DAVAO City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang proposed a one-time annual financial assistance for Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs), and other volunteer workers of the city government.
This came after Dayanghirang’s colleague, Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr., proposed an ordinance granting service recognition and incentives to BHWs and BNSs who were left out of last year’s allocation.
Dayanghirang, who chairs the Committee on Finance, Ways, Means, and Appropriations, said they are studying how the city can provide more benefits to these volunteers through a one-time financial assistance every year. He added that his committee will consult the executive department as well as the local finance board regarding this matter.
“We have to look at the fiscal management of the city kasi daghan man sila [because they are many], around 1,500 entire city,” he said during a media interview on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
He explained that BHWs and BNSs are not contractual workers or job order employees; hence, they did not receive gratuity pay and only received an honorarium from the city.
Provisions under the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) 2025 budget circulars on gratuity pay and service recognition only apply to job order, contract-of-service, and plantilla employees.
Dayanghirang, however, said that although BHWs and BNSs did not receive gratuity pay or incentives, the local government has been providing them with gift certificates worth P3,000 every December.
Amount BHS and BNS receive
Dayanghirang revealed that a city-paid BHW or BNS receives about P6,000 per month. He said they also receive PhilHealth insurance, with the local government providing a P500 counterpart. Meanwhile, district coordinators receive about P6,400 per month and a P500 PhilHealth counterpart.
Most BHWs and BNSs work three days a week and earn P500 per day.
In the city’s annual budget for this year, the allocation for BHWs and their coordinators is P83,156,400, while the allocation for BNSs and their coordinators is P42,986,400. Dayanghirang said that in the region, Davao City has the biggest allocation for BHWs and BNSs.
However, Dayanghirang clarified that this differs from the barangay-paid BHWs and BNSs as the amount they receive depends on the barangay’s budget.
Grant for BHWs and BNS
On January 27, 2026, Mahipus proposed to grant BHWs and BNS service recognition and incentive since they were not able to receive any.
The proposed ordinance would allow barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, and other volunteer workers receiving only honoraria to receive gratuity pay and special recognition incentives. Mahipus said that the measure is about honoring their service, not merely providing financial incentives.
Mahipus clarified that the ordinance would comply with DBM rules, respect national policies, and avoid misclassifying volunteers as employees. It seeks only to recognize service at the local level where national coverage falls short. RGP