NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No.
)
SENATE
727
micp of tile &)ecvrtnvp
•22 JUL18 P3 45
RECEIVED 3V;
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. /305, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA 
CARTA FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to a Department of Health (DOH) presentation last September 2021, 
the Philippines'total number of Health Care Workers (HCWs) is at five hundred twenty- 
six thousand, seven hundred and twenty-seven (526,727). Of this number, four 
hundred sixty-two thousand, nine hundred fifty-five (462,955) HCWs are public health 
workers.
This is no small number. Over four hundred thousand health care workers who 
constantly devote themselves to the sacred duty of caring for others, at the risk of 
personal safety. Hence, this also means that over four hundred thousand public health 
workers in the Philippines are in conj>tant need of good support from the government.
As part of fulfilling its duty to establish and maintain manpower development 
and research, the State must therefore secure the well-being of its public health care 
workers. Such is precisely what this bill intends to do.
Among the important features of this measure is to mandate the establishment 
of a new salary scale, following Republic Act No. 11466 or the Salary Standardization


Law of 2019a provided that the benchmark for the position of Rural Health Position 
shall be Salary Grade (SG) 24, while it shall be SG 16 for the position of Nurse I.
This measure also proposes several changes to the allowances to which our 
public health care workers are entitled. Among these changes is the addition of the 
following allowances; a Special Risk Allowance and a Rice Subsidy Allowance. Further, 
the allowance for Laundry shall now include clothing.
Under this bill, it is also provided that if a public health care worker contracts 
any disease or is injured in the performance of their duty, they shall be entitled to the 
amount of one hundred pesos (P100,000.00). On the other hand, in the unfortunate 
event that the worker dies in the course of fulfilling their duty, the amount of one 
million pesos (P1,000,000.00) shall be given.
Surely, one cannot put a price on the act of securing good health. At the same 
time, the value of our public health care workers' contribution cannot be quantified. 
Nevertheless, in the same way that our health care workers do not flee in the face of 
a health crisis, neither must lawmakers shirk away from the opportunity to ensure the 
establishment of a v^eil-functionlng healthcare system. For this reason, I earnestly 
seek the swift passage of this bill Into law.
RONALD-^^^^LA ROSA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
SENATE 
s. No. 727
Senate
ttf o( tl)f ^’>er"£“tnr2>
*22 JUL 18 P3 ’45
RECEIVED BV;
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA 
CARTA FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
1 
Sec. 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
2 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
3 
"Sec. 3. [Definition] COVERAGE. - [For purposes of this Act,
4 
-health workers" shall- mean all persons who ore engaged in
5 
health and health-related work,-and all persons-employed in all
6 
hospitals, 5afHt-aria> health infirmarlcG, health centers, rural health
7 
wftsr-barungay health -stations, clinics and other health-related
8 
establishments owned and operated by the Government-or--its
9 
political subdivisions with original charters and shall include
10 
medical, oHIed-health professional, administrative and support
11 
pefsoFH=iel employed rcgardlGss of their employment status."]"
12 
THIS ACT SHALL BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HEALTH
13 
WORKERS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, "HEALTH
14 
WORKERS" REFER TO PERSONS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN
15 
HEALTH AND HEALTH-RELATED WORK IN A HEALTH
16 
FACILITY OR OTHER RELATED ESTABLISHMENT, OWNED


1 
AND OPERATED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS POLITICAL
2 
SUBDIVISIONS. IT SHALL INCLUDE MEDICAL, ALLIED
3 
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND
4 
SUPPORT PERSONNEL INCLUDING MAINTENANCE,
5 
JANITORIAL AND SECURITY PERSONNEL OF SUCH
6 
HEALTH FACILITY OR RELATED ESTABLISHMENT,
7 
REGARDLESS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT STATUS."
8 
Sec. 2. Section 19 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
9 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
10 
"Sec. 19. Salaries. - [In-t-he-determination of the salary scale of
11 
public health workers, the provisions-of Republic Act No-.- 6758
12 
shati-gevcrn, except that the benchmark for Rural Health
13 
Physicians-shall be upgraded to Grade 24.] THE DEPARTMENT
14 
OF HEALTH, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT
15 
OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT, IS HEREBY MANDATED
16 
TO ESTABLISH A NEW SALARY SCALE FOR PUBLIC
17 
HEALTH WORKERS FOLLOWING THE SALARY GRADE
18 
UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11466, OTHERWISE KNOWN
19 
AS THE "SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAW OF 2019":
20 
PROVIDED, THAT THE BENCHMARK FOR RURAL HEALTH
21 
PHYSICIANS SHALL BE SALARY GRADE 24 WHILE NURSE
22 
I SHALL BE SALARY GRADE 16.
23 
XXX."
24 
Sec. 3. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
25 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
26 
"Sec. 20. Additional Compensation. - Notwithstanding Section
27 
12 of Republic Act No. 6758 and provisions of Republic Act No.
28 
11466, public health workers shall receive the following
29 
ADDITIONAL allowances: hazard allowance, SPECIAL RISK
30 
ALLOWANCE, subsistence allowance, RICE SUBSIDY
31 
ALLOV/ANCE, longevity pay, laundry AND CLOTHING


1 
allowance, and remote assignment allowance."
2 
Sec. 4. Section 21 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
3 
Carta for Public Health Workers" Is hereby amended as follows:
4 
"Sec. 21. Hazard Allowance. - [Public health workers in hospitals,-
5 
saf=Ht-af4a, rural health—unitS7..main - health- centers, health
6 
Inflrmarlcs7—barangay—health—5t-atlons7—clinics—af^d—ether
7 
healthrclated establishments located in difficult areas, strife-torn
8 
Of embattled areas, distressed episolatcd stations, prisof>-€-amps7
9 
mental.hospitals,—Fadletlen-exposcd cli-nleeT—[eboretories— or
10 
diseasetfifested-areas-or-ln areas dcdafed under state otealemity
11 
OF emergeney-- for- the duration-thereef which -expose them-te
12 
great danger, contagion—radiation, volcanic activity/eruption/
13 
occupational risk or perlls-te-llfe as-determined' by- the Secretary
14 
of4Health, shall be corripensated hazard allowances equivalent te
15 
atHeast-twenty-five-percent (25%) of the monthly basic salary of
16 
health-workers receiving salary-grade-19 and below, and five
17 
percent (5%) for health-werkers with salary grade 20 and above.]
18 
ALL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS PERFORMING HEALTH
19 
AND HEALTH “RELATED WORK REGARDLESS OF WORK
20 
LOCATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO HAZARD ALLOWANCE
21 
AMOUNTING TO FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5/000.00) PER
22 
MONTH: PROVIDED, THAT THIS RATE SHALL BE
23 
EXEMPTED FROM INCOME TAX: PROVIDED, FURTHER,
24 
THAT RATE SHALL BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY AND
25 
INCREASED ACCORDINGLY BY THE SECRETARY OF
26 
HEALTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE
27 
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES."
28 
Sec. 5. A new Section 21-A shall be Inserted after Section 21 of Republic Act No.
29 
7305 which shall read as follows:
30 
"SEC. 21-A. SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE. - PUBLIC
31 
HEALTH WORKERS, WHERE THE PERFORMANCE OF


1 
THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND LOCATION
2 
OF WORK EXPOSE THEM TO GREAT DANGER,
3 
OCCUPATIONAL RISKS, PERIL TO LIFE, AND PHYSICAL
4 
HARDSHIPS, IN AREAS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AS
5 
DETERMINED BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH, SHALL BE
6 
ENTITLED TO SPECIAL RISK ALLOWANCE OF AT LEAST
7 
TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT (25%) OF THE MONTHLY BASIC
8 
SALARY."
9 
Sec. 6. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
10 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
11 
"Sec. 22. Subsistence Allowance. - Public health workers who
12 
are required to render service within OR NEAR the premises of
13 
[f^espitatorsanitaria, health infirmarios, main health centers, rural
14 
health-units and barangay-health stations, or clinics,--and-other
15 
health-rclotcd...establishments] HEALTH FACILITIES AND
16 
OTHER RELATED ESTABLISHMENTS in order to make their
17 
services available at any and all times, shall be entitled to full
18 
subsistence allowance of three (3) meals which may be computed
19 
in accordance with prevailing circumstances as determined by the
20 
Secretary of Health in consultation with the Management-Health
21 
Worker's Consultative Councils, as established under Section 33
22 
of this Act: PROVIDED, THAT SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
23 
SHALL BE COMPUTED NOT LOWER THAN SEVENTY FIVE
24 
PESOS (Php75.00) PER MEAL: Provided, FURTHER, That
25 
representation and travel allowance shall be given to rural health
26 
physicians as enjoyed by municipal agriculturists, municipal
27 
planning and development officers and budget officers."
28 
Sec. 7. A new Section 22-A shall be inserted after Section 22 of Republic Act No.
29 
7305 which shall read as follows:
30 
"SEC. 22-A. RICE SUBSIDY ALLOWANCE. - ALL PUBLIC
31 
HEALTH WORKERS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RICE
32 
SUBSIDY ALLOWANCE IN THE FORM OF CASH


1 
AMOUNTING TO ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY
2 
PESOS (Pl,250.00).
3 
Sec. 8. Section 23 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
4 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
5 
"Section 23. Longevity Pay. - A monthly longevity pay equivalent
6 
to five percent (5%) of the monthly basic pay shall be paid to a
7 
health worker for every five (5) years of continuous, efficient and
8 
meritorious services rendered as certified by the chief of office
9 
concerned, commencing with the service after the approval of
10 
this Act.: PROVIDED, THAT FOR EVERY TEN YEARS OF
11 
SERVICE, THEY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO SPECIAL
12 
LONGEVITY PAY AMOUNTING TO ONE (1) MONTH OF
13 
BASIC SALARY."
14 
Sec. 9. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
15 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
16 
"Section 24. Laundry AND CLOTHING Allowance. - All public
17 
health workers who are required to wear uniforms regularly shall
18 
be entitled to laundry AND CLOTHING allowance equivalent to
19 
[One hundred twenty-five pesos (P125.00)] 
FIVE HUNDRED
20 
PESOS (P500.00) per month: provided, that this rate shall be
21 
reviewed periodically and increased accordingly by the Secretary
22 
of Health in consultation with the appropriate government
23 
agencies concerned taking 
into account existing 
laws and
24 
prevailing practices."
25 
Sec. 10. Section 28 of Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna
26 
Carta for Public Health Workers" is hereby amended as follows:
27
28
"Section 28. Compensation for Injuries. - Public health workers 
shall be protected against the consequences of employment


injuries in accordance with existing law. Injuries incurred whiie 
doing overtime work shall be presumed work-connected.
3 
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW TO THE CONTRARY,
4 
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS WHO MAY BE INJURED OR
5 
CONTRACT ANY DISEASE WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE
6 
OF THEIR DUTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN AMOUNT
7 
OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PlOO,000.00):
8 
PROVIDED, THAT THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION PESOS
9 
{P1,000,000.00) SHALL BE GIVEN TO PUBLIC HEALTH
10 
WORKERS WHO MAY DIE WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE
11 
OF THEIR DUTY: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT
12 
ENTITLEMENT TO COMPENSATION UNDER THIS
13 
SECTION SHALL NOT PRECLUDE PUBLIC HEALTH
14 
WORKERS TO CLAIM ANY OTHER BENEFITS FOR THE
15 
SAME INJURY PROVIDED FOR BY OTHER LAWS."
16 
Sec. 11. Free Continuing Professionai Deveiopment - The Department of
17 
Health shall provide free Continuing Professional Development training for public health
18 
worker professionals who are required to undertake such program as a requirement
19 
for the renewal of their professional Identification cards under the regulation of
20 
Professional Regulatory Commission as mandated by Republic Act No.
21 
10912 or the "Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016".
22 
Sec. 12. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - The Secretary of Health after
23 
consultation with appropriate agencies of the Government as well as professional and
24 
health workers' organizations or unions, shall formulate and prepare the revised
25 
implementing rules and regulation of the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers in
26 
accordance with this Act.
27 
Sec. 13. Separabiiity Cause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
28 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall
29 
remain in force and effect.


Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 15. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after Its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,