Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Hon. WILTER YAP PALMA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to strengthen the capabilities of Barangay Health and Nutrition 
Workers by setting the appropriate amount to be received as their honoraria, 
providing for additional benefits and facilitating capacity building programs for our 
Barangay Health and Nutrition Workers. 
In reality, the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Barangay Nutrition 
Scholars (BNSs) are critical to the country’s community-based health system. In 
fact, these barangay volunteers serve as the frontline providers for various health 
services and programs to all households within the barangay level. Moreover, aside 
from offering direct health services, they also act as the community pillars who are 
in charge of educating our households and in extreme cases, our dear volunteers 
are even the first responders in far-flung barangays where little to no medical 
practitioners could regularly visit and address the medical concerns of its residents. 
Given the amount of work and sacrifice that our Barangay Health and 
Nutrition Workers have dedicated unto their respective communities, it is but right 
that we prescribe a fixed monthly compensation for them to enjoy. In addition, the 
capacity building programs as mandated by this measure would ensure that our 
volunteers are well equipped with the necessary sets of skills that would be 
beneficial to their communities. They are the forefront of our delivery of 
government services, as such, it is imperative that we ensure that our Barangay 
July 12, 2022
10:07 am
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Health Workers and Barangay Nutrition Specialists are well equipped and 
adequately compensated. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
WILTER YAP PALMA  
Representative 
1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Philippines 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by HON. WILTER YAP PALMA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO BARANGAY HEALTH AND NUTRITION 
WORKERS, AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1569 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
7883, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, 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 “Barangay Health and 
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Nutrition Workers’ Benefits Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles – Sec 9, Article II of the 1987 
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Philippine Constitution provides that the state shall create policies for the provision 
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of adequate social services, promotion of full employment, a rising of standard of 
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living, and an improved quality of life for all. It is thus hereby declared the policy of 
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the state to empower and strengthen our barangay health and nutrition workers 
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as the frontliners in the provision of government services at the barangay level. The 
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state shall adopt measures and incentive schemes to ensure that our Barangay 
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Health and Nutrition Workers are adequately compensated to perform their official 
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duties and functions. 
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SEC. 3. Coverage – Every Barangay Health Worker (BHW) and Barangay 
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Nutrition Scholar (BNS) shall be covered by the provisions of this Act. 
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SEC. 4. Definition of Terms – As used in this Act: 
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a. Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) refers to one (1) Barangay based 
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volunteer worker in every barangay. They are responsible for 
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delivering nutrition services and other related activities such as 
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community health, backyard food production, environmental 
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sanitation, culture, mental feeding, and family planning to the 
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barangay, as defined in P.D. No. 1569; 
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b. Barangay Health Worker (BHW) shall refer to a person who has 
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undergone training programs under any accredited government 
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and non-government organization and who voluntarily renders 
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primary healthcare services in the community after having been 
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accredited to function as such by the local health board in 
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accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the Department of 
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Health (DOH), as defined in Republic Act No. 7883 also known as 
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the Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995. 
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SEC. 5. Honorarium – All Barangay Volunteer Workers covered under this Act 
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shall be entitled to a fixed monthly Honoraria of Six Thousand Pesos (P6,000.00). 
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Said amount shall be shouldered equally by the National Government, Province and 
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City/Municipality where the barangay is located. For Highly Urbanized Cities, an 
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amount of Four Thousand Pesos (P4,000.00) shall be shouldered by the City and an 
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amount of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) shall be shouldered by the National 
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Government. Said amount shall be part of the budget of the Department of Health 
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(DOH). 
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SEC. 6. Additional Benefits – All Barangay Volunteer Workers under this Act 
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shall be provided with the following benefits and incentives: 
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1. Free legal services from government lawyers or private lawyers 
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pursuant to R.A. No. 9999 and Bar Matter No. 2012, for cases 
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arising from acts committed in the performance of duty: Provided, 
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that such legal services shall continue, even after the expiration of 
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the term of the Barangay Volunteer, until its final disposition; 
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2. No Barangay Health and Nutrition Worker may be wrongfully 
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terminated nor replaced unless with just cause. Just causes of 
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termination or replacement shall include cases of serious 
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misconduct, willful disobedience or insubordination, gross and 
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habitual neglect of duties, fraud or willful breach of trust, 
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commission of crime or offense and analogous causes. Anyone who 
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is in violation hereof shall be subjected to proper administrative 
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proceedings. 
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SEC. 7. Education and Training Programs – The appropriate government 
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agencies shall develop a competency-based education and training curricula for the 
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following: 
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a. Barangay Health Worker – The Department of Health shall create a 
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curriculum that will train the community health workers as 
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healthcare providers, community organizers and health service 
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managers. It shall include basic orientation and training on health 
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programs and institutionalized health service delivery system, 
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primary healthcare, basic community organization, local health 
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research, program planning and development and mobilization. 
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Courses on basic life support, reproductive health, basic dental 
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care, physical therapy, nutrition, traditional and herbal medicine 
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and reflexology shall also be offered. Such program shall be 
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credited as units earned in higher education institutions with 
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stepladder curricula that will entitle BHWs to upgrade their skills 
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and knowledge for community work.  
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b. Barangay Nutrition Scholar – Pursuant to P.D. 1569, the 
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Department of Health, through the National Nutrition Council, shall 
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adopt a training program on selected topics such as nutrition, 
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health, food production and environmental sanitation, based on 
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defined task expectations before the BNS does actual barangay 
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service. Basic orientation on nutrition counseling, organization of 
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mother’s classes and breastfeeding classes, managing community-
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based feeding programs, and promotion of home or community 
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food gardens shall also be offered. The BNS shall be granted a civil 
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service eligibility equivalent to second grade after completing at 
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least two years of continuous and satisfactory service in the 
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barangay, as provided by P.D. 1569. 
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SEC. 8. Program Cost and Cost Sharing for Local Government Units – The 
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training program shall be offered free of charge. Local Government Units shall 
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adopt a cost-sharing scheme with the National Government through the 
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Department of Health for the implementation of the training programs in 
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accordance to the income level of the desired LGU.         
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SEC. 9. Funding Source – An initial allocation of Fifty Million Pesos 
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(P50,000,000.00) shall be included in the General Appropriations of the 
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Department of Health to support the policies under this Act. Thereafter, Congress 
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shall provide subsequent appropriations in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 10. Non-diminution of Benefits – Nothing in this law shall be construed 
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to eliminate or in any way diminish the entitlements or other benefits being 
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provided to or enjoyed by Barangay Health Workers under Republic Act No. 7883 
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and Barangay Nutrition Scholars under Presidential Decree No. 1569, or other laws 
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and issuances, at the time of the promulgation of this Act. 
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SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations – The Department of Health, 
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National Nutrition Council, Local Government Units and other appropriate 
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government agencies shall issue the rules and regulations necessary to carry out 
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the provisions of this Act within Ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
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SEC. 12. Separability Clause – Should any provision of this Act be declared 
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unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected thereby shall remain valid and 
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operational. 
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SEC. 13. Repealing Clause – R.A. No. 7883 otherwise known as the Barangay 
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Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995 and Presidential Decree No. 
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1569 which provides for a Nutrition Scholar in every Barangay, are hereby amended 
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accordingly. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof 
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 14. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved,                                                                                                                                             
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