Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

8503
HOUSE BILL N

Introduced by: CONG. “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives forever, thousands of our
countrymen have fallen ill while millions are going hungry. Meanwhile, our medical and
health workers risk their lives and sacrifice their own safety in the fight against COVID-
19. Many of them have died but this has not deterred other medical professionals and health
workers from continuing their mission to save others who have been infected with the
dreaded virus.

As an act of solidarity and support to our present heroes, this representation
proposes this bill which will entitle medical frontliners to twenty percent (20%) discount
on goods and services which includes public transport facilities, health services,
accommodation and dining, and physical fitness facilities.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sctaght.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

503
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: CONG. “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
GRANTING DISCOUNT PRIVILEGES TO MEDICAL FRONTLINERS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Lingkod Medical
Frontliners Discount Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State
to ensure the welfare of medical workers in recognition of their indispensable role in the
healthcare system of our country, particularly in times of a pandemic or public health
emergency. Towards this end, the State shall adopt a program to make essential goods,
health and other services available to them at an affordable cost.

The provisions and benefits of this Act shall be given to public and private medical
workers who are actively engaged in treating patients affected by a pandemic or national
health emergency. The provisions of this Act shall apply only during a pandemic or public
health emergency as declared by the National Government.

SECTION 3. Public Transport Facilities. — All government-owned and controlled
corpor -ntities, owning, operating, or managing public transport facilities,
whether land, sea, or ar, shall give priority to the medical frontline workers, and provide
them with at least twenty (20%) discount on all transportation fare within the Philippines.

SECTION 4. Health Services, — Medical frontline workers shall also be entitled
to a discount of at least twenty percent (20%) on fees or charges for hospital, medical, and
dental services rendered by public and private medical institution and practitioners.

Drugstores and drug companies shall extend to the medical frontline workers a
discount of not less than twenty percent (20%) on the cost of medicines and supplemental
vitamins, as prescribed by a registered medical or dental practitioner.

SECTION 5. Hotels, Lodging Houses, Restaurants, and Eateries. — Medical
frontline workers shall be granted a minimum discount of twenty percent (20%) on rentals
for lodging in hotels, motels, inns, pension, or other lodging houses and on the cost of food
served in cafes, cafeterias, refreshment parlors, restaurants, soda fountain bars, carinderia,
or food cafeterias, and other similar establishments.


SECTION 6. Physical Fitness Facilities. — Any hospital, gym, or other facility
offering physical fitness programs shall extend to medical frontline workers at a twenty
percent (20%) discount.

SECTION 7. Limitation on discount privileges and other benefits. — The discount
privileges and other benefits mentioned in this Act shall apply only to the personal account
of the medical frontline worker in payment for services and goods actually used by him or
her. These shall not extend to his or her relatives or companions who are not qualified
beneficiaries under this Act.

SECTION 8. Availment. — Medical frontline workers qualified under this Act may
avail of the discount privileges upon presentation of a valid identification card issued by
their employer, a Professional Regulation Commission Professional ID Card and a
supporting document issued by employer stating that they are in fact engaged in the
treatment of patients affected by a pandemic or a national health emergency.

SECTION 9. Rules and Regulations. ~The Department of Health, in coordination
with the other concerned government agencies, in coordination with other stakeholders,
shall issue the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 10. Penaities. — Any person who refuses to extend the privileges and
benefits granted under this Act to medical frontline workers entitled thereto after request
and proper identification of who unduly takes advantage of any such privileges or benefits,
or who violates any of the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act, shall
suffer the penalty of prision correccional or a fine of not less than two hundred pesos (PhP
200.00) nor more than six thousand pesos (PhP 6,000.00), or both such fine and
imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

In case the offender is a corporation, cooperative, partnership or association, the
penalty shall be imposed upon the president, manager, or officers thereof who had
knowingly permitted or were otherwise responsible for the commission of the offense. If it
can be shown such refusal to grant discount privileges is a corporate decision, all the
members of the board shall be held liable.

In case of a succeeding offense, the penalties of both imprisonment and fine shall
be imposed in the maximum period. In additic thereto, such shall be sufficient cause for
the immediate cancellation of the profes sé OF permit to operate the business or
medical establishment.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason or reasons, any part or
provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or
provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All provisions of existing laws, orders, rules
and regulations or parts thereof which aré in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed, amepdéd or modified accordingly.