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Republic of the Philippines fi ™
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

uezon City IS
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS :
First Regular Session “
3178
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Honorable ABRAHAM “BAMBOL” N. TOLENTINO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Teachers are considered one of the most influential and powerful forces of
education as they instruct the youth to learn new things, guide them towards discipline,
and enlighten them to grow as better people. Basically, teachers play a vital role in the
education and formation of our youth and the progress of our nation. They work
tediously in and out of the classroom and during school days and breaks.

Due to their hustle-and-bustle lifestyle, teachers are susceptible to ailments that
are clearly work-related such as pharyngitis, anemia, hypertension, and hyperacidity,
among others. Those who are seriously affected are opted to resign. Aside from the
compensation they receive from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, they
become the sole responsibility of their respective families. Most of the time, the
compensation they receive are insufficient to support their recoveries.

Article XIV, Section 5, paragraph 5, of the Constitution states in part: “The State

shall... ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available
talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and

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fulfillment. Hence, there is a need for the state to provide rightful health facilities for its
teachers.

This bill, therefore, seeks to establish a special hospital known as the National
Teachers Medical Center in the National Capital Region in order to provide medical
facilities for the hospitalization and medical needs of teachers and their dependents. It
also requires regional hospitals to set up special wards with an initial capacity of at least
fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of the teachers and their
dependents residing therein.

This bill specifically proposes that the East Avenue Medical Center will be
converted as the National Medical Center for Teachers.

In honor of the teachers of the Philippines, the approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. als

Introduced by Honorable ABRAHAM N. TOLENTINO

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR TEACHERS AND THEIR
DEPENDENTS, CONVERTING THE EAST AVENUE MEDICAL CENTER IN
DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, INTO THE NATIONAL TEACHERS MEDICAL

CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “National Teachers
Medical Center Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
recognize the role of Filipino teachers in national progress and development, protect
their interests and well-being, and provide them and their dependents access to
affordable health care and development through an integrated and comprehensive
approach. Towards this end, the State shall create a national medical center which
will cater to the health and medical needs of teachers, whether in the active duty or
retired, and their dependents.

Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall apply to the following:

(a) Teacher, a Filipino citizen, who may be:

i. Any person who teaches any subject, including practical and
vocational arts, at the day-care, pre-school, elementary, secondary,


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senior high school, college, and post-graduate courses in all public
schools;
ii. Any person who provides guidance and counseling in all public
schools;
ili. Any person who provides instructional supervision in all public
schools;
iv. Any person employed as school administrative support employee;
v. Physicians, dentists, and nurses employed exclusively by the public
schools;
vi. Officials and employees of the Department of Education (DepEd)
and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and
Retired teachers and other public school employees who have
rendered a minimum of ten years of continuous service prior to
their retirement.
(b) Teacher's Dependents limited to the following persons:

i, Legitimate spouse dependent upon the teacher for support;

ii. Legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated or legally adopted children, not
more than eighteen (18) years of age, or is incapable of self-
support because of mental or physical defect, regardless of age;

iii. The parent or parents living with and dependent upon the teacher
for support.

Sec. 4. Creation of a National Teachers Medical Center and Special Wards in
Regional Hospitals. — To carry out the above policy, the East Avenue Medical Center
in Quirino District, Quezon City shall be converted into a special hospital for teachers
and shall be named as the National Teachers Medical Center (NTMC). It shall be the
primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical care of teachers and their
dependents.

Regional hospitals located outside the NCR shall put up special wards with an
initial capacity of at least fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of
teachers and their dependents residing therein.

Sec. 5. Free Hospitalization and Medical Care. - The NTMC and Regional
Hospitals with special wards shall not charge any hospitalization, confinement,

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medical treatment and medical care services rendered for teachers and their
dependents.

Sec. 6. Objectives. - To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability

of quality health care, the NTMC and regional hospitals shall:

(a) Provide for a comprehensive or total health care services to all teachers
and their dependents;

(b) Complement the existing package of services under the National Health
Insurance Program to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative
and rehabilitative programs;

(c) Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability
of all teacher applicants; and

(d) Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and
to generate information/data in aid of policy formulation.

Sec. 7. Governing Board. - The NTMC shall be governed by the Board of

Directors composed of the following:

(a) The Secretary of Education, as ex officio Chairperson;

(b) The Secretary of Health, as ex officio Vice Chairperson;

(c) The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as ex
officio Member;

(d) The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as ex officio Member;

(e) Four (4) representatives from the teachers sector: one (1) from the
National Capital Region, one (1) from Luzon, one (1) from Visayas, and
one (1) from Mindanao, as Members, who shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines from a list of nominees recommended by the
Chairperson in consultation with the Party-List group representing the
‘teacher's sector and shall serve for a term of three (3) years without
reappointment.

Sec. 8. Powers and Responsibilities of the Board. — The Board of Directors of
NTMC shall have the following powers and responsibilities:

(a)To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the

objectives and purposes as enunciated in Section 4 of this Act;


(b)To organize the structure of NTMC in accordance with the staffing pattern
prepared by it in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and
Civil Service Commission (CSC), and approved by the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM);

(c) To prescribe the duties and fix the compensation subject to the provisions
of Republic Act No. 6758, as amended, or the "Compensation and Position
Classification Act of 1989";

(d)To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives;

(e) To receive donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies or financial aid;

(f) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of
this Act; and

(g) To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law.

Sec. 9. Meetings and Quorum. — The Board shall meet at least once a month or
as often as may be necessary at the office of the NTMC. Special meetings may be
convened at the call of the Chairman or by a majority of the members of the Board.
Presence of majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Sec. 10. Allowances and per diems. — The members of the Board shall receive
a per diem for every meeting actually attended subject to the pertinent budgetary
law, rules and regulations on compensation, honoraria and allowances.

Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Board shall adopt rules
and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days from
the date of its effectivity.

Sec. 12. Appropriations. - An amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos
(P500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the establishment and initial operations
of the NTMC. Subsequently, appropriations for the operations shall be included in
the Annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 13. Tax Exemption. - All donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies or
financial aids to the Medical Center shall be exempt from payment of taxes under
the National Internal Revenue Code and the Local Government Code.

Sec. 14. Annual Report. - The NTMC shall render to the President of the
Republic of the Philippines and to each House of Congress an annual operational and

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financial report within thirty (30) days from the first day of regular session of
Congress the next calendar year.

Sec. 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or parts thereof not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) newspaper of
general circulation.

Approved,