Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by:  REP. SALVADOR A. PLEYTO, SR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Magna Carta for Public Health Workers was passed into law thirty (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 provided in the 30-year-old law remained fixed 
despite changing economic cycles over the years. To remedy this, we propose 
in this bill to increase the nominal amounts for the mandated benefits, 
thereby providing better living conditions for our public health workers, 
especially as we navigate 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 150,000 health 
workers in the public sector. 
August 18, 2025
4:51 pm
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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. 
HON. SALVADOR A. PLEYTO, SR. 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by:  REP. SALVADOR A. PLEYTO, SR. 
AN ACT
FURTHER PROMOTING THE GENERAL WELFARE,  AND ENHANCING 
THE STATUTORY BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES OF PUBLIC HEALTH 
WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS 
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305,  OTHERWISE KNOWN  AS THE MAGNA 
CARTA OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SEC. 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"Section 3. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, "health 
workers" shall mean all persons who are engaged in health and 
health-related work, and all  persons  employed  in  all  hospitals,  
sanitaria,  treatment  and rehabilitation centers, health centers, 
rural health units, barangay health stations,   clinics,   health  
offices,      agencies attached to the Department of Health  and   
other   health-related establishments owned and operated by the 
Government or its political subdivisions with original charters 
and shall include medical, allied 
health professionals, 
administrative and support personnel employed [regardless of 
their employment status] in national government agencies 
(NGAs),  including  state  universities and  colleges (SUCs), 
government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), 
government financial institutions (GFIs) and local government 
units (LGUs) holding permanent or temporary status, casual or 
contractual, whose salaries are charged against personnel  
services  (PS)  lump  sum  appropriation, rendering services on 
full time or part time basis and whose positions are covered, or 
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otherwise by R. A. 6758, "compensation and position 
classification act of 1989", as amended." 
 
 
 
SEC. 2. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“Section. 9. Discrimination Prohibited. - A Public Health 
Worker (PHW) shall not be discriminated against with regard 
to political or religious affiliations, sex, sexual orientation and 
gender identity, civil status, age, disability, or ethnicity in the 
exercise of his or her profession.” 
SEC. 3. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“Section. 11. Administrative Charges. - Administrative charges 
against a national public health worker shall be heard by a 
committee or officer designated by the disciplining authority, 
or its delegated officer, or officers under its jurisdiction, in 
accordance with Executive Order 292, its implementing rules 
and regulations, and other pertinent civil service laws, rules 
and regulations. 
 
For local public health workers, administrative charges shall 
be heard by a committee or officer created or designated by the 
Provincial or City Health Board, in accordance with pertinent 
rules and regulations. 
 
The 
committee 
or 
hearing 
officer 
shall 
submit 
recommendation to the appropriate disciplining authority 
within thirty (30) days from the termination of the 
investigation and hearings. 
 
Where the provincial health officer or head of health facilities has been 
determined to be an interested party, the members of the committee or the 
designated officer shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health.” 
SEC. 4. Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“Section 18. Night Shift Differential. - (a) Every public health 
worker shall be paid a night shift differential of twenty percent 
(20%) of his/her regular wage for each hour of work performed 
during the night-shifts customarily adopted by hospitals, 
sanitaria, treatment and rehabilitation centers, birthing clinics 
and other   health   facilities operating  in  a  24/7  shift  and  


during  calamities, disasters and public health emergencies. (b) 
Every health worker required to work on the period covered after 
his/her regular schedule shall be entitled to his/her regular 
wage plus the regular overtime rate and an additional amount 
of twenty percent (20%) of such overtime rate for each hour of 
work performed between six (6) o'clock in the evening to six (6) 
o'clock in the morning: provided, that the foregoing rules on 
night shift differential shall be subject to the provisions of R.A. 
11701 or an Act granting night shift differential pay to 
government employees including those in government-owned  or 
-controlled corporations and its rules and regulations." 
 
SEC. 5. Section 21 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
“Section. 21. Hazard Allowance. - By the nature of their work, 
which subject them to health hazards and occupational risks, 
all public health workers regardless of the degree of their 
exposure to such hazards and risks shall be entitled to a 
monthly hazard allowance of Twenty Five Percent (25%) of their 
basic monthly salary across the board without prejudice to 
increase of this amount as may be warranted in the future by 
the Secretary of Health.” 
 
 
SEC. 6. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
“Section 22. Subsistence Allowance. - All Public Health 
Workers shall be entitled to full subsistence allowance which 
shall not be less than Three Hundred Pesos (PhP 350.00) per 
day for rendering actual services. Provided, that after one (1) 
year from the effectivity of this Act, it shall be increased to four 
Hundred Pesos (PhP 400.00). Provided further, that after two 
(2) years from the effectivity of this Act, it shall be increased to 
Five Hundred Pesos (PhP 500.00). Provided finally, that it shall 
be reviewed every three (3) years and may be further increased 
by the Secretary of Health, in consultation with the 
Management-Health Worker's Consultative Councils” 
 
SEC. 7. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
“Section. 24. Laundry Allowance. - All Public Health workers 
who are required to wear uniforms regularly shall be entitled to 
laundry allowance equivalent to One Thousand Pesos (Php 
1,000.00) per month and shall be increased based on the 
prevailing economic circumstances as may be warranted in 
the future by the Secretary of Health in consultation with the 


Management-Health Workers Consultative Council.” 
 
SEC. 8. Insert a new section on tax exemption to read as follows: 
   
“Section xxx. Tax Exemption. – the hazard allowance, 
subsistence allowance, and laundry allowance received by 
covered public health workers under this Act, shall be exempt 
from application of income tax.” 
 
SEC. 9. Section 34 (b) of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
xxx 
 
“b.) opportunity for health workers to grow and develop their 
potentials and experience a sense of worth and dignity in their 
work. Public health workers who undertake relevant post-
graduate studies in a degree course shall be entitled for an 
upgrade in position or promotion, or a raise in pay: Provided, 
That it shall not be more often than every two (2) years: 
Provided, further, That upon promotion to a higher position, 
the public health worker shall carry over and retain the step 
increment in the position held before the upgrade in position 
or promotion, or a raise in pay.” 
 
xxx 
 
SEC. 10. Section 35 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
“Section  35.  Rules and  Regulations.  - The Secretary of Health 
after consultation with appropriate agencies of the government 
as well as accredited professional and health workers' 
organizations or unions, shall formulate and prepare the 
necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of 
this Act which shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication 
in a newspaper of general circulation.” 
 
SEC. 11. Insert a new section to read as follows: 
 
“Section xxx. Incentives for Length of Service and Post Graduate 
Degree Completion. – there shall be one salary step increment 
for every post graduate degree completion of PHW, provided that 
the post graduate degree is completed during employment as 
PHW. The one salary step increment shall be carried over during 
transfer and promotion; provided further, that the one salary 
step increment shall not be more often than every two (2) years. 
  
The grant of step increment due to length of service shall be 
granted in addition to the longevity pay of PHW, provided that it 
shall be based on the salary grade allocation of the position in 


the applicable salary schedule for the NGA, GOCC, or LGU 
concerned.  
  
There shall be no step increment for PHW already at step 8 or 
the last step of the salary schedule for the grant of longevity pay, 
length of service, and post graduate degree completion.” 
  
SEC. 12. Section 36 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
“Section. 36. Periodic Review of the Magna Carta - All 
provisions with monetary implications shall be reviewed by the 
Council periodically to be recommended to the Secretary of 
Health for approval in consultation with the appropriate 
government agencies concerned under existing laws, rules, 
and regulations. and prevailing practices.” 
 
SEC. 13. Section 38 of Republic Act No. 7305 is hereby repealed and a new 
Section 38 shall be inserted as follows: 
 
“Section. 38. Budget Estimates. - For National Government 
Agencies (NGAs) including SUCs: 
 
The amounts required for the payment of Magna Carta 
benefits shall be charged against the respective agency’s 
appropriations 
or 
budget. 
The payment Magna Carta 
benefits of the public health workers in the government shall 
be charged to the appropriations authorized in the General 
Appropriations Act (GAA). Augmentation thereof from any 
available savings of the agency shall be subject to the approval 
of the DBM. 
 
The Magna Carta benefits for contractual and casual 
personnel shall be charged against the respective agency lump 
sum appropriations from which their salaries or wages are 
drawn. For GOCCs and GFIs, the amounts required shall be 
charged against their respective corporate funds in the 
approved corporate operating budget.” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected 
thereby shall remain in force and in effect. 
 


SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
and their implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette and in a newspaper of general circulation.