FIFTEENTH CONGRESS of the 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S~B. No. 1971 
Introduced by HON. RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy ofthe State to protect and promote the right to health of the people 
and to provide conditions for health empowerment, where each individual has access to 
information and services that will bring about health and well-being. 
The government and all its instrumentalities also recognize the rights of barangay 
health workers by recommending policies and guidelines for the promotion, maintenance 
and advancement of their activities and services. 
In recognition of their invaluable service, Republic Act No. 7883 was enacted to 
provide a package of incentives and benefits to barangay health workers including hazard 
allowance, subsistence allowance, training, education and career enrichment programs, 
civil service eligibility, free legal services and preferential access to loans. However, the 
said law misses one of the most essential components of one's existence: health and well-
being of a person. 
It is on this note that this bill seeks to upgrade the incentives and benefits of 
barangay health workers to provide a holistic development in improving their quality of 
life. 
I therefore appeal for the immediate enactment of this measure. 
!'WONG REVILLA, JR. 
" 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS of the 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1971 
Introduced by HON. RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES TO ACCREDITED 
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7883 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SEC. 1. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 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 regnlarly 
perfonning their duties shall be entitled to the following incentives and 
benefits: 
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. 
b) 
Subsistence Allowance. -
Barangay health workers who rendered 
service within the premises of isolated barangay health stations in order to 
make their services within the premises 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. 
c) 
Training, Education and Career Emichment Programs. -
The DOH, in 
accordance with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and other 
concerned government agencies and non-government organizations, shall 
Provide 
opportunities 
for 
the 
following: 
1 


I) 
educational progr~ms which shall recognize years of primary health 
care service as credits to higher education in institutions with stepladder 
curricula that will entitle barangay health workers to upgrade their skills 
and knowledge for community work or to pursue further training as 
midwives, 
pharmacists, 
nurses 
or 
doctors; 
. 2) 
continuing education, study and exposure tours, training, grants, 
field immersion, scholarships, etc.: 
3) 
scholarship benefits in the form of tuition fees in state colleges, to be 
granted to one child of every barangay health worker who will not be able 
to 
take 
advantage 
of 
the 
above 
programs; 
and 
4) 
special training programs such as those on traditional medicine, 
disaster preparedness and other programs that address emergent community 
health problems and issues. 
d) 
Civil Service Eligibility. -
A second grade eligibility shall be granted 
to barangay health workers who have rendered five (5) years continuous 
service as such: provided, that should the barangay health worker become a 
regular employee of the government, the total number of years served as 
barangay health worker shall be credited to hislher service in computing 
retirement benefits. 
e) 
Free Legal Services. -
Legal representation and consultation services 
for barangay health workers shall be immediately provided by the Public 
Attorneys 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. 
f) 
Preferential Access to Loans. -
The DOH in coordination with other 
concerned government agencies shall provide, within one hundred eighty 
(180) days after the effectivity of this Act, a mechanism for access to loan 
services by organized barangay health workers. The agencies providing 
loan services will set aside one percent (1%) of their loanable funds for 
organized barangay health worker groups that have community-based 
income generating proj~cts in support of health programs or activities. 
G) HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE. -
A COMPULSORY 
ENROLLMENT UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE 
PROGRAM. THE PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS SHALL· BE 
BORNE EQUALLY BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND 
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT CONCERNED. 
SEC. 2. Separability Clause - If for any reason any section or provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are. not effected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. - Any laws, decrees, or rules and regulations which are 
inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby amended or 
repealed. 
2 


• 
SEC. 4. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least 
two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
.3