Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
Tacloban City –House Bill No. 1785, filed on July 10, 2025 by Northern Samar Second District Representative Edwin C. Ongchuan, aims to amend Republic Act No. 7883 or the Barangay Health Workersโ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995.
The measure seeks to require all local government units to provide mandatory sponsorship of PhilHealth premium contributions for all accredited BHWs under their jurisdiction.
The lawmaker described that in the heart of every barangay are men and women who dedicate themselves to the health and welfare of their communities. Barangay Health Workers or BHWs are the essential frontliners who serve as educators, caregivers, and public health agents, especially in far-flung and underserved areas. They are often the first to respond and the last to leave, yet many of them remain without access to the very health care services they help deliver.
Currently, the decision to shoulder PhilHealth premiums for BHWs is left to the discretion of LGUs. This has led to unequal protection and patchy coverage across different provinces and municipalities. The proposed amendment closes this policy gap by clearly defining the responsibility of LGUs to enroll BHWs as sponsored members of the National Health Insurance Program.
The bill is anchored in the principle of equity and universal health care. Ensuring that BHWs receive guaranteed health coverage helps secure their well-being and recognizes their indispensable role in achieving healthier, more resilient communities. It also affirms the goals of the Universal Health Care Act by strengthening the system from the grassroots level.
BHWs are essential partners in implementing provincial nutrition programs, maternal and child health services, and other wellness initiatives. Providing them with health insurance coverage ensures that the foundation of community health remains strong, protected, and motivated. Health workers deserve the same care they extend to others. Ensuring their access to PhilHealth services is a commitment not only to their welfare but to the future of primary health care in the country.
“๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ค๐ต ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ช๐ด ๐ข ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ญ๐ถ๐ด๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ช๐ค ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ด๐บ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฎ.” He added
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