City allots ₱257K for retiring BHWs, BNSs’ PABAON benefits

IN its regular session on Monday, the 20th City Council enacted an ordinance appropriating ₱257,000.00 under the 2025 Annual Budget to cover the PABAON benefits of seventeen (17) Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) who were separated from public service in 2024.

The financial assistance recognizes the dedicated service of the BHWs and the BSNs’ volunteerism in the delivery of basic health and nutrition services at the grassroots level.

The PABAON program is grounded in City Ordinance No. 14031-2021, also known as the “Barangay Health Workers and Barangay Nutrition Scholars Ordinance,” which affirms the vital role of BHWs and BNSs in health promotion and the delivery of essential health services, including provisions for retirement assistance, through one-time financial assistance.

At the national level, this local initiative is reinforced by Republic Act No. 7883, the “Barangay Health Workers' Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995,” which grants accredited BHWs benefits such as hazard and subsistence allowances, training, legal support, and loan access.

The ordinance was reviewed and endorsed by the City Council committee on finance, budget, and appropriations, chaired by Councilor Yan Lam S. Lim, and the committee on laws and rules, chaired by Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas. (JAOclarit/SP/Photo by Barangay Puntod Health Center)