Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._ 2803

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS
1" District, locos Norte

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The barangay, as the most basic political unit in the country, constitutes the
foundation of our democratic and governmental structure. It is in the barangay where
the concepts of justice, peace and order, and social harmony find their most tangible
and immediate expression. This is manifest in the institutional mechanisms of the
Katarungang Pambarangay, the Lupong Tagapamayapa, and the Pangkat
Tagapagkasundo, which embody localized dispute resolution, community-based
peacebuilding, and participatory governance.

Barangay officials, by virtue of their proximity to the people, serve as first
responders during times of calamity, emergency, or national crisis. Well before
national agencies are able to deploy personnel or resources, it is the barangay
leadership that mobilizes swiftly to secure public order, deliver basic services, and
protect the welfare of their constituents. Their indispensable contributions to crisis
response, grassroots governance, and essential service delivery cannot be overstated.

This bill seeks to establish a Magna Carta for Barangays, a comprehensive and
responsive framework that formally recognizes the contributions of barangay officials
and institutionalizes long-overdue benefits for them, Its salient provisions include:

‘© The recognition of the Punong Barangay, Sangguniang Barangay Members,
Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson, Barangay Secretary, and Barangay
Treasurer as regular government employees, entitled to fixed salaries, full
benefits, and retirement coverage;

© The grant of security of tenure, honoraria, medical insurance, and educational
benefits to barangay tanods, who serve as essential peacekeepers and
community enforcers;

© The mandated provision of basic public infrastructure, including potable
water systems, educational and health facilities, barangay halls, and public
transportation access, for every barangay;

© The automatic and direct release of the barangay’s just share from national
taxes, local revenues, and the proceeds of natural resource utilization, thereby
reinforcing fiscal transparency, efficiency, and autonomy; and

© The promotion of inclusive grassroots development through employment
prioritization, scholarship grants, and support for cooperative enterprises.


By enacting this Magna Carta, we reaffirm the constitutional vision of
empowering barangays as dynamic partners in national development. We likewise
recognize and institutionalize the rightful place of barangay officials as essential
public servants—deserving of adequate compensation, protection, and respect as they
carry out their vital mandate in service of the Filipino people.

For the foregoing reasons, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS:


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2803

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS:
1* District, Ilocos Norte

AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH THE MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS

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

I. TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for
Barangays."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote, develop and
improve the general welfare of barangay residents, raise the economic and social status
of barangay officials, grant every barangay the basic facilities for decent, healthy and
comfortable living therein and provide new measures that will inspire its enjoyment of
local autonomy to ensure the effective performance of its role as the primary planning
and implementing unit of government programs, projects and activities, and as a forum
in which the collective views of the people in the community may be crystallized and
considered.

SEC. 3. General Principles. - The following are the general principles of this Act:

a) The national government shall give more attention to the development of the
barangay, as it is the base of this country's economy.

b) Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to address its
challenges on its level.

©) Self-help or people power shall be the guiding principle in all barangay
development projects.

I. BARANGAY OFFICIALS

SEC. 4, Barangay Officials as Regular Government Employees. The punong
barangay, sangguniang barangay members, the sangguniang kabataan chairperson, the
barangay secretary and barangay treasurer in all barangays are hereby declared regular
employees, and as such are entitled to fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical
and dental coverage, retirement benefits and such other fringe benefits to which a
regular government employee may be entitled to.


SEC. 5. Salaries of Barangay Officials. As soon as the appropriate steps and
measures are undertaken by each city or municipality in coordination with the
individual barangay involved on matters relating to the sources of fund and the
corresponding appropriation ordinance, which in no case shall be later than six (6)
months from the approval hereof, all barangay officials mentioned in Section 4 hereof
shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries:

a) Punong Barangay - An amount equivalent to the salary of a sangguniang bayan
or panlungsod member of his/her municipality or city.

b) Sangguniang Barangay Members - An amount equivalent to eighty percent
(80%) of the salary of a sangguniang bayan or panlungsod member of his/her
municipality or city.

c) Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer -
For each, an amount equivalent to seventy-five percent (75%) of the salary of a
sangguniang bayan or panlungsod member of his/her municipality or city.

SEC. 6. Appointment, Selection and Benefits of Barangay Tanods. There shall be
barangay tanods in every barangay who shall maintain peace and order, and enforce all
laws and ordinances relative to the protection of lives and properties in their respective
barangays. The sangguniang barangay shall, through a resolution, determine the
appropriate number of barangay tanods needed in their respective barangay.

The appointment and selection of barangay tanods shall be done by the Punong
Barangays with the concurrence of the majority of the members of the sangguniang
barangay concemed in accordance with merit and fitness: Provided, That no person
shall be appointed barangay tanod unless he or she is a citizen of the Philippines, a
resident of the barangay concemed, of good moral character and of sound mind:
Provided further, That patronage or partisan considerations shall not be a basis for such
selection and appointment.

Barangay tanods shall be appointed to a permanent status during the administration of
the sangguniang barangay which appointed them.

Barangay tanods shall receive the following benefits and privileges:

a) Honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law
or barangay, municipal or city ordinance in accordance with the provisions of
Republic Act No. 7160, but in no case shall it be less than Six hundred pesos
(P600.00) per month;

b) Christmas bonus of at least One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) each, the funds for

which shall be taken from the general fund of the barangay or from such other

funds appropriated by the national government for the purpose;

Insurance coverage which shall include, but shall not be limited to temporary

and permanent disability, double indemnity, accident insurance, death and

burial benefits;

Free medical care including subsistence, medicines, and medical attendance in

any government hospital or institution: Provided, That such hospital care shall

include surgery or surgical expenses, medicines, x-rays, laboratory fees, and
other hospital expenses; and

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qd)


©) Exemption during their incumbency from paying tuition and matriculation fees
for their legitimate dependent children attending state colleges or universities.
He may likewise avail of such educational benefits in a state college or
university located within the province or city to which the barangay belongs.

III. BASIC PRIORITIES IN THE BARANGAY

SEC. 7. Drinking Water for Every Barangay. - It is the right of every barangay to
have a regular supply of clean and potable water. To attain this goal, every city or
municipality, as the case may be, is hereby required to construct or maintain at least one
(1) facility for drawing drinking water to supply the needs of every one thousand
(1,000) residents for each barangay within its jurisdiction.

SEC. 8. Transportation for Every Barangay. It is also the right of every barangay to
have public transportation available at least once a day. For this purpose, every
municipality or city, as the case may be, should make such necessary representations
before the appropriate government agencies to require public utility companies
operating primarily within its jurisdiction to provide the minimum means of
transportation in every barangay.

SEC. 9. Schools, Health Centers and Barangay Halls for the Barangays. Every
barangay is entitled to have at least one (1) kindergarten and at least one (1) elementary
school: Provided, That there shall be at least one high school for every five (5)
kilometres from the barangay center. It shall also be the right of every barangay to have
one health center and one barangay hall.

IV. MEASURES TO ASSURE THE ENJOYMENT OF LOCAL AUTONOMY

SEC. 10. Automatic Release of Share from National Taxes. - The share of each
barangay from all national taxes shall be released, without need of further action,
directly to the barangay treasurer. The national taxes to be included in the base for
computing the just share of barangays shall include, but not limited to, the following:

a) The national internal revenue taxes enumerated in Section 21 of the National
Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), as amended, collected by the Bureau of Internal
Revenue and the Bureau of Customs;

b) Tariff and customs duties collected by the Bureau of Customs;

¢) 60% of the national taxes collected from the exploitation and development of
the national wealth;

d) The remaining 40% of the national taxes collected from the exploitation and

development of the national wealth shall exclusively accrue to the host Local

Government Units (LGUs) pursuant to Section 290 of Republic Act No. 7160

(Local Government Code);

85% of the excise taxes collected from locally manufactured Virginia and other

tobacco products;

f) The remaining 15% shall accrue to the special purpose funds created by

Republic Act No. 7171 and Republic Act No. 7227;

The entire 50% of the national taxes collected under Sections 106, 108 and 116

of the NIRC as provided under Section 283 of the NIRC;

°)

g)


h) 5% of the 25% franchise taxes given to the National Government under Section
6 of Republic Act No. 6631 and Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6632; and

i) The appropriate sharing for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao under Republic Act No. 11054.

SEC. 11. Transfer of Funds to Barangay for the Maintenance of Roads and
Bridges. All public funds appropriated from the National Treasury for the maintenance
of barangay roads and bridges and other similar constructions shall be transferred or
remitted directly to the general fund of every barangay for their proper disposition by
the barangay officials, subject to auditing laws, rules, and regulations.

SEC. 12, Mandatory Share of Barangays in All Taxes, Fees or Other Charges.
Twenty-five percent (25%) of all taxes collected on real property located within the
barangay shall be considered barangay funds and shall be allocated in accordance with
existing laws. In addition thereto, each barangay shall be entitled to ten percent (10%)
from all other forms of taxes, fees, penalties, compromises or other charges collected
from persons residing in the barangay or entities whose offices and/or manufacturing
plant is located within the barangay.

SEC. 13. Equitable Share of the Barangay from the Proceeds of the Utilization
and Development of National Wealth. Every barangay shall be entitled to an
equitable share of the proceeds derived from the exploitation, development and
utilization of natural wealth within its territory. The amount of barangay share shall be
determined by the city or municipality concemed after consultations with the
concessionaires, the municipal or city officials and barangay officials, taking into
account the extent of the exposure of the barangay residents to pollution, flood and
ecological imbalance: Provided, That this equitable sharing rate for each barangay shall
be resolved by all parties concemed not later than six (6) months from the approval of
this Act, Revenues derived from this source shall also form part of the general fund of
the barangay.

'V. MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS

SEC. 14. Scholarship Grant. Every barangay shall sponsor at least one scholarship
grant every year leading to any bachelor degree to be awarded by a committee of five
persons appointed by the Sangguniang Barangay with the approval of the Punong
Barangay after competitive examinations are given to applicants who should be bona
fide residents of the barangay. The grant shall include tuition fees and all other school
fees, reasonable allowances for schoolbooks, supplies and transportation and other
expenses as the barangay may deem appropriate.

SEC. 15. Priority in Employment. Residents in every barangay shall have the priority
in the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any government construction or
development projects within the barangay.

SEC. 16. Cooperative Enterprise. - Cooperative enterprises in the barangay shall be
encouraged and every barangay is directed to give full assistance for the establishment
and organization of said enterprises and to take every possible effort to make
cooperative undertakings a way of life in the barangay.



VI. ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

SEC. 17. Rules and Regulations. The Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued pursuant to this Section shall take
effect thirty (30) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and by
such other means as the Secretary deems reasonably sufficient to give interested parties
general notice of such issuance.

SEC. 18. Budgetary Estimates. The Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
shall submit to the Congress the necessary budgetary estimates to implement the
provisions of this Act concerning the allowances, insurance, medical, dental and
retirement benefits and other fringe benefits of barangay officials, the basic priorities in
the barangays and the barangay scholarship grant.

SEC. 19. Penal Provision. Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain or
coerce any barangay official or barangay resident in the exercise of his or their rights
guaranteed by this Act or who shall in any other manner commit any act to defeat any of
the provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than
Five hundred (Php 500.00) pesos nor more than Two thousand (Php 2,000.00) pesos, or
by imprisonment of six (6) months and one (1) day, or both, subject to the discretion of
the court.

If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his dismissal from the
government service.

SEC. 20. Repealing Clause. All Acts and decrees, executive orders, implementing
rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 21. Separability Clause. - If any provisions of this Act are declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder or any provisions thereof not affected thereby shall
remain in force and effect.

SEC. 22. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of
its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,