Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
GRANTING IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICE USERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 5 
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11036, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The passage of Republic Act No. 11036, also known as the Mental 
Health Act, has paved the way for the Philippines to establish a mental health 
framework in terms of understanding the mental health struggles of Filipinos 
and delivering better mental health care to those in need. 
However, access to mental health services for the greater population 
remain limited due to economic constraints. Thus, the government must 
increase its efforts to enable service users to equitably access appropriate care 
when needed. 
This bill seeks to propose an amendment that ensures service users in 
need of mental healthcare to receive adequate and immediate compensation 
benefits and/or any special financial assistance under existing laws should 
the service user sustain temporary or permanent mental disability while in 
the performance of duty or by reason of his or her office or position. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City 
August 1, 2022
8:10 am
2789


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
GRANTING IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICE USERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 5 
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11036, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11036 otherwise known as 
the “Mental Health Act”, is hereby amended as follows: 
“Section 5. Rights of Service Users. – Service users shall enjoy, on an 
equal and nondiscriminatory basis, all rights guaranteed by the 
Constitution as well as those recognized under the United Nations 
Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Convention on the 
Rights of Persons with Disabilities. And all other relevant international 
and regional human rights conventions and declarations, including the 
right to: 
 xxx 
“U. IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE COMPENSATION BENEFITS AND/OR 
ANY SPECIAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THAT THE SERVICE USER 
IS ENTITLED TO UNDER EXISTING LAWS SHOULD THE SERVICE 
USER 
SUSTAIN 
TEMPORARY 
OR 
PERMANENT 
MENTAL 
DISABILITY WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY OR BY 
REASON OF HIS OR HER OFFICE OR POSITION.” 
2789


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SECTION 2. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provision of this Act that 
is declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other 
portions or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions can still 
subsist and be given effect in their entirety. 
SECTION 3. Non-Impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed as to diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or 
made available to disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under 
existing laws. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. – All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, 
other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,