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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

aINe:
Quezon City

BY:

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

IN UNIT
First Regular Session pEAISTRATIC

BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

HOUSE BILL NO. 618

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XIII, Section 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that:

“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.
There shall be priority for the needs of the under-privileged sick, elderly,
disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free
medical care to paupers.”

However, the health sector is beset by the exodus of nurses and doctors
seeking higher paying jobs abroad leading to poor delivery of health services in the
country, especially in the rural areas. In 2009 alone, the Philippine Overseas
Employment Agency (POEA) reported that a total of 13,465 nurses and doctors

were hired abroad. Nurse to patient ratio was estimated to be at 1:40 - 1:80 as
opposed to the standard 1:20.

With this scenario, the role of barangay health workers (BHWs) has become
crucial in the delivery of health services throughout the country. The importance of
BHWs in the national health sector had been acknowledged through the enactment
of Republic Act No. (RA) 7883, otherwise known as the Barangay Health Workers’
Incentives and Benefits Act of 995. But the heroic role that BHWs play makes them
deserving of much more than what they are receiving today.

Hence, this proposed measure aims to provide reasonable set of incentives to
BHWs to compensate them for the work that they perform in making health services
accessible to all. It will enhance the benefits provided to BHWs by virtue of RA 7883 by

providing among others, a fixed honoraria and health and insurance coverage under the
Philhealth and GSIS.

The passage of this proposed measure will not only grant due recognition to the
valuable services that BHWs render but will hopefully encourage more people to serve
as BHWS in their localities. Such increase in the number of BHWs would contribute
positively to the goal of the government of providing a more effective delivery of health
services and make health care accessible to all

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



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__ 618

AN ACT
GRANTING FIXED HONORARIA AND ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS
TO BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC
ACT NUMBERED 7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS’ INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS ACT OF 995

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

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

“SEC. 6. Incentives and Benefits. — In recognition of their services, 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 TOA MONTHLY HONORARIA OF THREE
THOUSAND PESOS (P3,000.00)

B) [a)] Hazard Allowance — Volunteer barangay health workers in rural and
urban areas, exposed to situations, conditions, or factors in the work
environment or place where foreseeable but unavoidable danger or risks exist
which adversely endanger his health or life and/or increase the risk of
producing adverse effect on his person in the exercise of his duties, to be
validated by the proper authorities, shall be entitled to hazard allowance in an
amount to be determined by the local health board and the local peace and
order council of the local government unit concerned BUT IN NO CASE LESS.
THAN ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00).

C) [b)] Subsistence Allowance — Barangay health workers who render service
within the premises of isolated barangay health stations in order to make their
services available at any and all times, shall be entitled to subsistence
allowance equivalent to the meals they take in the course of their duty, which
shall be computed in accordance with prevailing circumstances as
determined by the local government unit concerned BUT IN NO CASE LESS
THAN ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00).

D) COMPULSORY PHILHEALTH COVERAGE — ALL BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS WHO HAVE RENDERED AT LEAST SIX (6) MONTHS OF
SERVICE SHALL BE ENROLLED IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE


PROGRAM TO RECEIVE AND AVAIL OF AN ADEQUATE PACKAGE OF
PERSONAL HELTH SERVICES THAT SHALL INCLUDE IN-PATIENT
HOSPITAL CARE, OUT-PATIENT CARE, EMERGENCY AND TRANSFER
SERVICES, AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY HEALTH BENEFITS AS MAY
BE DEFINED BY THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION
(PHIC) AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT (LGU) WHERE THEY
RENDER SERVICES.

E) INSURANCE COVERAGE — ALL BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, WHO
HAVE RENDERED AT LEAST SIX (6) MONTHS OF SERVICE, SHALL BE
GRANTED INSURANCE COVERAGE BY THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE
INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS) OR ANY ACCREDITED INSURANCE
COMPANY IN AN AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN TEN THOUSAND PESOS
(P10,000).

F) [c)] Training, Education and Career Enrichment Programs — X X X
G) [d)] Civil Service Eligibility — XX X

H) [e)] Free Legal Services - Legal representation and consultation services for
barangay health workers shall be immediately provided by the Public
Attorney's Office in cases of coercion, interference, and in other civil and
criminal cases filed by or against barangay health workers arising out of or in
connection with the performance of their duties as such. THE DOH SHALL
ALSO ENDEAVOR TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
(MOA) WITH THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES (IBP) TO
ALLOW LAWYERS WHO WILL PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO
BHWs WHICH WILL BE GRANTED AS A MANDATORY CONTINUING
LEGAL EDUCATION (MCLE) CREDITS TO THE LAWYERS.

1) SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO DEPENDENTS OF BHWs — COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS TO ANY STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OR
TESDA SCHOLARSHIPS SHALL BE GRANTED TO A MINIMUM OF TWO
(2) CHILDREN OF ALL BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS WHO HAVE
RENDERED AT LEAST ONE (1) YEAR OF SERVICE.

J) [f)] Preferential Access to Loans — X X X"

SEC. 2. The following additional sections are hereby inserted before Section 7 of
RA 7883, to read as follows:

“SEC. 8. RETIREMENT AGE - THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE
FOR BHWs SHALL BE SIXTY-FIVE (65) YEARS OLD. HOWEVER, AN
OPTIONAL RETIREMENT SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE
REACHED THE AGE SIXTY (60) TO SIXTY-FOUR (64) YEARS OLD.
ACCREDITED BHWs QUALIFIED UNDER THIS PROVISION CAN AVAIL OF
THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS UNDER THE GSIS.

SEC. 9. BHW REGISTRY - THE CHDs SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE IN
COLLECTING INFORMATION AND UPDATING THE BHW REGISTRY IN
THEIR RESPECTIVE REGIONS AND SHALL SUB MIT AN UPDATED COPY
TO THE DOH CENTRAL OFFICE EVERY YEAR. THE DOH CENTRAL OFFICE
SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE IN MAINTAINING THE NATIONAL BHW


REGISTRY, WHICH SHALL BE THE REFERENCE OF AGENCIES INVOLVED
IN THE PROVISION OF INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS TO BHWs.

SEC. 20. COMMON PROVISIONS —

A. PREMIUM FOR THE BENEFITS OF BHWs SHALL BE BORNE BY
THE LGU CONCERNED: PROVIDED, THAT THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT SHA LL SUBSIDIZE FIFTY PERCENT (50%) OF THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH CLASS
MUNICIPALITIES.

B. ANY EXPEDITURE BY LGUs FOR THE BENEFITS OF BHWs SHALL
BE EXEMPTED FROM THE FORTY-FIVE PERCENT (45%) LIMIT ON
THE ALLOCATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICES OF LGUS.

SEC. 3. The consequent sections of RA 7883 are hereby renumbered
accordingly.

SEC. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health, in
consultation with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Civil Service
Commission (CSC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Government Service Insurance System
(GSIS) and the National Confederation of Barangay Health Workers, shall prepare
within one hundred and eighty (180) days the necessary rules and regulations to
implement the provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued pursuant to this
section shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general
circulation.

SEC. 4. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the
remainder or any of this provision hereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and
in effect.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. Any laws, decrees, executive orders, presidential
issuances and other administrative rules and regulations or parts thereof which are
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation

Approved,