Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. peace

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to give due recognition to our barangay officials by providing them
with compensation at par with other elected and appointed officials in the government
service. Currently, there are around 42,045 barangays all over the Philippines.

The barangay is the smallest unit of the government. As defined by the Local
Government Code, it serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of
government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community, and
as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized
and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled. They are at the forefront
in public service and therefor it is but just to compensate the services they provide.

In consideration thereof, the passage of this bill in the 18" Congress is earnestly
‘sought.

Rees

J 10” L. LARA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. pes

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A MAGNA CARTA FOR BARANGAYS

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

ARTICLE I
TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES

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

SECTION 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
insure 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.

SECTION 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
barangays, as they are the country's basic political units;

b) Every barangay shall be given the authority and capability to handle its
concerns on its level;

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

ARTICLE II
BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS REGULAR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

SECTION 4. Barangay Officials as Regular Government Employees. —


The punong barangay, members of the sangguniang barangay, the sangguniang
kabataan chairperson, the barangay secretary, and barangay treasurer in all
barangays are hereby declared regular government employees, and as such are
entitled to the salary, emoluments, allowances, benefits, such as insurance, medical,
and dental coverage, and retirement benefits, and all other fringe benefits to which a
regular government employee may be entitled to.

SECTION 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 paragraph 4
hereof, shall be entitled to the following fixed salaries:

Punong Barangay An amount equivalent to the salary of a
sangguniang bayan member of his
municipality or city.

Members of the Sangguniang An amount equivalent to eighty percent
Barangay 80%) of the salary of a sangguniang
bayan member of his municipality or city.
Sangguniang Kabataan An amount equivalent to seventy-five
Chairperson, Barangay Secretary, percent (75%) of the salary of a sanggunian
Barangay Treasurer bayan member of his municipality or city
ARTICLE III

BASIC PRIORITIES IN THE BARANGAY

SECTION 6. 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 maybe, is hereby required to construct or
maintain at least one (1) facility for drawing drinking water to supply the needs of
everyone thousand (1,000) residents for each barangay within its jurisdiction.

SECTION 7. 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 appropriate government agencies to require public utility
companies operating primarily within its jurisdiction to provide the minimum means of
transportation in every barangay.

SECTION 8. Schools, Health Centers, and Barangay Halls for the
Barangays. — As far as practicable, 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) kilometers from the barangay center. It shall
also be the right of every barangay to have one (1) health center and one (1) barangay


hall.

ARTICLE IV
MEASURES TO ASSURE THE ENJOYMENT OF LOCAL AUTONOMY

SECTION 9. Automatic Release of Share from National Taxes. - The
allotment representing the share of the barangay from the national taxes shall be
released without need of any further action directly to the barangay treasurer on a
quarterly basis within five (5) days after the end of each quarter.

SECTION 10. Transfer of Funds to Barangay for the Maintenance of
Roads and Bridges. — A\\ public funds appropriated from the National Treasury for
the maintenance of barangay roads and bridges and other similar construction works
shall be transferred or remitted directly to the general fund of every barangay for their
proper disposition by barangay officials, subject to auditing laws, rules, and
regulations.

SECTION 11. 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 office
or manufacturing plant is located within the barangay.

SECTION 12. Equitable Share of the Barangay from the Proceeds of
the Utilization and Development of National Wealth. — For the exploitation,
utilization, and development of natural resources within its territory, every barangay
shall be entitled to an equitable share of the proceeds derived therefrom. The amount
of barangay share shall be determined by the city or municipality concerned 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 concerned not later than six (6)
months from the approval of this Act. Revenues derived from this source shall also
from part of the general fund of the barangay.

ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS

SETION 13. Scholarship Grant. — Every barangay shall sponsor at least one
(1) scholarship grant every year leading to any bachelor degree to be awarded by a
committee of five (5) persons appointed by the Sangguniang Barangay, with the
approval of the Punong Barangay, after competitive examinations are given to
applicants, who should be bonafide residents of the barangay. The grant shall include
tuition fees and all other school fees, reasonable allowances for schoolbooks, supplies,
transportation, and other expenses as the barangay may deem appropriate.


SECTION 14. Priority in Employment. - Residents in every barangay shall
have priority in the hiring of workers and laborers to be needed in any government
construction or development project within the barangay.

SECTION 15. 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.

ARTICLE VI
ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

SECTION 16. 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.

SECTION 17. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 18. Penal Provisions. — 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 pesos nor more than two thousand pesos, or by
imprisonment or six months and one day, or both, subject to the discretion of the
court.

If the offender is a public official, the court shall, after conviction, order his
dismissal from the government service, in addition to the imposable penalties.

SECTION 19. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
invalid, the remainder or any provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain in
force and effect.

SECTION 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.

SECTION 21. E&ffectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon its
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,