NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of tl'f €:'rc ?fng;
72 JUL 12 A10 :19
SENATE
B.320
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE MAGNA 
CARTA OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Magna Carta for Public Health Workers was passed into law 30 years ago 
with the objective of promoting and improving the social and economic well-being of 
health workers, their living and working conditions and terms of employment Hence 
the law mandated among other things the payment of benefits and allowances 
including night shift differential, hazard, subsistence, laundry, to name a few.
Sadly, the nominal amounts as provided in the 30-year-old law remained fixed 
in spite of changing economic cycles over the years. To remedy this, we propose in 
this bill to increase the nominal amounts for the mandated benefits in order to provide 
better living conditions to our public health workers especially as we are hurdling the 
recessionary effects of the pandemic.
The measure likewise expands the definition of health workers to include those 
deployed outside of traditional health facilities such as those reporting in health 
offices. State Universities and Colleges and Universities, Government-owned and - 
controlled Corporations, Local Government Units, among others. This proposal stands 
to benefit roughly 150,0001 health workers in the public sector.
1 DOH data as of 29 April 2022


In our pursuit to address the gaps in our public health system and to 
strengthen the delivery of healthcare services, it is paramount that we ensure that 
our health workers are not only paid a living wage but that the benefits we provide 
are likewise sufficient to sustain their living conditions.
In view of the foregoing, we urge the swift passage of this measure.
^ONNY ANGARA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of til? .‘S'r ;rpfnri>
'22 JUL 12 AlO :19
SENATE
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE MAGNA 
CARTA OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION. 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read
2 
as follows:
3 
"Section 3. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, "health workers" shall
4 
mean all persons who are engaged in health and health-related work, and
5 
all persons employed in all hospitals, sanitaria, treatment and
6 
rehabilitation centers, health centers, rural health units, barangay health
7 
stations, clinics, HEALTH OFFICES and other health-related
8 
establishments owned and operated by the Government or its political
9 
subdivisions with original charters and shall include medical, allied health
10 
professionals, administrative and support personnel employed [regardless
11 
of their employment status] IN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
12 
(NGAs), INCLUDING STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
13 
(SUCs), GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND -CONTROLLED
14 
CORPORATIONS (GOCCs), GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL
15 
INSTITUTIONS (GFIs) AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
16 
HOLDING PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY STATUS, CASUAL OR
17 
CONTRACTUAL, WHOSE SALARIES ARE CHARGED AGAINST
18 
PERSONNEL SERVICES (PS) LUMP SUM APPROPRIATION,
19 
RENDERING SERVICES ON FULLTIME OR PART TIME BASIS AND
20 
WHOSE POSITIONS ARE COVERED, OR OTHERWISE BY R.A.
1


1 
6758, "COMPENSATION AND POSITION CLASSIFICATION ACT
2 
OF 1989", AS AMENDED."
3 
SEC. 2. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
4 
follows:
5 
"Section 9. Discrimination Prohibited. - A public health worker shall not be
6 
discriminated against with regard to [gender7-civil status/ crecd, religious
7 
cyr-politicaI-beliefs and-ethnic groupings] POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS
8 
AFFILIATIONS, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER
9 
IDENTITY, CIVIL STATUS, AGE, DISABILITY, OR ETHNICITY in
10 
the exercise of his/her profession."
11 
SEC. 3. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
12 
follows:
13 
"Section 11. Administrative Charges. - Administrative charges against a
14 
NATIONAL public health worker shall be heard by a committee
15 
[composed-of-theprovmelal-health officer of the province where the public
16 
health worker belongs-,-- as ■ eh a i r pc rso n.-a- re p rose nt-ati ve-of-any.existi-f1^
17 
national-or-prevtncial- public health workers' organization or-in its absence
18 
its local counter-pa rt-and a-supervisor-ef-the district, thelast two (2) to be
19 
designated - by the -provincial-health—officer mentioned.-above;..The
20 
€€Hmmitt-ee shall submit its findings-and-recommendations-to-the Secretary
21 
of Health within thirty-(-3Q) -day5-frcH:n-the termination of-the' hearingsT
22 
Where- the previnc-ial health-effenis-an-inter-ested-party; all -the- member-s
23 
ef-4he-e-emmittee shaH-be-appointed by the-Sccrotap/-of-Hcalthh] OR
24 
OFFICER DESIGNATED BY THE DISCIPLINING AUTHORITY
25 
AND/OR ITS DELEGATED OFFICER OR OFFICERS UNDER ITS
26 
JURISDICTION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER 292,
27 
ITS IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND OTHER
28 
PERTINENT CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
29 
FOR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS, ADMINISTRATIVE
30 
CHARGES SHALL BE HEARD BY A COMMITTEE OR OFFICER
31 
CREATED/DESIGNATED BY THE PROVINCIAL HEALTH BOARD IN
32 
CASES WHERE THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT IS FILED


1 
AGAINST A 
PUBLIC HEALTH 
WORKER STATIONED 
IN
2 
PROVINCES, MUNICIPALITIES OR COMPONENT CITIES, OR BY
3 
THE CITY 
HEALTH BOARD 
IN CASES WHERE 
THE
4 
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT IS FILED AGAINST A PUBLIC
5 
HEALTH WORKER STATIONED IN HIGHLY- URBANIZED CITIES
6 
OR INDEPENDENT COMPONENT CITIES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
7 
PERTINENT RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE
8 
COMMIITEE/HEARING OFFICER SHALL SUBMIT
9 
RECOMMENDATION TO THE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINING
10 
AUTHORITY 
WITHIN THIRTY 
(30) DAYS FROM 
THE
11 
TERMINATION OF THE INVESTIGATION/HEARINGS."
12 
SEC. 4. Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
13 
follows:
14 
Section 18. Night Shift Differential. - (a) Every public health worker shall
15 
be paid a night shift differential of [ten -pGrccnt-(-10%}] TWENTY
16 
PERCENT (20%) of his/her regular wage for each hour of work
17 
performed during the night-shifts customarily adopted by hospitals,
18 
BIRTHING CLINICS AND OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES
19 
OPERATING IN A 24/7 SHIFT AND DURING CALAMITIES,
20 
DISASTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
21 
(b) Every health worker required to work on the period covered after
22 
his/her regular schedule shall be entitled to his/her regular wage plus the
23 
regular overtime rate and an additional amount of [ten-pereent -(-10%-)]
24 
TWENTY PERCENT (20%) of such overtime rate for each hour of work
25 
performed between [ten (10)] SIX (6) o'clock in the evening to six (6)
26 
o'clock in the morning: PROVIDED, THAT THE FOREGOING RULES
27 
ON NIGHT SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE
28 
PROVISIONS OF R.A. 11701 OR AN ACT GRANTING NIGHT SHIFT
29 
DIFFERENTIAL PAY TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES INCLUDING
30 
THOSE IN GOVERNMENT-OWNED OR -CONTROLLED
31 
CORPORATIONS AND ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS."


1 
SEC. 5. Section 21 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
2 
follows:
3 
"Section 21. Hazard Allowance. - [Public hcalth-workers-in-hospitals,
4 
sanitaria, -rural.health units, main hcalt-h-eentGf-S/-'health infirmoriesj
5 
toangay health stations, clinics-and othcr-health-relatcd establishments
6 
located in-ciifficult areasT-strife-torn or embattled.areas, distressed--of
7 
isolated stations, prisons campsT—mental-hospitals, radiation-e-x-posed
8 
efi-nics-,-.laboratories or-disease-infested areas or in areas declared uncleF
9 
state of cala mity-or emergency for the duration- thereof which expose
10 
them-to- great dangcfT-eontagion, radiation>--volcanic activity/eruption,
11 
occupational risks or penfs-to-lifeas determined by the-Secretary of Health
12 
or-the-Head-of-the unft-wit-h--the-approval of the 5ecretap/--of-Health/-shall
13 
be--compensated hazard-allowances-equivalent.to--at- least twenty-five
14 
percent (25%) of theHmoet-hly-basic-saIapy^-of-healt-h-wer-kers receiving
15 
salary grade 19 ond below> and five percent (5%) for health workers with
16 
salary--grade-20- and above.] BY THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK,
17 
WHICH SUBJECT THEM TO HEALTH HAZARDS AND
18 
OCCUPATIONAL RISKS, ALL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS
19 
REGARDLESS OF THE DEGREE OF THEIR EXPOSURE TO SUCH
20 
HAZARDS AND RISKS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY
21 
HAZARD ALLOWANCE OF TEN THOUSAND PESOS (PHP
22 
10,000.00) WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO INCREASE OF THIS
23 
AMOUNT AS MAY BE WARRANTED IN THE FUTURE BY THE
24 
SECRETARY OF HEALTH.
25 
SEC. 6. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
26 
follows:
27 
Section 22. Subsistence Allowance. - [Piiblic-health-workers who are
28 
required to render service-within the-premises of hospitals,-sanitariay
29 
health infirmaries-,---main.health-centers, rural health-u-nits-afid-barangay
30 
health-stations, or clinics, and other-health-r-clated establishments in-order
31 
to make their services available at any and airtimes, shall be entitled to
32 
full Gubsistcnee-aHowance-Qf-three (3) meals which-may-be computed-4a


1 
a€€ordonce-with prevailing circumGtanccG-as-dGtQrmincd by the Secretary
2 
of Health—m—emsultotion—with—the—Managcmcnt--HcDlth—Wefker^s
3 
Gonsultative Councilsr as CGtablishcd uader Scct-ien 33 of-this Act:
4 
provided, that representation and travel allowancc-shaU bc given to rufal
5 
health- physicians as.enjoyed--by municipal ogrieulturists,—municipal
6 
planning and development officers and- budget officers.] ALL PUBLIC
7 
HEALTH WORKERS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO FULL SUBSISTENCE
8 
ALLOWANCE EQUIVALENT TO ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PESOS
9 
(P150.00) PER DAY FOR RENDERING ACTUAL SERVICES
10 
WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO INCREASE OF THIS AMOUNT AS MAY
11 
BE WARRANTED IN THE FUTURE BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH.
12 
SEC. 7. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
13 
follows:
14 
Section 24. Laundry Allowance. - All public health workers who are
15 
required to wear uniforms regularly shall be entitled to laundry allowance
16 
equivalent to [One—handred—twenty-five—pesos (P125.00)] FIVE
17 
HUNDRED PESOS (P500.00) per month without prejudice to increase
18 
of this amount as may be warranted in the future by the Secretary of
19 
Health.
20 
SEC. 8. Section 35 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as
21 
follows:
22 
Section 35. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Health after
23 
consultation with appropriate agencies of the Government as well as
24 
ACCREDITED professional and health workers' organizations or unions,
25 
shall formulate and prepare the necessary rules and regulations to
26 
implement the provisions of this Act [. Rules and regulations issued
27 
pursuant to this Section], WHICH shall take effect thirty (30) days after
28 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
29 
SEC. 9. Section 38 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby repealed and a new
30 
Sections 38 shall be inserted as follows:
31 
"SEC. 38. APPROPRIATIONS. - THE AMOUNTS NECESSARY FOR
32 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT SHALL BE CHARGED


1 
AGAINST THE CURRENT YEAR AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS OF
2 
THE RESPECTIVE AGENCIES. THEREAFTER, THE AMOUNT
3 
NECESSARY FOR ITS CONTINUOUS IMPLEMENTATION SHALL BE
4 
INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS."
5 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause, - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid,
6 
the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force
7 
and effect.
8 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause, - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders
9 
and their implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
10 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
11 
SEC. 12. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
12 
publication in the Official Gazette and in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,