Benefits for Accredited Barangay Health Workers

Policy and declared purposes

The State must protect and promote the right to health and provide conditions for health empowerment through access to information and services that bring about health and well-being.
The law recognizes the Primary Health Care Approach as the major strategy toward health empowerment.
The law emphasizes accessible and acceptable health services through participatory strategies such as health education, training of barangay health workers, community building and organizing.
The law provides incentives to communities and acts as frontliners in the Primary Health Care Approach.
The law requires recognition of the rights of barangay health workers to organize, to strengthen and systematize their services, and to share experiences to recommend policies and guidelines for the promotion, maintenance, and advancement of their activities and services.

Core definitions

A “barangay health worker” is a person who has undergone training programs under any accredited government and non-government organization.
A person becomes a barangay health worker by voluntarily rendering primary health care services in the community.
A person must be accredited to function as such by the local health board in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Department of Health (DOH).

Coverage and accreditation framework

Benefits and incentives under the law are available only to accredited barangay health workers who register with the proper local health authority.
A barangay health worker must register with the local health board in the city or municipality where the worker renders service.
The local health board, through the provincial health boards in the case of municipalities, must furnish a copy of the registry to the DOH.
The DOH must maintain a national register of barangay health workers.
Accredited barangay health workers must be given appropriate proof of accreditation.

Limits on number of workers

The DOH must determine the ideal ratio of barangay health workers to the number of households.
The law limits the total number of barangay health workers nationwide to not exceed one percent (1%) of the total population.

Incentives and benefits granted

Accredited barangay health workers who are actively and regularly performing their duties are entitled to the following incentives and benefits.
Hazard allowance
- Volunteer barangay health workers in rural and urban areas who are exposed to foreseeable but unavoidable danger or risks that adversely endanger health or life, or increase risk of adverse effect, are entitled to hazard allowance.
- The hazard conditions must be validated by the proper authorities.
- The local health board and the local peace and order council determine the amount.
Subsistence allowance
- Barangay health workers rendering service within the premises of isolated barangay health stations to make services available at any and all times are entitled to subsistence allowance.
- Subsistence allowance is equivalent to the meals taken in the course of duty.
- The computation is determined in accordance with prevailing circumstances as determined by the local government unit.
Training, education and career enrichment programs
- The DOH, in coordination with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and other concerned government agencies and non-government organizations, must provide opportunities covering:
  - Educational programs that recognize years of primary health care service as credits to higher education in institutions with stepladder curricula, enabling barangay health workers to upgrade skills and knowledge for community work or pursue training as midwives, pharmacists, nurses, or doctors.
  - Continuing education, study and exposure tours, training, grants, field immersion, scholarships, and similar opportunities.
  - Scholarship benefits in the form of tuition fees in state colleges for one child of every barangay health worker who cannot take advantage of the above programs.
  - Special training programs such as training on traditional medicine, disaster preparedness, and other programs addressing emergent community health problems and issues.
Civil service eligibility
- A second grade eligibility is granted to barangay health workers who have rendered five (5) years continuous service as such.
- If the barangay health worker becomes a regular employee of the government, the total years served as barangay health worker are credited in computing retirement benefits.
Free legal services
- The Public Attorneys Office must immediately provide legal representation and consultation services for barangay health workers in cases of:
  - coercion, interference, and
  - other civil and criminal cases filed by or against barangay health workers arising out of or in connection with performance of duties as such.
Preferential access to loans
- The DOH, in coordination with other concerned government agencies, must provide a mechanism for access to loan services by organized barangay health workers within one hundred eighty (180) days from the effectivity of the Act.
- Loan-providing agencies must set aside one percent (1%) of their loanable funds for organized barangay health worker groups with community-based income generating projects in support of health programs or activities.

Local board review and approvals

Every incentive or benefit for barangay health workers requiring the expenditure of local funds must be reviewed and approved by the local health board.
The approval requirement ensures that only the deserving barangay health workers receive the incentive or benefit.

Implementing rules and timelines

The Department of Health (DOH), in cooperation with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Civil Service Commission, and other concerned government agencies and non-government organizations, must formulate the rules and regulations necessary to implement the Act.
The rules and regulations must be formulated within one hundred eighty (180) days from effectivity.

Separability, repeal, and amendment

If any provision of the Act is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act remains in force and effect.
All laws, decrees, executive orders, and other presidential issuances inconsistent with Republic Act No. 7883 are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.