SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS _)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, JT
House Bi NoGIO1

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is pathetic to note that many of our sick but indigent countrymen who are
medically attended to in public hospitals and diagnosed as suffering from certain
ailment and prescribed the needed medicines, are nonetheless helpless in having
their illness cured because of lack of means to buy medicines as prescribed.

Medical attention without the concomitant medicines being administered to
the patient is meaningless.

Again, poverty is depriving many indigent patients of the rare opportunity of
medical advancement and recent discoveries on cure of diseases because the
medicines are hardly affordable and far from the indigent patient's reach.

The most appropriate and quick source of funding for free medicines to
indigent patients is the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) of local goverment units.

Itis the purpose of the bill to set aside a certain percentage of the IRA budget

for acquisition of medicines for free distribution to indigent patients in their respective
localities.

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
‘Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.
House Bill No.8 1

AN ACT
REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO EARMARK A PORTION OF THEIR
INTERNAL REVENUE ALLOTMENTS FOR FREE MEDICINES TO INDIGENT
PATIENTS IN THEIR LOCALITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES:

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

SECTION 1. Local Governments to Earmark @ Portion of IRA for Free
Medicines. — \t shall be the obligation of all local governments to set aside and
earmark a portion of their Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) for appropriation for free
medicines to be distributed to the public hospitals, clinics, dispensaries or other
outlets to indigent patients for free in their localities.

SEC. 2. Indigent Patients, defined; How dispensed. - Indigent patients are those
who have no visible means of income or whose income is insufficient for the
subsistence of his or her family as identified by the local social welfare department;
Provided, However, that the local government shall maintain a list confirmed by the
barangay officials concemed where the indigent patient resides and to issue an
identifying document to insure that the free medicines are properly dispensed to
deserving recipients; Provided, Further, that said hospitals, clinics or dispensaries
shall, as far as practicable, establish their own pharmacy or outlets within their
premises and maintain sufficient stock or quantity of the most common prescribed
medicines in order to immediately provide the free medicines to the indigent patients.

SEC. 3. Regular Accounting. - All pharmacies or outlets distributing or dispensing
free medicines shall render periodic accounting of such disbursement duly posted in
at least three (3) public bulletin boards specifying the patient's name, address, doctor
prescribing the medicine and the amount or cost of the medicine.

SEC. 4. Acts Constituting Violations of this Act; Penalty. — In addition to the
criminal liability incurred by persons for violating pertinent provisions of the Revised
Penal Code or other special laws, the following acts shall constitute a crime under
this Act.

(a) Preparing a list or certification that a patient is indigent when he is not;

(b) Submitting, preparing or altering any document to make it appear that any
legitimate acquisition, purchase, disbursement or distribution had been
made for free medicines when in fact there is none;

(©) Diverting, concealing or using for other use or purpose, the funds for free
medicines;

(d) Dispensing or distributing the free medicines under this Act other than to
indigent patients;

(€) Selling or disposing of the free medicines; and

() Marking up or padding the purchase cost of medicines acquired under this
Act; and,


(g) Knowingly purchasing expired medicines or those expiring within one (1)
year from date of purchase.

Those found guilty of committing any of the acts above defined shall be
sentenced to an imprisonment of not less than two (2) years nor more than seven (7)
years.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. — If any of the sections or provisions of this Act is held
invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid.

‘SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days after
its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,