Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“3652

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL

AN ACT
GRANTING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS
AND OTHER HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE BIRTHS, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Mothers diagnosed to have multiple pregnancies experience mixed happiness
and trepidation. The mothers and fathers are often unsure of their capacity to sustain the
family. Relative to single pregnancy. parents are conftonted with higher medical
expenses due to extended hospital confinement, frequent hospital visits for prenatal,
delivery and postnatal check-ups. hospital obstetrical care and postnatal care.
Furthermore, many babies born in the set (i.e. triplets, etc.) have lower birth weight and
have increased possibility of confinement to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Almost half of all multiple births are premature.

There are cases of deaths of one or more babies and even of mothers resulting
from complications during pregnancy or at childbirth. This situation then becomes
doubly devastating for the family. psychologically and financially.

After birth, extra care and attention are needed by these babies and their mothers
more than what the single childbirths require. Thus, there is a need to extend both
maternity and paternity leave benefits to help the children and the parents of their
situation.


Children of multiple births also mean additional financial burden to the parents~
doubling or tripling the expenses for every child as they grow older, and more so if they
have disabilities. As with most multiple birth incidents, the preparation of the parents
having to raise more children than what was expected is an issue that calls upon the
government to be concerned about. especially to those from among poor and middle
class families.

This Bill seeks to provide assistance to the parents of triplets, quadruplets and
higher order multiple births who are facing the problem of raising several children all
at the same time and who are not economically prepared for such a situation. Under this,
measure. the following will be given as mandatory government support to the families
within the first and fifth income decile:

1. Free prenatal, delivery and postnatal care services;

2. Funeral expenses in case of death of one or more of the babies and/or their
mother:

3. Extended paternity and maternity leaves for parents: and

4. Health and nutrition and educational support.

This measure was first filed by Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Neri Colmenares
during the 15 Congress as House Bill 4789. It was refiled during the 16" and 18
Congresses as HB 2613 and HB 6561, respectively. Thus, the immediate approval of
this Bill is earnestly sought.

/

Rep. FRANC! CASTRO
ACT Teachefy Party

a OS

ep. ARLENE D. BROSAS Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL
GABRIELA Women’s Party KABATAAN Party-List



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

~ 3652
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL

AN ACT
GRANTING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS
AND OTHER HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE BIRTHS, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Multiple Births Support Law
of 2022”.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — Section 11 of Art. XIII of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution states that 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 people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the
needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State
shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act:

a. Higher order multiples — refer to triplets (3 babies), quadruplets (4 babies),
quintuplets (5 babies) or even more babies
b. Childbirth expenses — refer to expenses incurred during pregnancy.
delivery and in the early postnatal period, including hospital, medical and
surgical expenses and professional fees of attending physician/s, in all public
hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services.
c. Extended Paternal and Maternal Leave Benefits ~ refer to additional seven
(7) days and thirty (30) days granted to the employed father and mother of
the high order multiples, respectively, in the public and private sectors. These



are additional days to what is mandated under the Labor Code of the
Philippines, as amended, and the Republic Act 11199, otherwise known as
the Social Security Act of 2018.

d. Income Decile - refers to the national income decile as defined by the
Philippine Statistics Authority in its Family Income and Expenditure Survey.

©. Maternal Death = refers to death of a woman while pregnant or within 42
days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the
pregnancy. from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its
management.

f. Medical Services ~ refer to hospital services. professional services of
physicians and other healthcare professionals, and diagnostics and laboratory
tests that are necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury;

g Multiple Birth Loss/es — refer to the death of any of the higher order multiples
through miscarriage, stillbirth and early infant deaths.

Section 4. Coverage. ~ All Filipino families within the first and fifth income decile shall
be entitled to the benefits under this Act.

Section 5. Government Support to Families with Higher Multiple Births. — Parents of
higher order multiples shall be entitled to the following assistance:

. Free childbirth expenses:
._ Free funeral expenses in case of maternal death and/or multiple birth loss/es:
. Extended paternity and maternity leave benefits;
|. Monthly government support:
4. Health and nutrition support per child shall be equivalent to the
prevailing daily minimum wage.
2. Educational support per child shall be equivalent to one half of the
prevailing daily minimum wage.

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Provided, That the government support shall be provided until the
child/ren reach/es legal age. Provided further. That in case the child has physical
or mental disability, the government support may be extended depending on the

degree and type of disability.

n 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act. the Department of Social Welfare. the Department of Health and
the Department of Labor and Employment shall jointly issue the necessary rules and
regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act.

Section 7. Appropriations. — The amount of Fifty million pesos (P50.000,000.00) shall
be allocated for the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter. such sum as may be
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

Section 8. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is declared void


or unconstitutional. the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be affected by
such declaration.

Section 9. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction. administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly.

Section 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.