HB00022: AN ACT PROVIDING SECURITY OF TENURE FOR BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE SECTION 6 (D) OF REPUBLIC ACT 7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS' BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES ACT OF 1995"
The House Bill No. 22 seeks to provide security of tenure for Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) by amending Section 6 (d) of Republic Act 7883, also known as the "Barangay Health Workers' Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995". The bill proposes that BHWs be granted second-grade civil service eligibility after two (2) years of continuous satisfactory service, a reduction from the current five (5) years. Furthermore, it stipulates that accredited BHWs cannot be dismissed except for a valid cause as provided under existing civil service rules and regulations, and only after due notice and hearing.
This bill is highly significant for the estimated 207,392 BHWs currently in service, as it aims to strengthen their incentives and provide them with job security. By depoliticizing their roles and protecting them from arbitrary termination, the measure intends to benefit the government's primary health program by ensuring that BHWs, who are at the forefront of delivering grassroots participatory health care, can perform their duties without fear of political allegiance affecting their employment. This is crucial for effectively delivering health services, especially given the acknowledged need for more BHWs in the country.