NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
Senate
of till? £>■, i-fravp
23 FEB 21 P3:22
s. No. 1906
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH AND 
RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
CREATING REGIONAL GERIATRIC SPECIALTY CENTERS IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH-RETAINED HOSPITALS, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 11, Article XIII of the Constitution states that there shall be priority 
for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. 
They are considered the vulnerable sectors of the population and thus needs to be 
given high priority by the government.
The number of Filipino senior citizens age doubled to 9.2 million in 2020 from 
4.5 million 20 years ago. The Commission on Population and Development 
(Popcorn), citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), said the 
percentage of Filipino elderly population has expanded in the last two decades, 
rising to 8.5 percent in 2020 from 5.9 percent in 2000.1 The country is projected to 
transition to an aging population between 2025 to 2030.
The continuous rise in the number of senior citizens in the country calls for 
the government to further strengthen existing programs/projects which provides 
assistance and support for our elderly, especially for their health and well-being.
This bill seeks to establish a specialized hospital and research institute as well 
as geriatric specialty centers in the Department of Health (DOH)-retained hospitals in 
every region. The geriatric specialty center will provide specialized care to the aging 
population, addressing particular conditions and providing specific procedures and 
management of cases. This bill will ensure that our elderly will be given a holistic 
health services that is easily accessible in geriatric specialty centers in DOH-regional 
hospitals.
For this purpose, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
MARK A. VILLAR
1 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1646487/opportunitv-ph-senior-population-on-the-rise


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
Senate
(©ffirr of tijf &:'ft
23 FFB21 P3 22
SENATE 
S. No. 1 90R
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH AND 
RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
CREATING REGIONAL GERIATRIC SPECIALTY CENTERS IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH-RETAINED HOSPITALS, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Geriatric
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Health Act.
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Sec 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and
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promote the right to health of senior citizens all over the country by ensuring that
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holistic health services are available and accessible to them through the
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establishment of a specialized hospital and research institute as well as geriatric
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specialty centers in the Department of Health (DOH)-retained hospitals in every
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region.
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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms
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shall mean:
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a. Acute care refers to a specialized program that addresses the needs of
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hospitalized older adults in a multidisciplinary team approach to prevent
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functional and cognitive decline and to improve outcomes;


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b. APEX or end-referral hospital refers to a hospital offering specialized 
services as determined by DOH, which is contracted as a stand-alone 
facility by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth);
c. Geriatric health services refer to the medical services or interventions 
provided by a multidisciplinary team to older adult patients;
d. Geriatric medicine or Geriatrics refers to the sub-specialty of internal and 
family medicine that diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions and 
diseases that affect people as they age and aims to promote health and 
treat disabilities of older adults;
e. Geriatric palliative care refers to a specialized medical care that focuses on 
providing elderly patients relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious 
illness, regardless of diagnosis or stage of disease, and is provided 
alongside curative and other forms of treatment. It is a field of inter­
specialty collaboration to respond to the socio-demographic changes and 
challenges of older adults with severe and life-limiting conditions;
f. 
Geriatric specialty center refers to a unit or department in a DOH-retained 
hospital that offers specialized care to the aging population, particularly to 
frail older persons, addressing their particular conditions and providing 
specific procedures and management of cases, requiring specialized 
training and/or equipment;
g. 
Geriatrician refers to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary 
training and specialty licensure examination for the practice of Geriatric 
Medicine;
h. Gerontology refers to the study of the biological, psychological, spiritual, 
social, economic, and demographic aspects of the aging process;
i. 
Home-based healthcare and reabiement program refers to a community- 
based service that primarily caters to the frail order persons who have lot 
or are experiencing problems with mobility;
j. 
Integrated delivery of geriatric health services refers to hospital and 
community-based medial and psycho-social services provided to senior 
citizens by a multidisciplinary team;


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k. Multi-disciplinary team refers to a team composed of health professionals
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headed by a geriatrician and includes surgeons, organ-system specialists,
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nurses, clinical pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, dentists,
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social workers, caregivers, family members, and patients themselves;
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I. People-centered service refers to an approach to geriatric care that
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consciously adopts the perspectives of individuals, families, and
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communities, and sees them as participants as well as beneficiaries of
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trusted health systems that respond to their needs and preferences in
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holistic and humane ways;
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m. Senior citizen refers to an elderly Filipino who is at least sixty (60) years
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old;
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n. Sub-acute care refers to care for patients who no longer require
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hospitalization, but still need skilled medical care through rehabilitative
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medicine. Sub-acute rehabilitation is recommended when a patient is not
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functionally able to return home; and
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0. Traditional care refers to a form of health care in geriatric medicine
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designed to ensure coordination and continuity of care as patients transfer
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between different locations or different levels of care, and the safe and
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effective management of both chronic and acute illness in older adults.
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Sec. 4. National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute. - The
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National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) is hereby classified as a teaching,
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research, and training hospital that shall specialize in geriatric care and serve as an
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apex hospital or end-referral facility for senior citizens in the country. The NCGH
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shall be renamed as the National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute
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(NCGHRI) and shall be under the direct control and supervision of the DOH.
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The bed capacity, serve capabilities, healthcare facilities, expansion,
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organizational structure, and human resource requirements of the NCGHRI shall be
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based on the hospital and human resource development plan to be prepared by the
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NCGHRI and approved by the DOH.
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Sec. 5. Powers and Functions. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, the
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NCGHRI shall have the following powers and functions:


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a. Serve as an apex hospital or end-referral facility which shall specialize in 
geriatric health services;
b. Formulate a hospital development plan which shall be regularly updated to 
reflect the expansion and future development of the NCGHRI;
c. Provide and 
maintain affordable, quality, and timely people-centered
hospital care through an efficient health service delivery system for senior 
citizens;
d. Provide higher and up-to-date geriatric training for professionals,
postgraduates, academics, and allied healthcare providers, especially from 
the geriatric 
specialty centers in the regions and LGUs, and other
government hospitals;
e. Develop and implement cutting-edge research studies on diseases related
to old age to translate research outcomes into policy and specialized 
health care solutions, and public research studies that shall serve as a 
critical information resource for the medical and research community, in
coordination 
with the Philippine Council 
on Health Research and
Development (PCHRD) and the Institute on Aging of the National 
Institutes of Health (lA-NIH);
f. Conduct and participate in international and local gerontological research 
activities;
g. Provide consultancy service and technical assistance in the setting of 
standards for geriatric wards in every tertiary level hospital, nursing home, 
and residential center catering to the health and functioning needs of 
senior citizens, in coordination with the PCHRD and the lA-NIH;
h. Develop and maintain a core information hub on geriatrics and 
gerontological studies in coordination with the lA-NIH and concerned 
offices in the DOH and its attached agencies, such as the Disease 
Prevention and Control Bureau and the Knowledge Management and 
Information Technology Service;
i. 
Extend medical services to senior citizens pursuant to the goals, 
objectives, and rules of the National Health Insurance Program and in


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accordance with Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise known as the 
"Universal Health Care Act";
j. 
Provide an integrated and effective approach in the delivery of geriatric 
health services in collaboration with other government agencies, local 
government units (LGUs), and other stakeholders;
k. Conduct specialty training and technical assistance in collaboration with 
concerned DOH offices and other relevant professional organizations;
l. 
Finance, sponsor, hold, or participate in congresses, conventions, 
conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs on geriatric 
health services or related fields in the Philippines and abroad; and
m. Establish a standardized referral system for psychosocial services.
Sec. 6. Scope of Services. -The NCGHRI shall provide the following services:
a. Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and 
equipment for senior citizens needing acute and sub-acute care, geriatric 
palliative care, transitional and outpatient care services, and such other 
necessary services;
b. Community-based services utilizing multidisciplinary team approaches such 
as home-based healthcare and reablement programs, research and 
external resources outsourcing for community-based integrated geriatric 
health services, and training necessary for the psycho-social functioning of 
senior citizens and their families, in coordination with LGUs;
c. Technical assistance and capacity building in the establishment and 
maintenance of nursing homes and residential care facilities and senior 
citizens' wards in government hospitals pursuant to Republic Act No. 9994, 
otherwise known as the "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010";
d. Technical assistance and capacity building in the establishment of geriatric 
specialty centers and services to strengthen the network of geriatric care 
service providers across the country and ensure the delivery of quality 
health service for senior citizens;
e. Education programs and scholarships to pursue excellence and the highest 
level of quality in the practice of the specialized filed of geriatrics and 
other related fields, including postgraduate training and short-term


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courses for medical doctors and other allied medical health professionals,
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in coordination with the lA-NIH; and
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f. Education programs in geriatrics and gerontology subjects in
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undergraduate health and allied professions, including training of students,
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as well as postgraduate medical education of physicians, nurses, allied
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professionals, pharmacists, dentists, and social workers.
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The Geriatric Specialty Fellowship Training Program of the NCGHRI shall seek
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and maintain full accreditation status in the Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine.
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The NCGHRI shall ensue the accessibility of all its programs and services and
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take into consideration the special needs of senior citizens with disabilities.
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Sec. 7. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. -The Secretary of the
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DOH shall determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the NCGHRI
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in accordance with the revised compensation and position classification of the
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NCGHRI in accordance with the revised compensation and position classification
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system subject to the evaluation and approval of the Department of Budget and
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Management (DBM) and in compliance with the civil service laws, rules and
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regulations.
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Sec. 8. Establishment of Geriatric Specialty Centers. - Geriatric specialty
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centers are hereby established in DOH regional hospitals, which shall serve as apex
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or end-referral hospitals of the health care provider networks and training and
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research facilities on geriatric specialty are services. Geriatric health services shall be
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available in all government primary health facilities.
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The level of geriatric services and corresponding facilities in specialty centers
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and their respective health human resource requirements shall be determined by the
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DOH, in coordination with NCGHRI and other stakeholders: Provided, That the
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standards to be adopted thereon shall be consistent with the Philippine Health
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Facility Development Plan and Section 6 of this Act.
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Sec. 9. Categorization of Patients. - The DOH shall ensure that the NCGHRI
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shall adopt and enforce a categorization of paying and non-paying patients. The
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allocation of beds for non-paying patients shall not be less than seventy percent
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(70%) of the total number of hospital beds.


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Sec. 10. Income Retention. - All income generated from the operations of the
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NCGHRI shall be deposited in an authorized government depository bank and shall
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be used to augment the funds allocated for its maintenance, other operating
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expenses, and capital outlay requirements, subject to the guidelines set by the DOH
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and the DBM.
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Sec. 11. Privilege. - The NCGHRI may request and receive assistance from
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the different agencies, bureaus, offices, or instrumentalities of the government,
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including the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and
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Gaming Corporation, in pursuit of its purposes and objectives.
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Sec. 12. Tax Exemptions. - All donations, endowments, contributions, grants,
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and bequests used actually, directly, and exclusively for and in accordance with the
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purposes and functions of the NCGHRI shall be exempt from donor's tax, and the
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same shall be considered as allowable deductions from gross income for purposes of
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computing the taxable income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the
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National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
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The NCGHRI shall be exempt from income tax and customs duty levied by the
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government and its political subdivisions, agencies, and instrumentalities subject to
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the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended and
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Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the "Customs Modernization and Traffic
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Act".
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The NCGHRI shall avail of tax expenditure subsidy administered by the Fiscal
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Incentives Review Board (FIRB), subject to the provisions of Title XIII (Tax
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Incentives) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. Executive
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Order No. 93, and the General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Coordination with and Assistance from Other Government Agencies.
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- The NCGHRI shall collaborate with the National Commission of Senior Citizens
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(NCSC) in the development of its programs and services. It may likewise call upon
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any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government for
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assistance in the pursuit of the purposes and objectives of this Act.
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Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of
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this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriation of the DOH.


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Thereafter, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
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Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 15. Annual Report. - The NCGHRI shall submit an annual report to the
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President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, the
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House of Representatives Committee on Health, and the NCSC, on its activities,
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accomplishments, and recommendations to further improve the delivery of geriatric
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health services.
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Sec. 16. Transitory Provisions. - In accomplishing, organizational change and
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improvements that have to be implemented, the following transitory provisions shall
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be complied with:
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a. The National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH), currently under the Jose
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R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC), shall be absorbed by
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NCGHRI, including its existing personnel, regardless of status, and all
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buildings and equipment, fixtures and furnishings, other assets and
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liabilities, and current appropriations;
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b. The independence of the NCGHRI from the JRRMMC shall be fully realized
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within two (2) years. The DOH shall ensure that no disruption of service
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will occur during this transitory period;
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c. The existing officials and employees of NCGH shall continue to assume the
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duties of their positions until new appointment are issued. They shall be
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placed in the new staffing pattern of the NCGHRI in accordance with R.A.
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No. 6656, entitled "An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service
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Officers and Employees in the Implementation of Government
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Reorganization", and the rules and regulations governing reorganization.
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Officials and employees, including casual and temporary employees, who
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shall not be absorbed in the new staffing pattern due to redundancy shall
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avail of the applicable retirement benefits and separation incentives as
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provided under existing laws; Provided, That officials and employees
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holding permanent appointments shall also be given the option to be
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transferred to other units or offices within the DOH without reduction in
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rank, status, pay, and benefits;


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d. Research grants acquired by the NCGHRI during the transition shall be
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utilized solely for their intended purposes and of the affected units or
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offices; and
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e. Existing contracts and agreements entered into with third parties prior to
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the enactment of this Act shall remain valid.
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Sec. 17. Implementating Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Health
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shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Budget and Management, Secretary of
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Social Welfare and Development, and the Chairperson of the NCSC, promulgate rules
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and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days
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after its effectivity.
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Sec. 18. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is
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declared unconstitutional or invalid, the portions or provisions which are not affected
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shall continue to be in full force and effect.
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Sec, 19. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, circulars,
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rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of
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this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 20. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of general
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circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,