MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. pushed for the Magna Carta for barangay health workers that would give incentives and benefits to those who deliver health care at the grassroots level.
Marcos was elated over the passage of House Bill 6557 or the Magna Carta for BHWs at the lower chamber last December, the Presidential Communications Office said in a release on Wednesday.
The proposal is one of the priority measures of the Marcos administration.
The chief executive said that BHWs played a massive role during the COVID-19 pandemic and are an important source of information for the national government in its policy decisions.
“Those of us who worked in the local government… will never argue with the importance of the barangay health workers and for that matter all the volunteers at the barangay level,” Marcos was quoted as saying.
Marcos said he is hopeful the passage of the Magna Carta for BHWs would be the “start” of the measures from the national government that will recognize and compensate for the efforts of barangay health workers.
“We cannot do this without you. Please keep up the good work. And the government and most importantly, our people, are counting on you,” he said.
Under House Bill 6557, accredited BHWs shall be entitled to incentives and benefits that include hazard allowance, transportation allowance, subsistence allowance, one-time retirement cash incentive, health benefits, insurance coverage and benefits, vacation and maternity leaves, and cash gifts.
Four counterpart bills are currently pending at the Senate health and demography committee.