EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE P H ILIP P IN E S First Regular Session ) ) ) •ia‘ - " s-nji (fiflir? of lijc ^ fc rc tm p •19 AUG20 P4 08 SENATE S.B. NO. 949 RECEIVED br. Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN CULTURAL AND INDIGENOUS COMM UNITIES BY IN S T IT U T IO N A LIZ IN G THE TR A IN IN G AND EMPLOYMENT OF TRIBAL HEALTH WORKERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Phiiippines in Congress assembled: 1 2 Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Tribal Health Workers Act of 2017." 3 4 Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. - The Philippine Constitution of 1987 5 provides that the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to 6 health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and 7 other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. It is also the 8 policy of the State to provide cheap and affordable quality medicine and medical 9 services to citizens in far-flung areas and indigenous communities. 10 11 12 Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. - As used in this Act, the following words and phrases shall be defined as: 13 (a) "Barangay Health Worker" refers to a person who has 14 undergone health care training programs in any accredited 15 government or non-government organization and who 16 voluntarily renders primary health care services in the 1