Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, Section 12, provides: 
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The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and 
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. I t shall equally 
protect the life of the mother and the unborn from conception. The natural and 
primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency 
and the development of moral character shall receive support of the Government. 
Women, when confronted with unplanned or crisis pregnancy, are often left with the 
impression that abortion is the only choice that they have in dealing with their difficult 
circumstances. 
This is due to their lack of accurate information, supportive counseling, and other 
assistance regarding adoption and parenting alternatives to abortion. 
While there are organizations that provide these needed services, they often lack 
sufficient resources to reach women in need of their services and to provide for their needs. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish a national program that will - 
(1) promote childbirth as a viable and positive alternative to abortion and empower those 
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facing unplazkd or crisis pregnanciesto chose childbirth rather than abortion; and 
(2) carry out paragraph (1) by supporting entities and projects that provide information, 
counseling, and support services that assist women to chose childbirth and t o  make informed 
decisions regarding the choice of adoption or parenting with respect to their children. 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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’04 RUG -4 P3 3 9 
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE PREGNANT WOMEN 
WITH ALTERNATIVES TO ABORTION 
Be it enacted by Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
SECTION 1. Short title. - This Act shall be lmown as the “Women and .hildren’s : 
assembled: 
Resources Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purposes of this Act are - 
(1) to promote childbirth as a viable and positive alternative to abortion and to 
empower those facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies to choose childbirth rather than abortion. 
(2) to carry out paragraph (1) by supporting entities and projects that provide 
information, counseling, and support services that assist women to choose childbirth and to make 
informed decisions regarding the choice of adoption or parenting with respect to their children; 
and 
(3) to maximize the effectiveness of this Act by providing funds only to those 
entities and projects that have a stated policy of actively promoting childbirth instead of abortion 
and that have experience in providing alternative-to-abortion services. 
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SECTION 3. DeJinitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall have 
these meanings: 
(I) Alternative-to-abortion services - the provision of information and counseling 
that promotes childbirth instead of abortion and assists in pregnant women in malting informed 
decision regarding the alternatives of adoption or parenting with respect to their child. 


(2) Support services - additional services and assistance designed to assist 
eligible individuals to carry out their child term and to support eligible individuals in their 
parenting or adoption decision. These support services include the provision of (A) self- 
administered pregnancy testing; (B) baby food, maternity and baby clothing, and baby furniture; 
(C) information and education, including classes, regarding parental care, childbirlh, adoption, 
parenting, and chastity (or abstinence); and (D) referrals for services consistent with the purposes 
of this Act. 
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(3) Service provider - a nongovernmental entity that operates a service provider 
project and which enters into a subcontract with the prime contractor that provides for the 
reimbursement for alternative-to-abortion services provided to eligible individuals. 
(4) Service provider project - A project or program operated by a 
that provides alternative-to-abortion services. All projects operated by service 
provide core services and may also provide support services 
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SECTION 4. 
Establishment and operation of programs to provide alternative-to- 
ubortion services; administration ofprograms through contracts with entities. - 
(1) IN GENERAL - Grant funds provided under this Act may be expended only 
for purposes of the establishment and operation of a national program (carry out pursuant to 
contracts under subsection (3)) designed to provide alternative-to-abortion services (as defined in 
section 9) to eligible individuals as described in subsection (2) 
(2) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS - 
(A)IN GENERAL - Subject to paragraph (B), an individual is an eligible 
individual for purposes of subsection (1) if - 
(i) the individual is pregnant (or has reasonable grounds top 
believe she is pregnant); 
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.(ii) the individual (male or female) is the parent or legal guardian 
of an infant under twelve (12) months of age; or 
(iii)the individual is the spouse or other partner of an individual 
described in subparagraph (i) or (ii). 


(B) PRIORITY FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS - The program - 
(i) will give priority to serving eligible individuals who are from 
low-income families; and 
(ii) will not impose a charge on any eligible individual from a low- 
income family except to the extent that payment will be made by a third 
party (including a government agency) that is authorized under legal 
obligation to pay such charge. 
(3) ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF PROGRAM - 
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CONTRACTOR - The Department of Health, through its 
Secretary, shall enter into a contract with a non-profit private entity that, under the 
contract, shall be designated as the “prime contractor” and shall have the principal 
responsibility for administering the program, including subcontracting with 
service providers. 
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(B) SUBCONTRACTS WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS - he prime 
contractor shall enter into subcontracts with service providers for reim ursement 
of alternative-to-abortion services provided to eligible individuals on a fee-for- 
service basis. 
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(C) EXPENDITURES OF GRANTS - The prime contractor shall be 
authorized to expend funds to administer the program, reimburse service 
providers, and to provide additional supportive services to assist such providers in 
providing alternative-to-abortion services to eligible individuals consistent with 
the purposes of this Act, including but not limited to providing for advertising o f  
alternative-to-abortion services, purchase of educational materials, and grants for 
new sites and new project development. 
(D) REQUJREMENT FOR PRIME CONTRACTORS 
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An entity may 
not become a prime contractor unless, consistent with the overall purpose of this 
Act, it has stated the policy.of actively promoting childbirth instead of abortion, 
(E) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIME CONTRACTORS - 
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An entity may not become a prime contractor unless - 


(i) for the five-year period preceding the date on which the entity 
applies to receive the contract, it has been engaged primarily in the 
provision of core services or it has operated a project that provides such 
services; and 
(ii) it is a subsidiary of an entity that meets the criteria under clause 
(C). 
(F) REQUREMENTS FOR SUBCONTRACTORS - An entity may not 
become a service provider unless 
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(i) it operates a service provider project that has a stated policy of 
actively promoting childbirth instead of abortion; 
(ii) its project has b een providing alternative-to-abortion services 
twoclients for at least one (1) year; and 
(iii) its project is physically and financially separate from any 
entity that advocates, performs, counsels for, or refers to abortion. 
(G) RESTRICTION - No pnme contractor or service provider project 
may perform abortion, counsel for, or refer for abortion, or advocate abortion. 
(H) RESTRICTIONS REGARDING EXPENDITURES OF GRANT 
y of the 
FUNDS - No grant funds under this Act shall be expended for 
following - 
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(i) performing abortion, counseling for, or referring for abortion, or 
advocating abortion; 
(ii) providing, referring for, or advocating the use of contraceptive 
services, drugs, or devices; 
(iii) malting payment for a service that is provided to an eligible 
individual if payment for such service has already been made, or can 
reasonably be expected to be made; 
(iv) providing in-patient hospital services; 
(v) making cash payments to intended recipients of services; or 
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(vi) purchasing or improving land, purchasing, cons cting, or 
permanently improving (other than minor remodeling) any b ilding or 
other facility. 
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SECTION 5. Biennial reports to Congress. - The Secretary shall submit to the Congress 
periodic reports on the national programs carried out pursuant to this Act. The first report shall 
be submitted not later than one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act and subsequent reports 
shall be submitted biennially thereafter. 
SECTION 6. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Health shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 7 , Funding. - There s hall b e authorized s uch s ums as m ay be necessary to 
carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved.