Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. ose

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

EXPLANATORY NOTE |

For many years now, Barangay Health Workers have been an indispensable
segment in the health sector's provision of primary health care within the communities.
They have been in the forefront of providing basic health services in their localities,
including health and nutrition education; family planning services; maternal, newborn,
and child health care; and promotion of good hygiene and sanitation practices. In
Barangay Health Centers, they provide assistance and support to physicians, nurses,
and midwives.

The presence of health workers in the barangays is crucial to ensure that people
in the different parts of the country, including in the remote, underserved areas, can
avail of the proper medical attention in their respective localities. This is in keeping with
our vision to provide universal health care access to all citizens. It is also consistent with
the duty of the State to protect and promote the health of its citizens and to instill health
consciousness among them.

The organization and training of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) as primary
health care workers in their own barangays since the 1970's, was both a means to
address the need to bring health services closer to the communities, as well as to
empower the communities to fully participate and be responsible for the protection and
maintenance of their own health. Moreover, BHWs fill the gap brought about by the
dwindling number of health workers in the Philippines due to continued migration of
nurses and doctors for better opportunities abroad.

However, despite the significant role of the BHWs, their work is primarily
anchored on volunteerism and many BHWs do not receive remuneration commensurate
to the work they do. In 1995, Republic Act No. 7883, otherwise known as the Barangay

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Health Workers and Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995, sought to provide incentives to
them in recognition of their services. The law specified that BHWs are entitled to hazard
and subsistence allowance, training programs, Civil Service eligibility, free legal
services, and access to loan services. However, it did not provide fixed rates for their
allowances, and the local government units vary in the rates and benefits they provide.
Consequently, there are BHWs who are underpaid and receive far less than what their
counterparts receive.

This proposed bill aims to enhance the benefits and incentives of the BHWs, in
recognition of their important role and the amount of work they do, especially during
disease outbreaks that most often emerge in remote areas, and during natural
calamities. It mandates fixed monthly honoraria and a floor or a minimum for the hazard
and subsistence allowances for BHWs, in addition to other incentives. This is to ensure
that all the BHWs in the different localities receive reasonable amounts of allowances.

The additional benefits are a long-overdue set of incentives especially
considering the continuing inflation. it is an affirmation of the Barangay Health Workers’
heroic role in helping the State fulfil its obligation to provide universal health care to all
its citizens, especially in the underserved areas.

Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Ww

RON P. SALO
KABAYAN Partylist

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,__ 9670 _

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

AN ACT
GRANTING ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS TO BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 7883, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES
ACT OF 1995

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

SECTION 1. — Section 6 of Republic Act 7883, otherwise known as the
Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995, is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 6. Incentives and Benefits. — In recognition of their services, all
accredited barangay health workers who are actively and regularly performing
their duties shall be entitled to the following incentives and benefits:

a) HONORARIA - ALL ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS
SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY HONORARIA OF AT LEAST
THREE THOUSAND PESOS (P 3,000.00);

b)

CHRISTMAS BONUS - ALL ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKERS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A CHRISTMAS BONUS OF AT
LEAST THREE THOUSAND PESOS (P 3,000.00);

THE MONTHLY HONORARIA AND CHRISTMAS BONUS MAY BE
INCREASED BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH SUBJECT TO
BUDGETARY ALLOCATION BY CONGRESS, OR TO BE TAKEN
FRORISAVINGS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AS THE CASE
MAY BE.

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c) Hazard Allowance — [Volunteer b] Barangay health workers in rural and
urban areas WHO, IN THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT, ARE exposed to
situations, conditions, or RISKS [factors in the work environment or place
where foreseeable but unavoidable danger or risks exist which
adversely]THAT endanger [his]THEIR health or life [and/or increase the
risk of producing adverse effect on his person} in the exercise of [his]
THEIR duties, to be validated by [the proper authorities) THE
SANGGUNIANG BARANGAY WHERE THEY ARE RENDERING
SERVICE, 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 iocal government unit concerned BUT IN NO CASE SHALL
IT BE LOWER THAN ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P 1,000.00)

d)

Subsistence Allowance — Barangay health workers who render service
[within the premises cf] IN isolated barangay health stations AND STAY
WITHIN THE PREMISES OF THE ISOLATED BARANGAY in order to
make their services 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
BUT IN NO CASE SHALL IT BE LOWER THAN ONE THOUSAND
PESOS (P 1,000.00)

€) Training, Education and Career Enrichment Programs— The DOH, in
Coordination with the Department of Education[Culture and Sports] and
other concerned government agencies and —_ non-government
organizations, shall provide opportunities for the following:

i. Educational programs 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;

ji. Continuing education, study and exposure tours training, grants,
field immersion, scholarships, etc.;

ili, 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

iv. Special training programs such as those on traditional medicine,
disaster preparedness and other programs that address emergent
‘community health problems and issues.

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f) Civil Service Eligibility. - A second grade eligibility shall be granted to
barangay health workers who have rendered THREE (3) 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 his/her service in
computing retirement benefits.

Free Legal Services — Legal representation and consultation services for
barangay health workers shall be immediately provided by the Public
Attorney's 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.

g

h)

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 projects in support of health programs or activities.

i) COMPULSORY PHILHEALTH COVERAGE - ALL BARANGAY
HEALTH WORKERS, WHO HAVE RENDERED AT LEAST SIX (6)
MONTHS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE, SHALL BE ENROLLED IN THE
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE AND
AVAIL OF AN ADEQUATE PACKAGE OF PERSONAL HEALTH
SERVICES, AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY HEALTH BENEFITS AS
MAY BE DEFINED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGU)
WHERE THEY RENDER SERVICES. PROVIDED, THAT THE LGUs
WHERE THEY ARE RENDERING SERVICES SHALL HAVE THE
OBLIGATION OF ENROLLING THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS
IN THE INSURANCE PROGRAM, AND PAYING FOR THEIR
RESPECTIVE PREMIUMS.

j) SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO DEPENDENTS OF BHWs — COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS TO ANY STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OR
TESDA SCHOLARSHIPS SHALL BE GRANTED TO A MAXIMUM OF
TWO (2) CHILDREN TO ALL BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, WHO.

HAVE RENDERED AT LEAST TWO (2) YEARS OF CONTINUOUS
SERVICE.

_ SEC. 2. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to implement the provisions
of this Act shall be included in the annual budget of the Department of Health in the
General Appropriations Act for the succeeding years following the approval of this Act.

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The premium fees for BHW’s PhilHealth coverage shall be provided for in the annual
budget of the concerned LGUs.

SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health, in
consultation with the Department of Interior and Local Government, Civil Service
Commission, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority, and the National Confederation of Barangay Health Workers
shall prepare the Implementing Rules and Regulations within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 4 Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
rules and regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with
"the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. — |f, for any reason, any part, section or provision

of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not
affected

thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.

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