, THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE? REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPWS 
1 
-t. 
SENATE 
'W'FIM QF THE 
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First Regular Session 
1 
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S E N A T % z  
'04 
JUL -1 
ma32 
S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Mirlam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The Constitution, Article 13 provides: 
Sectidn 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health developmen1 which shall 
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social 
services available to all the people at affordable cost.: There 
shall be priody for the needs of the underpriteleged sick, 
disabled, elderly, women and children. The State shall 
endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers. 
I 
There is a need to increase the awareness of the general public on the welfare of 
the deaf They are a vital segment of our society and a significant force in the efforts 
for national development. 
Studies show that infants, toddlers, and children, who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, 
have unique language, learning, and communication needs They need not grow up mute, 
if only proper care and attention is given. 
This bill seeks to establish a comprehensive program regarding early detection, 
diagnosis, and interventions for newborns with hearing loss. Through the program, the 
State can effectively provide special care and training 
for their rehabilitation and 
subsequent integration into the mainstream of society. 
MIRIAM DEFEASOR SANTIAGO 


SE%AIE 
W f C E  OF THE ~
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, THIRTEENTH 
CONGRESS OF n r E  REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
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: . . 
, . .  
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’04 
JUL -1 
Al0:42 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
.DIAGNOSIS, AND INTERVENTIONS FOR NEWBORNS AND INFANTS WITH 
HEARING LOSS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS REGARDING EARLY DETECT10 
SECTION 1. Short TitJe - this Act shall be known as the “Early Hearing Loss 
Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Act” 
SECTION 2. Purposes - the purposes of this Act are to authorize nationwide 
early detection, diagnosis, referral, and intervention networks, 
technical assistance, 
national applied research program, and inter-agency and private sector collaboration for 
policy 
development, in order to assist in making progress toward the following goals: 
(1) All babies born in hospitals in the Philippines should be screened for hearing 
loss before leaving the hospital (unless the parents of the children object to the screening), 
(2) Babies who are not born in hospitals shouid be screened within the first 3 
months of life. 
(3) Diagnostic audiologic testing, if indicated, should be performed in a timely 
manner to allow appropriate referral for treatmentlintervention before the age of 6 
months. 
(4) A11 universal newborn hearing screening programs should include a component 
which ensures linkage to diagnosis and the community system of early intervention 
services. 
(5) Public policy in early hearing detection, diagnosis, and intervention should be 
based on applied research and the recognition that infants, toddlers, and children who are 


deaf or hard-o€-hearing have unique language, learning, and communication needs, and 
should be the result of consultation with pertinent public and private sectors. 
SECTION 3, Nationwide Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Nenvorks 
The Secretary of Health, 
develop 
following purposes 
shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to 
nationwide early detection, diagnosis, and intervention networks for the 
(1) To develop State capacity to support newborn hearing loss detection, 
diagnosis, and intervention 
(2) To monitor the extent to which hearing detection is conducted in birthing 
hospitals throughout the country, and assist in the development of universal newborn 
hearing detection programs in birthing hospitals and nonhospital birthing sites 
(3) To develop models whieh ensure effective screening, referral, and linkage with 
appropriate diagnostic, medical, and qualified early intervention services, providers, and 
programs within the community 
(4) To collect data on early detection, diagnosis, and intervention that can be used 
for applied research and policy development 
SECTION 4. Technical Asszstame, Data Management, and Applied Research. 
The Secretary shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to provide 
technical assistance to agencies to complement an intramural program and to conduct 
applied research related to infant hearing detection, diagnosis, and treatment/intervention. 
The prograin shall cany out the following: 
(1) Provide technical assistance on data collection and management, 
(2) Develop standardized procedures for data management to ensure quality 
monitoring of infant hearing loss detection, diagnosis, and intervention programs. 
(3) Study the costs and effectiveness of hearing detection conducted by programs 
in order to answer issues of importance to policymakers 
(4) Identify the causes and risk factors for congenital hearing loss that might lead 
to the development of preventive interventions. 


( 5 )  Study the effectiveness of early hearing detection, diagnosis, and 
treatmenthntervention programs by assessing the health, developmental, cognitive, and 
language status of these children at'school age. 
(6) Promote the sharing of data regarding early hearing loss with birth defects and 
developmental disabilities monitoring programs for the purpose of identifying previously 
unknown causes of hearing loss. 
SECTION 5. Coordination and Collaboration - 
(a) IN GENERAL- In carrying out programs under this Act, the Department of 
Health shall coordinate with consumer groups serving individuals who are deaf and hard- 
of-hearing, persons who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and their families, qualified 
professional personnel who are proficient in deaf or hard-of-hearing children's language 
and who possess the specialized knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to serve deaf 
and hard-of-hearing infants, toddlers, children, and their families; other health and 
education professionals and organizations; third-party payers and managed care 
organizations; and related commercial industries. 
@) POLICY DEVELOPMENT- The department shall coordinate and collaborate 
on recommendations for policy development with the private sector, including consumer 
and professional based organizations, with respect to early hearing detection, diagnosis, 
and treatmentlintervention 
SECTION 6. Authorization of Appropriations. 
(a) NATIONWIDE EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND 
INTERVENTION NETWORKS- For the purpose of carrying out this act, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Department ofHealth P10,000,000 for fiscal year 
1999, 20,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
fiscal years 2001 through 2003. 
(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, DATA MANAGEMENT, AND APPLIED 
RESEARCH-CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION- For the 
purpose of carrying out this act, there are authorized to be appropriated P5,000,000 for 


fiscal year 1999, P7,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2003. 
SECTION 7 Separability Clause - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting 
SECTION 8. Repealzng Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly 
SECTION 9 Efectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
EPC 
18 November 1998