By Paulo Loreto Lim

An ordinance passed the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) during their regular session last Wednesday, granting barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars eligibility to enroll for Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) coverage.

In line with RA 7883, or the Barangay Health Workers and Benefits & Incentives Acts of 1995, the ordinance seeks to provide benefits for the said workers as they perform “frontline/basic services” and are exposed to “extreme health risks and hazards.”

The ordinance, authored by City Councilor Em Ang, calls these workers “the true unsung heroes.”

In order to be eligible, barangay health workers and barangay nutrition workers must obtain certification from their barangay health station supervisor attesting to their active performance. They are then required to submit the certification to the Bacolod City Health Office in order to complete their registration.

While the ordinance indicates the city would allot a budget for insurance coverage, it only specified “sufficient allocations” would be provided.

Last month, Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano submitted House Bill 619, which seeks to provide retirement benefits for barangay officials, whom the bill refers to as “the frontline of government services.”

The legislation would provide a lump sum retirement payout of up to P100,000.

It also spells out beneficiaries must be at least 60 years old and have provided at least nine years of service to the barangay.

Among the indicated eligible beneficiaries include barangay officials, tanods, members of the Lupon Tagapamayapa (the barangay justice committee), and daycare workers./PLL, WDJ