Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 7883)
Republic Act No. 7883 is known as the "Barangay Health Workers' Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995."
The policy objective is to protect and promote the right to health of the people by providing conditions for health empowerment through accessible and acceptable primary health care services and to grant benefits and incentives to accredited barangay health workers who serve as frontliners in this approach.
A barangay health worker is defined as a person who has undergone training programs under any accredited government or non-government organization and voluntarily renders primary health care services in the community after being accredited by the local health board in accordance with Department of Health guidelines.
A barangay health worker must register with the local health board in the city or municipality where they serve, and the local health board must provide proof of accreditation to be entitled to benefits and incentives.
The total number of barangay health workers nationwide shall not exceed one percent (1%) of the total population.
The Act provides hazard allowance, subsistence allowance, educational and career development programs, civil service eligibility, free legal services, and preferential access to loans to accredited barangay health workers actively performing their duties.
A volunteer barangay health worker exposed to foreseeable but unavoidable danger or risk in the exercise of their duties shall be entitled to a hazard allowance determined by the local health board and local peace and order council.
The Department of Health, in coordination with other agencies, provides educational programs recognizing years of service as credits, continuing education, scholarships for one child of barangay health workers, and special training programs relevant to community health.
Barangay health workers who have rendered five years of continuous service are granted a second grade civil service eligibility, and their years of service as barangay health workers count towards government service computation for retirement benefits if they become government employees.
The Act mandates free legal representation and consultation by the Public Attorneys Office to barangay health workers in cases arising from their official duties, including coercion, interference, and other civil or criminal cases.
The local health board is responsible for reviewing and approving any incentive or benefit requiring local funds to ensure that only deserving barangay health workers receive such benefits.
The Department of Health, together with other concerned agencies, must formulate the necessary rules and regulations within one hundred eighty (180) days from the effectivity of the Act.
If any provision is declared invalid, the rest of the Act or provisions not affected by that declaration shall remain in force and effect pursuant to the separability clause.
The Act took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two national newspapers of general circulation.