Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (Facebook)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is confident that the country’s estimated 300,000 barangay health workers (BHWs) will finally get the job security and slew of other benefits that they have long deserved as frontline wellness volunteers.

This, as Villafuerte highlighted the impending enactment of the consolidated bill on the Malacañang-endorsed Magna Carta of BHWs.

Once both the Senate and the House of Representatives draw up and ratify the consolidated magna carta for submission to the Palace, Villafuerte said that all that it will take from there to make this happen is for President Marcos to sign this would-be enrolled bill before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die in June.   

A lead author in the House of Representatives of its version of this proposed magna carta for BHWs, Villafuerte said: “The enactment of this law will de-politicize the employment of BHWs in their respective local government units (LGUs) and at the same time entitle them to a broad set of economic incentives and benefits—ranging from a P3,000 monthly allowance and hazard pay to insurance coverage and free medical plus legal services.”

“Once this proposed magna carta becomes a law, our BHWs who are now categorized as community health volunteers and who receive paltry allowances depending on whatever rates are adopted by the LGUs where they work for,  will no longer be at the mercy of local chief executives who, at present, can fire them capriciously over their perceived adverse political leanings,” Villafuerte, a former three-term governor, said.

The solon had authored House Bill (HB) No. 301, which was one of several pro-BHW bills consolidated into HB No.6557. The House unanimously approved the consolidated bill on third and final reading with 258 votes in December 2022.

The likelihood of this proposed magna carta being ratified by the 19th Congress and then submitted to President Marcos for his approval and signing into law increased as the Senate passed its version of this pro-BHW measure during the last session week before both chambers took a three-month break last Feb. 5.

Senate Bill (SB) No. 2838 was passed by the Senate on third and final reading by a 19-0-0 vote.

“Once both chambers comes up with a consolidated bill via the bicam (bicameral committee) process and then ratify it prior to submission to the Palace, President Marcos is expected to sign this Magna Carta for BHWs, considering that this is one of the priority measures for urgent legislative action that our Chief Executive has identified with the Ledac (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Committee),” Villafuerte said.  

This is because following the House’s approval of this proposed magna carta three years ago, President Marcos said he was elated that the House had passed this measure because it would greatly benefit BHWs