Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 
Proverbs 31: 8-9 
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that “The State shall protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.” To 
carry out this mandate, primary health care is recognized as the cornerstone of the national 
health system, delivering preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services at the 
community level. In this framework, barangays and their barangay health workers play an 
indispensable role in ensuring the effective delivery of such services. 
Republic Act No. 7883, or the “Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995,” 
recognizes Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) as community-based health workers who 
perform key functions in community organizing, health education, and health care provision. 
Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, further expands these 
responsibilities by integrating BHWs into the broader health care delivery system and 
emphasizing their role in ensuring that quality and affordable health services reach 
communities, especially the underprivileged. 
In line with the thrust to strengthen primary health care, there is a compelling need to provide 
stronger support for BHWs through adequate training, resources, and recognition of their 
service. The experience of the City of Taguig illustrates how this can be achieved: its BHWs, 
aside from receiving regular salaries, are provided with bonuses, training, overtime pay, and 
hazard pay, and are formally employed as Job Order and Casual employees under the local 
government unit. This proposal seeks to institutionalize such practices at the national level, 
ensuring that all BHWs across the country are properly compensated, supported, and 
equipped to fulfill their responsibilities. 
To this end, the Department of Health (DOH) shall determine the ideal BHW-to-population 
ratio, thereby guiding cities and municipalities in meeting the health needs of their constituents. 
Local government units (LGUs) shall, in turn, hire BHWs as job order, contractual, casual, or 
regular employees, with preference given to those already serving in their communities. This 
measure likewise provides that BHWs shall receive the same compensation and benefits as 
other LGU personnel of similar status, ensuring security of tenure and due recognition of their 
contributions to local health service delivery. 
September 3, 2025
2:05 pm
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Further, the bill directs the DOH, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG), to establish a Special Barangay Health Workers Assistance Program. 
This program will extend financial and technical assistance, training, and other forms of 
support, giving priority to LGUs that are unable to provide adequate salaries or allowances to 
their BHWs, particularly within the next ten years. 
This initiative affirms the centrality of primary health care in fulfilling the State’s constitutional 
mandate to protect and promote the right to health. By strengthening barangays and their 
health workers as frontline providers, the measure seeks to ensure accessible, responsive, 
and comprehensive health services for all communities. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE GRASSROOTS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THROUGH THE 
APPOINTMENT OF SUFFICIENT BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS IN CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES AND ELEVATING THEIR STATUS FROM VOLUNTEERS TO JOB 
ORDER, CONTRACTUAL, CASUAL, OR REGULAR EMPLOYEES AND FURTHER 
STRENGTHENING THE BARANGAY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
Section 1. Short Title. –  This Act shall be known as the “Mahal Ko, Barangay Health Worker 
Ko Law.” 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right 
to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. It is therefore the 
responsibility 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. 
The State recognizes the importance of primary healthcare in ensuring the health and well-
being of our communities, the direct responsibility for which has now been assumed by local 
governments, pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended. 
As the frontliners of our primary healthcare, the State recognizes the vital role of Barangay 
Health Workers and the need to provide them with security of tenure, adequate benefits and 
just compensation, consistent with the principle of equal pay for equal work and work of equal 
value. 
Sec. 3. Definition. – The term “Barangay Health Worker” refers to a person who has 
undergone training programs under any accredited government and non-government 
organization and who renders primary health care services in the community after having been 
accredited to function as such by the local health board in accordance with the guidelines 
promulgated by the Department of Health (DOH) and appointed by the city or municipal mayor, 
as the case may be. 
Sec. 4. Ideal Ratio of Barangay Health Workers. – The DOH shall issue the guidelines as 
to the ideal number of Barangay Health Worker-to-population ratio. Such a number should be 
sufficient to allow the city or municipality to satisfactorily deliver primary healthcare to its 
constituents. 
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Sec. 5. Barangay Health Workers as employees of the Local Government Units (LGU). 
– The city or municipality shall hire the Barangay Health Workers as job order, casual,
contractual, or regular employees.
Barangay Health Workers currently serving the city or municipality and receiving allowances 
therefrom shall be given preference in the hiring by the city or municipality under this Act. 
Sec. 6. Compensation and Benefits. – Barangay Health Workers hired pursuant to this Act 
shall receive all the compensation and benefits given by the city or municipality to its job order, 
contractual, casual, or regular employees. 
Sec. 7. Special Barangay Health Workers Assistance Program. – The DOH, in 
coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall create a 
Special Barangay Health Workers Assistance Program, providing additional financial and 
technical assistance, training and other support to selected LGUs for their Barangay Health 
Workers. This program shall prioritize assistance to LGUs that have no or less capacity to give 
regular and adequate salaries/allowances to its Barangay Health Workers for the next ten (10) 
years, as determined by the DOH and DILG. 
Sec. 8. Appropriation. – The amount needed for the implementation of this Act shall be 
charged against the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of the cities and municipalities, 
including but not limited to the additional funds to be received once the Mandanas-Garcia 
Ruling has been fully implemented. 
The amount necessary for the initial implementation of the Special Barangay Health Workers 
Assistance Program shall be charged to the current appropriation of the DOH. Thereafter, 
such sum as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the 
annual General Appropriations Act. 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), shall, within sixty 
(60) days from the effectivity of this Act, prepare the Implementing Rules and Regulations to
carry out the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other parts hereof not affected thereby shall remain valid. 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of 
this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly. 
Sec. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,