REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7084

House Bill No. _,

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

‘The United Nations Population Fund underlines the criti

EXPLANATORY NOTE

| role of midwives in the reduction of child

mortality and delivery of quality maternal healthcare in the country. "Midwives are key healthcare
facilitators in helping to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 (reducing child mortality), 5
(improving maternal health) and 6 (combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases).”'

Cognizant of the above magnitude of their task, this measure seeks to strengthen and expand the scope of
the midwifery profession by amending the 20-year old Philippine Midwifery Act of 1992, with the end in
view of reducing maternal and prenatal morbidity and mortality.

This measure seeks to put forward the following amendments:

In view the foregoing, the immediate passage of this

grant additional powers as well as enhance the general welfare and commitment to service and
professionalism of midwives;
allow midwives to administer life-saving drugs when no physician is available, provided that they
are appropriately trained for such purpose;

require midwives to be certified proficient to perform the necessary care and services to prevent
maternal deaths and allow them to administer essential newborn care;

require practicing midwives who intend to perform Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care
(EmONC) to apply for and acquire accreditation from the Department of Health (DoH);

require registered midwives to maintain competence by continual learning through Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) to be provided by the accredited professional organization or
any recognized professional midwifery organization;

provide for a mandated comprehensive midwifery program which includes a valid assessment of
career performance and potential of midwives; and.

provide for the minimum base pay of midwives in public health institutions which shall not be
lower than the Ist step of the hiring rate prescribed for the positions under E.O. No. 201.

is earnestly sought.

‘epresentative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List

* sled Miduives sential For Safer Maternal, Newborn And Reproductive Health Says FIG. Information retrieved from
etp/ Iw igs ory news MEER mais exsentia-safer maternal newborn and reprodlcye health XE2OInB00ir89,~ 6/23/2013



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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon Ci

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7084

House Bill No.

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF THE PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY, AMENDING FOR
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7392, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“PHILIPPINE MIDWIFERY ACT OF 1992" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Article III. Section 23 of Republic Act No. 7392 is hereby amended to read
as follows:

"SEC 23. Practice of Midwifery Defined. - The practice of midwifery
consist in performing or rendering or ordering to perform or render, for a fee,
salary, or other reward or compensation, services requiring an understanding of
the principles and application of procedures and techniques in the supervision and
care of women during pregnancy, labor and puerperium management of normal
deliveries, including the performance of internal examination during labor except
when patient is with antenatal bleeding: health education of the patient, family
and community: primary health care services in the community, including
nutrition and family planning in carrying out the written order of physicians with
regard to antenatal, intra-natal and post-natal care of the normal pregnant mother
in giving immunization, including oral and parenteral dispersing of oxytocic drug
after delivery of placenta, suturing perennial lacerations to control bleeding, to
give intravenous fluid during obstetrical emergencies, ADMINISTER LIFE-
SAVING DRUGS SUCH AS MAGNESIUM SULPHATE, OXYTOC
STEROIDS AND ORAL ANTIBIOTICS WHEN NO PHYSICIAN IS
AVAILABLE, provided they [have been] ARE APPROPRIATELY trained for
that purpose [:] AND CERTIFIED PROFICIENT TO PERFORM THE
NECESSARY CARE AND SERVICES TO PREVENT MATERNAL
DEATHS, MIDWIVES ARE ALSO HEREBY ALLOWED TO
ADMINISTER ESENTIAL NEWBORN CARE INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO IMMUNIZATION and [may inject] INJECTING Vitamin K to
the newborn. Provided, however, That this provision shall not apply to students in
midwifery schools who perform midwifery service(s] under the supervision of the
instructors [, nor to emergency cases].

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) SHALL ISSUE GUIDELINES
ON THE ACCREDITATION OF MIDWIVES TO PERFORM
EMERGENCY OBSTETRIC AND NEONATAL CARE (E/EmONC), ALL
PRACTICING MIDWIVES WHO INTEND TO PERFORM E/EmONC



2 MUST APPLY FOR AND ACQUIRE ACCREDITATION FROM THE
2 DOH AFTER NECESSARY TRAININGS AND EXAMINATION AND
3 COMPLIANCE OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS MAY BE
4 DETERMINED BY THE DOH."

5

6 SEC. 2. A new provision in inserted between Sections 23 and 24 of Republic Act No.
7 7392 to read as follows:

8 "SEC. 24. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. - A
9 REGISTERED MIDWIFE IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN
10 COMPETENCE BY CONTINUAL LEARNING THROUGH
11 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) PROGRAM
12 TO BE PROVIDED BY THE ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL
13 ORGANIZATION OR ANY RECOGNIZED PROFESSIONAL
14 MIDWIFERY ORGANIZATION: PROVIDED, THAT THE PROGRAM
15 AND ACTIVITY FOR THE CPD SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO AND
16 APPROVED BY THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION,
7 AFTER DUE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD OF MIDWIFERY:
18 PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE EARNED CPD UNITS SHALL BE
19 MANDATORILY RQUIRED FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE
20 PROFESSIONAL IDENTFICATION CARD OF A_ REGISTERED
21 MIDWIFE."
22

23 SEC.3. The following provisions shall be inserted between ions 26 and 27 of
24 ~~ Republic Act No. 7392 to read as follows:

25 "SEC. 28. HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCE PROUCTION,
26 UTILIZATION, PLACEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT. — THE BOARD, IN
27 COORDINATION WITH THE ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL
28 ORGANIZATON AND APPROPRIATE GOVERN-MENTOR PRIVATE
29 AGENCIES, SHALL INITIATE, UNDERTAKE AND CONDUCT
30 STUDIES ON HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCE PRODUCTION,
31 UTILIZATION, PLACEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE
32 CONTINUING PROFESSIONALIZATION OF MIDWIFERY.

33 SEC. 29. COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY PROGRAM. — WITHIN
34 ONE (1) YEAR FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, THE BOARD,
35 IN COORDINATION WITH THE ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL.
36 ORGANIZATION, NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ACCREDITED
37 SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE DOH, IS HEREBY MANDATED TO
38 FORMULATE AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY
39 PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A VALID ASSESSMENT OF CAREER
40 PERFORMANCE AND POTENTIAL, THUS, UPGRADE THE LEVEL OF
41 SKILL AND COMPETENCE OF MIDWIVES IN THE COUNTRY SUCH
42 AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE AREAS OF SKILL OF MATERNAL
43 AND CHILD CARE AND SUCH AOTEHR AREAS AS MAY BE
44 DETERMINED BY THE BOARD. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE
45 PROGRAM ARE OBLIGED TO SERVE IN ANY RURAL OR

46 COMMUNITY HOSPITAL FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST TWO (2)


wearvausaw

YEARS FROM THE DATE OF TEH COMPLETION OF THE
PROGRAM.

SEC. 30. SALARY AND COMPENSATION. — IN ORDER TO
ENHANCE THE GENERAL WLEFARE AND COMMITMENT TO
SERVICE AND PROFESSIONALISM OF MIDWIVES, THE MINIMUM
BASE PAY OF MIDWIVEWS WORKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH
INSITUTIONS SHALL NOT BE LOWER THAN THE IST STEP OF THE
HIRING RATE PRESCRIBED FOR THE POSITIONS UNDER
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 201.

SEC. 31. FUNDING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY
PROGRAM. — THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT NEEDED TO
TRAIN AT LEAST TEN PERCENT (10%) OF MIDWIVES OF THE
APRTICIPATING GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SHALL BE INCLUDED
IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT; PROVIDED,
THAT THE DOH SHALL SET THE CRITERIA FOR THE AVAILMENT
OF THIS PROGRAM."

SEC. 4. Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Professional Regulation
Commission, in coordination with the DOH and the accredited professional organization of
-d midwives, shall promulgate a new implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act
No. 7392 which shall be punished in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

‘SEC. 5. If any part or provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, other
provisions which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC 6. All laws, issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,