• 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
) 
SENATE 
223 
SENATE BILL NO. _----'-'"__=_ 
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The national health policy of our country is clearly articulated in 
Article XIII, Section 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution in this wise: 
"The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to 
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health 
and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost." By 
virtue of Section 17 of Title I of the 1991 Local Government Code, the 
delivery of basic services and facilities such as health and social welfare 
services were devolved to the local government units down to the 
barangay level. Thus, the barangay health centers and daycare centers 
are maintained with the help of barangay health workers who voluntarily 
render primary health care services to the community. 
It is, however, ironic that while barangay health workers are the 
front-liners in providing health care services to the community, there is 
no existing mechanism to secure that all barangays are equipped with 
the services of their own barangay health worker. This bill seeks to 
remedy this situation. 
This proposed measure mandates the appointment of at least 1 
barangay health worker in each and every barangay. The municipal or 
city mayor shall appoint the barangay health worker, after proper 
accreditation with the local health board. Further, the barangay health 
worker shall be entitled to allowances and such other benefits accorded 
to other appointed barangay officials. More importantly, security of 
tenure of barangay health workers is expressly provided and recognized 
by the proposed measure. The passage of this proposed measure will 
strengthen the capacity of barangays to deliver basic health services to 
the community at the same time affording the barangay health workers 
their well-deserved entitlements and benefits. 


Itt view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is'earnestly 
requested. 
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
SENATE 
223 
SENATE BILL NO. _--'-'--
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS 
IN EVERY BARANGAY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT 7160 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
CODE, FURTHER EXPANDING THE BENEFITS OF BARANGAY 
OFFICIALS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repres(;mtatives of the 
Philippihes in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the 
rfBarangay Health Workers Act of 2013" 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Pursuant to Article XIII, 
Section 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the State hereby declares 
the policy of according utmost importance to the health needs of the 
nation and shall henceforth endeavor to make essential goods, health 
and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
Toward this end, the State shall ensure that accessible and quality 
health services are extended to each individual through the barangay 
health workers as the primary channel for implementing the State's 
health policies down to the barangay level. Thus, to secure the 
availability and delivery of barangay health needs, the State shall 
guarantee the appointment of a health worker in every barangay as 
frontline health workers. 
SECTION 3. Coverage. -The provlslOns of this Act shall be 
applicable to all barangay health workers accredited to act as such by 
the local health board in accordance with the guidelines issued by the 
Department of Health (DPH). For the purposes of this Act, the term 
barangay health worker shall refer to a person who has undergone 
training program under any accredited government or non-government 
organization primarily to render health care services. 


SECTION 4. Section 387 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise 
known as the Local Government Code of 1991 as amended, shall be 
further amended to read as follows: 
. 
"~ection 387. Chief Officials and Officers. - (a) There shall be in 
each barangay a punong barangay, seven (7) 
sangguniang 
bjrrangay members, the sangguniang kabataan chairman, a 
barangay secretary, [and] a barangay treasurer, AND AT LEAST 
FIVE (5) BARAN GAY HEALTH WORKERS PROVIDED THAT THE 
TOTAL 
NUMBER OF BARAN GAY 
HEALTH 
WORKERS PER 
BARAN GAY SHALL IN NO CASE BE MORE THAN 1% OF THE 
BARANGAY'S TOTAL POPULATION." 
SECTION 5. A new provision shall be inserted between Sections 
395 and 396 of the same Act to be denominated as Section 395-A, which 
shall read as follows: 
"SECTION 
395-A. 
APPOINTMENT AND 
QUALIFICATIONS OF 
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS. -
THE BARANGAY HEALTH 
WORKER AS ACCREDITED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE 
MUNICIPAL OR CITY HEALTH BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.7883, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE BARAN GAY HEALTH WORKERS AND BENEFITS 
ACT OF 1995, SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MUNICIPAL OR 
CITY MAYOR OF THE AREA WHERE SUCH BARAN GAY HEALTH 
WORKER WILL BE APPOINTED IS LOCATED. A BARAN GAY 
HEALTH WORKER SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ALLOWANCES AND 
SUCH OTHER BENEFITS TO WHICH 
OTHER APPOINTED 
BARAN GAY OFFICIALS MAY BE ENTITLED TO. NO PERSON DULY 
APPOINTED AS A BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER SHALL BE 
REMOVED EXCEPT FOR VALID CAUSE AS PROVIDED UNDER 
EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND ONLY 
AFTER DUE NOTICE AND HEARING." 
SECTION 6. Section 393, paragraphs (a) and (b) of the Local 
Government Code of the Philippines, as amended, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
''Section 393. Benefits of Barangay Officials. - (a) Barangay 
officials, including barangay tanods and members of the lupong 
tagapamayapa, shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other 
emoluments as may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal, 
or city ordinance in accordance with the provisions of this code, 
b'ut in no case shall it be less than One Thousand Pesos 
(Ii'1,000.00) per month for the punong barangay and Six Hundred 
Pesos (P600.00) per month for the sangguniang barangay 
members, barangay treasurer, [and] barangay secretary AND 
BARAN GAY HEALTH WORKERS: Provided, howeve4 that the 
annual appropriations for personal services shall be subject to the 
budgetary limitations prescribed under Title Five, Book II of this 
Code; 
PROVIDED 
FURTHERMORE, 
THAT 
THE 
BENEFITS 


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PROVIDED BY THIS CODE SHALL BE WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO 
THE 
APPLICATION 
OF 
AND 
ENTITLEMENT 
TO 
OTHER 
INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS AS MAY 
BE PROVIDED BY LAW SUCH AS REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6942 AND 
REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 
7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE 
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES 
ACT. 
(b) The punong barangay, the sangguniang barangay members, the 
barangay treasurer, [and] the barangay secretary AND THE 
BARAN GAY HEALTH WORKER shall also: xxx 
SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -
The 
Department of Interior and Local Government, in coordination with the 
and the Civil Service Commission, shall within ninety (90) days from the 
enactment of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations ne,cessary 
for the implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any 
provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other 
provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in 
full force and effect. 
SECTION 9 . Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive 
orders, proclamations and administrative regulations, or parts thereof 
inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect 
immediktely after its publication in at least two national newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,