Taguig City promotes barangay health workers from volunteers to JO staff

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay health workers in Taguig City who continue to work during the coronavirus pandemic will receive twice their monthly pay. 

This was made possible after the local government promoted barangay health workers or BHWs from volunteers to job order personnel starting April 1. 

This means that they would begin to receive a regular salary and additional benefits instead of just an allowance.

Barangay health workers who used to receive P3,000 will now get P7,900; P4,000 will now get P8,500; and P5,000 will now get P9,700, according to the city government’s Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) head Jeanette Clemente. 

Aside from the increase in their monthly pay, barangay health workers will also receive an annual P15,000 performance incentive, said Clemente. 

“Taguig’s leaders noted how our BHWs worked as front liners in the COVID-19 response and how they’ve dedicated their lives as implementers of our healthcare programs even before this,” Clemente was quoted as saying in a statement. 

“This is how they went on to increase the monthly pay. The increase will remain in effect even beyond the enhanced community quarantine,” she added. 

Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano said the move is a way to thank frontliners during the pandemic. 

“The salary increase is one way we are expressing thanks to our frontliners who, since Day 1, have tirelessly worked to ensure every Taguigeño is provided the care they deserve… Without them, our goal of a healthy city is impossible,” Cayetano said. 

According to the city government, there are 854 barangay health workers deployed in barangays in Taguig – the most in Metro Manila. 

Aside from assisting persons seeking medical assistance, barangay health workers also go house-to-house to deliver medicines and assist nurses and midwives for other health services in the community.