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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
INCREASING THE SALARIES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE 
WORKERS OR PROVIDERS, GRANTING THEM MANDATORY BENEFITS 
AND ALLOWANCES DURING PANDEMICS, EPIDEMICS, AND OTHER 
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 The Constitution provides: that the promotion of the general welfare is 
essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy (Sec. 5, Art. 
II); the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity 
and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that 
provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a  rising standard of 
living, and an improved quality of life for all (Sec. 9, Art. II); the State shall protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them 
(Sec. 15, Art. II); and the State shall adopt an integrated approach to health 
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health, and other social 
services available to all the people at affordable cost (Sec. 11, Art. XIII). 
We cannot put a price tag on the sacrifices and dedication of our selfless 
healthcare workers or providers, who have for a long time exhibited. This was tested 
to the limits in the COVID-19 pandemic, notwithstanding the reality that they are not 
well compensated. Unfortunately, the Regional Wages and Productivity Boards are 
restricted in issuing wage orders unless extraordinary economic circumstances arise. 
This bill, therefore, seeks to recognize and compensate the hard work and the 
critical and sacrificial role, and invaluable kindness of our healthcare workers or 
providers in providing quality and prompt healthcare services for the promotion and 
protection of health for the general welfare of the people which is essential for the 
enjoyment of the blessings of democracy, especially in times of public health 
emergencies and calamities. 
          Healthy, dedicated, and efficient healthcare workers or providers mean healthy 
people and a healthy nation, the people being the most important asset of a nation. 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
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In view hereof, the early approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR.


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
INCREASING THE SALARIES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE 
WORKERS OR PROVIDERS, GRANTING THEM MANDATORY BENEFITS AND 
ALLOWANCES DURING PANDEMICS, EPIDEMICS, AND OTHER PUBLIC 
HEALTH EMERGENCIES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
          Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
          SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Healthcare Workers Act 
of 2025”. 
          SEC. 2 Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the State to recognize 
and compensate the critical and sacrificial role of healthcare workers or providers in 
providing quality and prompt healthcare services for the promotion and protection of 
health for the general welfare of the people which is essential for the enjoyment of the 
blessings of democracy especially in times of public health emergencies and calamities, 
and to alleviate their living conditions through policies and measures that provide a 
decent and humane standard of living and improved quality of life that ensure their 
well-being and economic security. 
          SEC. 3  Coverage. - This Act shall apply to all healthcare workers or healthcare 
providers in both the public and private sectors employed in or assigned to health 
facilities as the terms are defined in this Act, which includes medical and allied-fields 
practitioners, staff, aides in hospitals, sanitaria, rural health units, health centers, 
barangay health stations, clinics, laboratories, and other health-related establishments 
duly authorized or recognized by the Department of Health. 
          SEC. 4  Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act: 
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(a) Healthcare pertains to the care, maintenance, or improvement of the health of 
persons through the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and 
chronic management of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental 
ailments or impairments. 
 
(b) Health facilities shall refer to any public or private institution with healthcare as 
its core service, function, or business. For purposes of this Act, health facilities 
and other health-related establishments shall refer to those duly licensed, 
authorized, recognized, or designated by the Department of Health (DOH) to 
operate or function as such, such as public and private hospitals, clinics, and 
laboratories, including the DOH-Central Office, Central Centers for Health 
Development (CHD), Provincial/City/Municipal/Barangay or Rural Health 
Centers or Units. 
 
(c) Healthcare workers or providers shall refer to persons who are engaged in 
healthcare and health-related works as the term is defined in this Act which 
shall include, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, 
dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, laboratory technicians, paramedical 
technicians, psychologists, attendants, and other allied health professionals, 
including administrative and support personnel who are employed in or 
assigned to health facilities as the term is defined in this Act. 
 
(d) Public health emergency shall refer to an occurrence or imminent threat of illness 
or health condition of national scale, that: 
 
(1) Is caused by any of the following: 
 
(i) 
Bioterrorism; 
(ii) Appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated 
infectious agent or biological toxin; 
(iii) A natural disaster; 
(iv) A chemical attack or accident; or 
(iv) A nuclear attack or accident; or 
(v) An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and 
 
(2) Poses a high probability of any of the following occurrences: 
 
(i) 
A large number of deaths in the affected population; 
(ii) A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the 
affected population; 
(iii) Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people in the 
affected population; 


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(iv) International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk to the health of citizens of other countries; or 
(iv) Trade or travel restrictions. 
 
          SEC. 5  Wage Increase. - The daily rate of all healthcare workers or providers employed 
in or assigned to health facilities and establishments, as the terms are defined under this 
Act, shall be increased by Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (P250.00) upon the effectivity of 
this Act. Nothing in this Act shall prevent or prohibit the respective Regional 
Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards from granting additional increases to such 
healthcare workers or providers on the basis of their determination pursuant to Republic 
Act No. 6727, otherwise known as the “Wage Rationalization Act”, as amended. 
 
          SEC. 6 Grant of Health Emergency Allowance. – In case of public health emergency the 
national government or the private employer, as the case may be, shall grant Health 
Emergency Allowance (HEA) to healthcare workers or providers employed in or 
assigned to health facilities as the terms are defined in this Act for every month of service 
during the state of emergency based on the risk exposure categorization as may be 
determined and defined by the Department of Health in the following amounts: 
 
(1) Those deployed in “low-risk areas” shall be given at least Two Thousand Pesos 
(P2,000.00); 
 
(2) Those deployed in “medium risk areas” shall be given at least Three Thousand 
Five Hundred Pesos (P3,500.00); 
 
(3) Those deployed in “high-risk areas” shall be given at least Five Thousand Five 
Hundred Pesos (P5,500.00). 
 
SEC. 7 Correction of Wage Distortion in Private Health Facilities. - Where a wage 
distortion occurs as a result of the increase in the minimum wage under this Act, the 
employer and the union, or the employer and the workers in the absence of a union, shall 
negotiate to correct the distortion in accordance with the provisions of Article 124 of 
Presidential Decree No. 442 or the "Labor Code of the Philippines", as amended, and 
other existing laws, rules and regulations. 
  
          SEC. 8 Non-Chargeability of Prior Increases in Private Health Facilities. - No wage 
increase shall be credited as compliance with the increase prescribed herein unless expressly 
provided under valid collective bargaining agreements: Provided, that where such 
increase is less than the prescribed increase under this Act, the employer shall pay 
the difference. Such increases shall not include anniversary wage increases, merit 
wage increases, and those resulting from the regularization or promotion of employees. 
 


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          SEC. 9 Non-Diminution of Other Benefits. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
eliminate, or in any way reduce or diminish benefits or allowance in any form 
being enjoyed by healthcare workers or providers under Republic Act No. 7305 or the 
“Magna Carta of Public Health Workers” and other laws, decrees, issuances, and 
executive orders or any contract or agreement between workers and employers, as the 
case may be,  at the time of the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 10 Prohibition Against Double Recovery of Benefits. - Whenever other laws 
provide for the same benefits covered by this Act, the healthcare worker or provider shall 
have the option to choose which benefits will be paid to him/her. However, in the event 
that the benefits chosen are less than those provided under this Act, the worker shall be 
paid only the difference. 
 
SEC. 11 Establishment of a Grievance Mechanism. - The DOH shall issue guidelines on 
the creation of an ad hoc Grievance Board, which shall be composed of three (3) members 
that will receive, investigate, adjudicate, and recommend actions to arrive at the 
settlement of complaints related to any violation of or non-compliance with the benefits 
provided for under this. The DOH shall likewise create Regional ad hoc Grievance 
Boards in its Regional Offices. 
 
The Grievance Board shall be composed of the following: 
 
One (1) grievance officer appointed by the DOH; 
 
One (1) representative from the health professional organizations; and 
 
One (1) arbitration officer from the Department of Labor and Employment 
(DOLE) exercising jurisdiction where the health facility concerned is 
located. 
 
SEC. 12 Inspection by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). - The DOLE 
shall conduct an inspection of payroll and other financial records kept by private health 
facilities to determine whether these healthcare workers or providers are paid the 
prescribed minimum wage increase and/or allowances provided in this Act and other 
benefits granted by law. In unionized healthcare facilities, the DOLE inspectors shall 
always be accompanied by the president or any responsible officer of the recognized 
bargaining unit or of the interested union in the conduct of the inspection. In non-
unionized healthcare facilities, the inspection should be carried out in the presence of 
the healthcare workers' representative. 
 
SEC. 13 Penalties. - Any person, corporation, partnership, association or entity 
violating any provision of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty 
thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) 


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plus moral damages for each affected healthcare worker or provider and the costs of 
litigation including attorney's fees, or imprisonment of not less than two (2) years nor 
more than four (4) years, or both at the discretion of the court: Provided, That if the 
violation is committed by a corporation, partnership, association or any other entity, the 
penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the entity's responsible officers 
including, but not limited to, the president, vice president, chief executive officer, 
general manager,  and managing director or partner. The employer concerned shall be 
ordered to pay an amount equivalent to double the unpaid benefits owing to 
the Healthcare worker or provider: Provided, That the payment of indemnity shall not 
absolve the employer from the criminal liability imposable under this Act: Provided, 
further, That any person convicted under this Act shall not be entitled to the benefits 
provided for under the Probation Law. 
 
          Failure on the part of any corporation, partnership, association, or any other 
entity to comply with the provisions of this Act shall be a ground for non-renewal of its 
business permits. 
 
SEC. 14 Construction in Favor of Healthcare Worker or Provider. -  All doubts in 
the implementation and interpretation of the provisions of this Act, including its 
implementing rules and regulations, shall be resolved in favor of the healthcare worker or 
provider. 
 
SEC. 15 Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
shall be charged against the available appropriations of the DOH and any sources 
available as may be identified by the DBM. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its 
continuous implementation, giving consideration to the possible occurrence of a state of 
national public health emergency, shall be included in the General Appropriations Act 
(GAA), subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations. 
 
         SEC. 16 Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days after the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOH, the DBM and the Department of Finance shall, in 
consultation with other government agencies and concerned stakeholders, promulgate 
the implementing rules and regulations to efficiently carry out the provisions of this 
Act: Provided, That the non-promulgation of such rules and regulations shall not prevent 
the immediate implementation of this Act upon effectivity thereof. 
 
         SEC. 17 Separability Clause. - If any part or parts of this Act shall be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
         SEC. 18 Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, executive issuances 
or letters of instruction, rules, and regulations, or any part thereof, inconsistent with or 


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contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed, amended, or modified 
accordingly. 
 
         SEC. 19 Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved.