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Pursuant to Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, "the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all at affordable cost." In response to this constitutional mandate, Congress enacted Republic Act 7875, instituting the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with PhilHealth and issued Memorandum Circular No. 2002-66 for the enrollment of barangay officials, personnel and volunteers to the NHIP whose coverage under the Program shall be governed by the following statutory enactments and administrative issuances:
1.1 Composition of Barangay Officials
Section 387 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (LGC) provides that the officials of the barangays are as follows: Punong Barangay, Seven (7) Sangguniang Barangay Members, Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson, Barangay Secretary and Barangay Treasurer. In addition, "there shall also be in every barangay a Lupong Tagapamayapa."
1.2 Other Barangay Officials as Designated by Law or Ordinance
Section 388 of the LGC provides that barangay officials "....shall be deemed as persons in authority in their jurisdictions...." and classifies barangay tanods and other barangay volunteers as "...other barangay officials and members who may be designated by law or ordinance and charged with the maintenance of public order, protection and security of life and property, who shall be deemed agents of persons in authority.." Section 396 likewise provides for other appointive barangay officials whose qualifications, duties and functions "...shall be governed by the provisions of the Local Government Code and other laws or barangay ordinances.."
1.3 Barangay Personnel as Government Employees and Public Officials
The aforementioned officials and personnel of the barangay are considered public officials/employees under Section 2(d) of the New GSIS Act or R.A. 8291 which provides that "...an employee is any person receiving compensation whether by election or appointment, irrespective of status of appointment including sanggunian and barangay officials."
Relatedly, Rule 1, Section 1 of the Implementing Rules of R.A. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees provides that:
"These Rules cover all officials and employees in the government, elective and appointive, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including military and police personnel whether or not they receive compensation regardless of amount."
1.4 Benefits for Barangay Officials and Personnel
Barangay personnel, including duly appointed barangay tanod brigades, may be provided with benefits and privileges to improve their economic and social well-being as provided for under Section 393 of the Local Government Code of 1991, to wit:
"Barangay officials including barangay tanods and members of the lupong tagapamayapa shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal or city ordinances..."
1.5 Enrollment of Barangay Officials and Personnel to the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP)
In line with the aforementioned enactments and legal issuances, DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-66 specifically "... reiterates and encourages all barangays to enroll their barangay officials and personnel including volunteers to the PhilHealth Program during their tenure to be paid out of barangay funds, the number of enrollees depending on their capacities to pay."
2. COVERAGE
These Guidelines are hereby prescribed for the coverage of the following barangay officials and personnel:
2.1 Barangay Officials
2.1.1 Punong Barangay
2.1.2 Seven (7) Sangguniang Barangay Members
2.1.3 Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson
2.1.4 Barangay Secretary
2.1.5 Barangay Treasurer
2.2 Lupong Tagapamayapa
2.3 Barangay Tanod Brigades
2.4 Other Barangay Volunteers
3. ENROLLMENT SCHEME
Barangay Officials, Lupong Tagapamayapa, Barangay Tanods and Volunteers shall be covered under the Medicare for the Employed Government Sector with the barangay as LGU-employer. Those receiving income of less than P3,500 shall be covered under the Medicare for the Employed as Bracket 1 of the approved NHIP Monthly Premium Contribution Schedule for the formal sector. Those receiving income of P3,500 and above shall pay the corresponding counterpart as reflected in Annex "A"*. The P3,500 current ceiling is subject to any changes as may be prescribed by the PhilHealth Board.
4. ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES (Refer to Annex "B"*)
4.1 In coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), PhilHealth shall inform the barangay (LGUs) of the guidelines for the coverage of Barangay Officials and Personnel under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
4.2 The barangay (LGU) shall inform PhilHealth of its intention to adopt the NHIP through the passage of an Ordinance (Annex "C"*) specifying the allocation of funds for the enrollment of barangay officials and personnel using barangay funds.
4.3 The following requirements shall be accomplished and submitted to PhilHealth:
4.3.1 Employee Data Record
a) M1a Form - Member Data Record (Annex "D.1"*)
Barangay Officials, personnel and volunteers not yet registered with PhilHealth, regardless of sector (Individually Paying, Non-Paying and Formally Employed Sector) shall accomplish M1a form in duplicate copies. Barangay personnel who are declaring dependent/s should submit applicable supporting documents as required under Section 10 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.R. 7875.
b) M2 Form - Member Amendment Form (Annex "D.2"*)
Barangay Officials, personnel and volunteers already registered with PhilHealth in other Sectors (Individually Paying and Non-Paying Members) with existing PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) shall accomplish in duplicate copies M2 Form instead of M1a Form. This should reflect the request for change of sector for the Individually Paying Member and updating of other member data record, if needed. However, barangay officials/personnel who are classified as Non-Paying member prior to serving the barangay shall remain to be classified under the said sector.
Barangay Officials, personnel and volunteers who are previously registered in the employed sector prior to joining the Barangay should likewise accomplish M2 Form to reflect change of employer and updating of other member data record, if needed.
4.3.2 ER1 Form - Employer Data Record (Annex "E"*)
This form shall be accomplished by the barangay, as employer, or its authorized representative only if the barangay is NOT yet registered with PhilHealth.
4.3.3 Er2 Form - Report of Employee Members (Annex "F"*)
The barangay, as employer, should accomplish ER2 in duplicate copies enumerating and certifying the employees in the submitted M1a Form. The Form should be signed by the Punong Barangay or its duly authorized representative.
4.4 Billing Statement shall only be issued in case there are arrears, under-remittance and no-remittance of premium contribution by the barangay-employer (Please refer to Annex "G.1", "G.2" and "G.3"), in accordance with Office Order No. 54, s. 2002 and PhilHealth Circular No. 15, s. 2002.
5. PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION AND REMITTANCE SCHEME
The premium payment for the formal sector shall be shared by the barangay, as the employer, and the barangay official/personnel, as the employee. The premium payment equivalent to the Employer Counterpart shall be sourced from the barangay funds. The Barangay, however, may opt to shoulder the entire premium contribution as may be expressly provided for in a Barangay Ordinance. The LGU-employer shall regularly remit to PhilHealth the total monthly premium contribution through the various PhilHealth accredited banks. The deadline of payment shall be in the 10th day following the applicable month.
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The following are the undertaking of concerned agencies in terms of monitoring and evaluating the coverage of barangay officials, personnel and volunteers under NHIP.
6.1 Barangay
6.1.1 The barangays (LGUs) shall be required to submit a quarterly report of program implementation using the Quarterly PhilHealth Monitoring Report Form (Annex "H"*) to the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) of DILG, copy furnished concerned PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO). The said report shall be included in the regular reports submitted by the PROs to PhilHealth Central Office.
6.1.2 The barangay shall accomplish and submit an Employer's Quarterly Remittance Report using the RF1 Form (Annex "I"*) every quarter ending March, June, September and December with the corresponding copies of the validated ME-5 to the Contributions and Accounts Management Department for NCR payors or to the Service offices/Philhealth Regional Offices for payors outside NCR. The deadling of submission shall be on the 15th day of the month following the applicable quarter.
6.2 DILG Field Officers
6.2.1 Consolidate quarterly reports of program implementation for barangays covered by the program for submission to the regional/central offices.
6.2.2 Maintain a masterlist of barangay officials covered by the program based on RFI Form and update the same in coordination with PhilHealth.
6.2.3 Assist NBOO in the conduct of program evaluation, in coordination with PhilHealth.
6.3 PhilHealth
The Program Management Group of PhilHealth shall regularly conduct an evaluation of program implementation in coordination with the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) of DILG.
7. SEPARABILITY OF EXISTING RULES ON OTHER NHIP ENROLLMENT SCHEMES
The enrollment of barangay officials and volunteers to NHIP under the Indigent Program or the Individually Paying Program shall be governed by existing rules and/or separate issuances as may be promulgated by PhilHealth.
8. EFFECTIVITY
This Circular shall take effect immediately.
Adopted: 03 Feb. 2003
(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE III, M.D., M.Sc.
President and CEO