Antique Province Adopts Ordinance to Secure Barangay Health Workers’ Tenure

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA – In a significant move to secure the tenure of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), the Antique Provincial Board passed an ordinance on Monday ensuring their retention even after the election of new barangay officials. Board Member Egio Elio, the author and sponsor of the ordinance titled ‘An Ordinance prescribing guidelines for the retention and continued service of the BHWs in the Province of Antique,’ emphasized the necessity of this measure following the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

According to Philippines News Agency, the ordinance is particularly timely given the recent barangay elections resulting in a new slate of officials. Elio highlighted the challenge faced by BHWs, who, despite providing voluntary primary healthcare in their communities, are at risk of being replaced by incoming barangay officials. The ordinance aims to protect BHWs from replacement, which Elio asserts would not only undermine the investment in their training but also the healthcare services they provide to the community.

Elio pointed out that trained BHWs are essential as they can perform fundamental healthcare tasks such as measuring pulse rates and body temperatures. Replacing them would mean not only losing experienced workers but also incurring additional costs for retraining new BHWs, further utilizing barangay resources.

Under the ordinance, BHWs may only be relieved for unsatisfactory performance, as determined by local health boards (LHBs). Elio stated that the municipal governments’ LHBs are tasked with creating a BHW Registration and Accreditation Committee (RAC) to oversee the registration and accreditation of BHWs, which will allow them access to entitled benefits and incentives.

Additionally, the ordinance mandates the LHB, through the municipal health office, to develop policies and strategies to protect BHWs. This includes establishing a process for discontinuation of services and addressing complaints and grievances.

In Antique, over 1,000 BHWs provide voluntary healthcare services to their barangays, receiving allowances ranging from PHP500 to PHP2,000 per month based on the internal revenue allocation (IRA). Melanie Raymaro, president of the Sibalom BHW Association, voiced her approval in a separate interview, noting that the ordinance bolsters the BHWs Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995, further supporting their continued service. Raymaro also mentioned that on top of their barangay allowance, BHWs receive an additional PHP1,000 monthly from the Antique provincial government, distributed every December as a Christmas gift in recognition of their services.