to
qualify as a BHW:

(a) At least eighteen (18) years of age at the date of the filing the application for
registration;

(b) Physically and mentally fit; and


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(c) With basic BHW orientation and training as prescribed by the DOH
completed in the same year of application for registration.

Eligible applicants shall register with the local health board in the municipality
or city where they reside and intend to render service and shall be given appropriate
proof of said registration,

It shall be the duty of the municipal/city health offices, in cooperation with the
provincial health offices and the DOH, to provide interested BHW applicants with basic
orientation and training.

SEC. 8. Role of the Municipal/City Local Health Boards. — |n addition to their
functions under Section 102, Title V of the Local Government Code, as amended, the
municipal/city health boards shall prescribe the policies and guidelines and be
responsible for the recruitment, selection, registration, certification, retention and
removal of, and the resolution of complaints and grievances involving, BHWs in their
jurisdictions.

The decisions of the municipal/city health board with regard to the revocation
of registration of a BHW or on the resolution of complaints and grievances of and
against BHWs may be appealed to the provincial health board and, thereafter, to the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The DILG, in collaboration with the DOH, shall, provide the general guidelines
in setting up the grievance and appeal mechanism.

SEC. 9. National BHW Information System. — A National BHW Information
System shall be established and maintained by the DOH, in partnership with the
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), to assist the
national government and LGUs in formulating and implementing policies and
programs for the organization and development of the cadre of BHWs.

The Information System shall be the sole source of real-time data and
information on BHWs nationwide. It shall contain the list of all BHWs at the barangay,
municipal, city, and provincial levels, their socio-demographic profiles, qualifications,
areas of assignment, and other information that the DOH may deem necessary.

The municipal/city health boards shall be responsible for registering and
continuously updating the records of BHWs in their jurisdictions.

The provincial health boards, with the assistance of the DOH, shall provide
training to municipal/city health boards within the province on the use of the
Information System and ensure that the local health boards regularly submit accurate
data and information on their BHWs.


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SEC. 10. Certification of BHWs. - To ensure the health and welfare of the
community and further professionalize the cadre of BHWs in rendering primary health
care services, a duly registered BHW shall undergo certification by the municipal/city
health board.

The DOH, in consultation with the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Civil
Service Commission (CSC), shall promulgate the policies, standards, and guidelines
for the certification of competency of BHWS.

To qualify for certification, a registered BHW must have:

(a) Completed at least two (2) years of continuous service in the locality;

(b) Completed the training on the roles, duties, and responsibilities of a BHW,
as prescribed by the DOH;

(c) Provided satisfactory performance as evaluated by the health care
professional supervising the concemed BHW immediately prior to the filing of
application for certification; and

(d) Completed the courses of the certification component of the Education and
Training Program, provided in Section 11 of this Act.

The municipal/city health boards shall act on the applications for certification of
BHWs not later than thirty (30) days from the date of application and issue the
certificate of competency to qualified BHWs upon inspection, verification, or testing of
their conformity to policies, standards, and guidelines issued by the DOH.

It shall be the duty of the municipal/city governments, in cooperation with the
provincial government and the DOH, to provide the applicant BHWs the necessary
support and opportunities for certification.

SEC. 11. Education and Training Programs for BHWs. - The DOH and the
TESDA, in collaboration with the CSC, the CHED, relevant government agencies,
LGUs, education institutions, and stakeholders, shall develop and institutionalize a
continuing competency-based education and training curriculum for all BHWs.

The curriculum shall train the BHWs as primary health care service providers,
health educators, auxiliary community organizers, and record keepers. It shall
prescribe the courses for the certification component and for the continuing health
education and capacity-building of all BHWs.

The DOH and the TESDA shall complement the competency-based education
and training curriculum by making available web-based and mobile applications for
purposes of:

(a) Providing training materials to enhance the knowledge and skills of BHWs;


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(b) Offering forums for BHWs to communicate, share experiences, and seek
advice from peers and health professionals;

(c) Disseminating new policies, programs, and guidelines pertaining to their
roles and responsibilities;

(d) Facilitating reporting and feedback mechanisms to improve service delivery
and address challenges faced in the field; and

(e) Offering resources including health and wellness programs for personal and
professional development.

SEC. 12. Inclusion of the BHW Positions in the Government Plantilla. - The
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in consultation with the CSC, the
DOH and LGUs, shall establish the position classification and the corresponding salary
grades for BHWs in the Index of Occupational Standards. Municipalities and cities may
employ BHWs in their respective LGUs.

SEC. 13. Retention and Continuous Service of BHWs. — Registered and
certified BHWs shall continue to perform their roles, duties, and responsibilities except
due to the withdrawal of an individual as a BHW or removal for cause by the
municipality/city health board after due process. The continuity of services of BHWs,
revocation of their registration, or their removal from the cadre of BHWs, shall follow
the policies and guidelines promulgated by the DILG and the DOH.

CHAPTER IV
INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, OF BHWS

SEC. 14. Incentives and Benefits of BHWs. — (a) In recognition of the time,
services, and resources they contribute, registered and certified volunteer BHWs shall
receive, or be provided with, the following:

(1) Monthly Honoraria. — A monthly honorarium of not less than Three thousand
pesos (P3,000.00) for registered BHWs and not less than Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00) for certified BHWs: Provided, That no diminution of monthly honoraria can
be made on BHWs already receiving more than the herein prescribed minimum
amounts; Provided, further, That the DOH, in coordination with the DILG and the DBM,
shall review and adjust the minimum honoraria every three (3) years;

(2) Transportation Allowance/Expense Reimbursements. — Registered and
certified BHWs shall be provided by the barangay with transportation allowance or
reimbursement of actual transportation expense for the performance of their functions,
as may be authorized by law or regulation: Provided, That the barangay may, instead,
provide applicable forms of transportation to enable the BHWs to provide the
necessary primary health care service; Provided, further, That the municipality or city,
through their health offices, may shoulder such allowance or expense; Provided,
finally, That official travels, such as seminars, conferences, and transport of patients

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outside of the barangay or locality, shall be shouldered by the barangay, municipality,
city, or province that authorized such official travel and shall not be deducted from the
honoraria of the BHWs;

(3) Subsistence Allowance. - The concemed municipality or city shall provide
BHWs who render service in unserved or underserved barangays where they are not
residents to make their services available at any and all times, with subsistence
allowance equivalent to the meals taken during their duty, which shall be computed
following prevailing circumstances. In no case shall such subsistence allowance be
less than One hundred pesos (P100.00) per day;

(4) Hazard Allowance. — BHWs who, in the exercise of their duties, are exposed
to situations, conditions, or factors in the work environment or place where foreseeable
but unavoidable danger or risks to their health, life, or on their person exist, including
assignment to communities in or recovering from a situation of armed conflict, as
validated by proper authorities, shall be paid a hazard allowance by the concerned
municipality or city in an amount to be determined by its local health board and the
local peace and order council, which shall in no case be less than One thousand pesos
(P1000.00) per month, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations;

(5) Insurance Coverage. — Insurance coverage and benefit packages from the
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), suited to their needs and unique
circumstances, shall be borne by the concerned municipality or city. For this purpose,
the GSIS shall design such appropriate insurance packages;

(6) Health Emergency Allowance During Public Health Emergency. — Volunteer
BHWs who are part of the National BHW Information System and are assigned to
health facilities and barangay health emergency response teams during public health
emergencies shall be entitled to the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) and other
benefits prescribed in Republic Act No. 11712. The national government shall provide
funds for the payment of the HEA and other benefits;

(7) Cash Gift. - The BHWs shall be entitled to a cash gift not less than the
minimum monthly honoraria, to be given every December;

(8) One-time Dedicated Service Recognition Incentive. - A BHW who
withdraws as a registered or certified BHW but has continuously and satisfactorily
served for at least fifteen (15) years shall, in recognition of his/her loyalty, dedication,
and service, be entitled to a one-time incentive of not less than Ten thousand pesos
(P10,000.00), which shall be borne by the municipality or city concemed. The national
and provincial governments shall assist in case of non-availability of funds from the
concerned municipality or component city;


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(9) Education and Career Advancement. - The DOH, in coordination with the
Department of Education, CHED, TESDA, CSC, other concemed national government
agencies, non-government organizations, and LGUs, shall provide information on, and
opportunities for, education and career advancement for BHWs, such as:

(i) Educational programs that credit the years of primary health care service of
the BHW and the number of training hours gained during attendance to courses
covered by the Education and Training Program under Section 11 of this Act towards
higher education completion in institutions with step-ladder curricula, as provided
under Republic Act No. 10968, otherwise known as the “PQF Act,” and Republic Act
No. 10647, otherwise known as the “Ladderized Education Act of 2014,” thus allowing
them to upgrade their skills and knowledge for community work or to pursue further
training as health care professionals;

(ii) Continuing education, study and exposure tours, field immersion, and
scholarship and financial grants, among others;

(iii) Scholarship grant or financial assistance to one (1) child of a BHW who is
unable to take advantage of the programs described in paragraphs (i) and (ji) hereof;
and

(iv) Special training programs, such as traditional medicine, disaster
preparedness, and other programs that address emergent community health
problems and issues;

(10) Free Legal Services. - Legal representation and consultation services shall
be immediately provided by the Public Attorney's Office to a BHW in cases of coercion
or interference, and in other civil and criminal cases filed by or against the BHW arising
out of or in connection with the performance of his/her duties; and

(11) Preferential Access to Government Livelihood Programs. — Government
agencies providing livelihood programs shall provide organized BHWs with
preferential access to loan services;

Provided, That in the provision of the monthly honoraria and the cash gift, and
in consideration of the financial assistance of the national government to third, fourth,
and fifth class municipalities, as provided under Section 15 of this Act, the provinces,
in consultation with component cities, municipalities, and barangays within their
jurisdiction, shall determine the actual amount or percentage share of the amount that
each LGU will give to BHWs; Provided, further, That nothing herein limits the
barangay, municipality, city, or province from fully shouldering the provision of the
monthly honoraria and the cash gift; Provided, furthermore, That nothing herein
prevents the barangay, municipality, city, and province from providing additional
monetary and non-monetary benefits to BHWs to supplement those given by another

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concerned LGU within the province; Provided, finally, That these honoraria shall be
given starting January of the ensuing fiscal year unless the LGUs, singly or collectively,
immediately provide the needed funding.

(b) Certified BHWs shall be granted sub-professional eligibility if they have
rendered at least five (5) years of continuous service as such: Provided, That should
a BHW become a regular employee of the government, the total numbers of years
served as such shall be credited to the BHW's service in the computation of retirement
benefits.

The emoluments, incentives, benefits, honoraria, allowances, and
reimbursements of BHWs employed by the municipality, city, province, or national
government agencies on a regular, contractual, casual, or job order basis shall be
governed by civil service laws and the policies issued by the CSC, the Office of the
President, the DBM, and the LGU under which they are employed.

SEC. 15. BHW Deployment Subsidy to Low-income Municipalities. - There is
hereby mandated a BHW Deployment Subsidy to Low-Income Municipalities to
provide financial assistance to third, fourth, and fifth class municipalities and enable
them to deploy a sufficient number of volunteer BHWs in their communities,
particularly to unserved or underserved areas in their jurisdictions, and provide
incentives to dedicated volunteer BHWs. Priority shall he given to municipalities with
no or less capacity to give regular and adequate monthly honoraria and other
incentives to their BHWs, as determined by the DOH and the DILG.

SEC. 16. Discrimination Prohibited. — Discrimination against any BHW by
reason of gender, civil status, creed, religious, or political beliefs, and ethnic groupings
in the exercise of their functions and responsibilities is hereby prohibited.

SEC. 17. Prohibition on Participation in Political Activities. - To maintain their
integrity and impartiality, and eliminate the possibility of conflicts with their catchment
households, BHWs are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities. Any
BHW who files an application as a candidate in any political position is hereby deemed
removed from the list of registered BHWs or resigned from government service, as the
case may be. Participation in political activities shall serve as basis for the local health
board to remove BHWs from the list of registered BHWs.

CHAPTER V
ASSOCIATIONS AND FEDERATIONS OF
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS,

SEC. 18. Associations and Federations of BHWs. - There shall be organized
associations of BHWs at the municipal and city levels and federations at the provincial,
regional, sub-national, and national levels. The BHW associations of highly urbanized

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cities that are independent from provinces where they are located, and LGUs in the
National Capital Region, shall directly become members of regional, sub-national and
national federations.

These associations and federations shall serve as the venues to ventilate
issues and formulate and communicate policy proposals concerning BHWs,
particularly on their roles and duties as the frontliners, as well as their welfare and well-
being, in supporting the delivery of primary health care services in the community.

The municipal and city associations and the provincial, regional, and sub-
national federations shall elect their respective president, vice-president, secretary,
treasurer, and other officers as they may deem necessary.

The national federation shall elect a board of directors headed by a chairperson
and a set of national officers headed by a national president, as prescribed in their
constitution and by-laws. A secretary-general shall he chosen from among the national
federation members to manage the day-to-day operations and activities of the
federation. The board of directors may create such other positions necessary for the
management of the affairs of the national federation.

SEC. 19. Consultation with Local Health Boards. — The different local health
boards shall consult the associations and federations under their jurisdictions on,
among others, the roles and responsibilities of BHWs for the effective delivery of
primary health care services.

CHAPTER VI
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS:

SEC. 20. Observance of BHW Day. — Every barangay shall commemorate
BHW Day on April 7 of every year in recognition of the service of BHWs, their heroic
services in times of crisis, and their indispensable role in promoting health and
wellness among the citizenry.

The DOH, in cooperation with the DILG and all LGUs, shall hold simple
ceremonies or activities to highlight the indispensable role of BHWs in nation-building.

SEC. 21. Penalty Clause. - A local government official who violates any
provision of this Act shall be administratively and criminally charged in accordance
with law.

SEC. 22. Annual Accomplishment Reports. - The DOH and the DILG shall
submit to the Office of the President, the Senate of the Philippines, and the House of
Representatives, an annual report on the accomplishments and challenges with
regard to the implementation of this Act.

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SEC. 23. Appropriations. — The amounts necessary for the implementation of
this Act shalll be charged against the funds of LGUs and the appropriations of the DOH.

The amounts necessary for the initial implementation of the BHW Deployment
Subsidy to Low-Income Municipalities shall be charged against the current year's
appropriations of the DOH and, thereafter, shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH and the DILG shall,
in consultation with LGUs, the national federation of BHWs, the CSC, the DBM, the
TESDA, the CHED, the GSIS, other concerned government agencies, non-
government organizations, and academic and training institutions, promulgate the
rules and regulations to implement this Act not later than one hundred eighty (180)
days from its effectivity.

SEC. 25. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act No. 7883, otherwise known as the
“Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995,” is hereby repealed.
Alll other laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, and regulations which are inconsistent
with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 27. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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