Republic of the Philippines
JJOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo._ 4789

Intredueed by BAYAN MUNA.
REPS. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES and TEDDY A. CASI

AN ACT
GRANTING MANDATORY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR
TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS AND OTHER HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE BIRTHS,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

¢
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Mothers after being informed that they have multiple pregnancics experience happiness mixed
with trepidation and unsure of their capacity to sustain the family. Corollary to that are the high
expenses with extended hospital confinement and frequent hospital visits during the pre-natal.
delivery and postnatal check-ups including hospital obstetrical care - ultrasound scan, hospital
visits, in-patient stay, delivery and postnatal care including admittance of the multiple-bieth
babies to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after birth. Further, the more babies bom in the
set, (i.¢. triplets, etc.) the lower the birth weight of each child and the increase in admittance to
NICUs. Statistics also show that almost half of all multiple births are premature.

More ofien than not, death becomes unavoidable for one or more of the babies and even of the
mothers resulting from complicstions during pregnancy or at childbirth. This situation then
becomes doubly devastating for the family psychologically and financially.

After birth, extra care and attention is needed by these babies and even of their mothers,
logically, more than single childbirths require. Thus, there is atieed to extend not only maternity
leave benefits, but also the paternity leave benefits, for both parents to help the children adjust in
their predicament, and even the parents themselves as well.

Children of multiple births also mean additional financial burden to the parents, doubling or
tripling the expenses for every child as they grow older, and more so if they have disabilities. As
most of multiple birth incidents, the preparation of the parents having to raise more children than


what was expected is an issue that calls upon the government to be concemed about, especially
to those from among poor to middle class families.

This bill therefore seeks to assist parents of triplets, quadruplets and higher order multiple births
who are faced with the problem of raising several children all at the same time and are not

economically prepared for such a situation. Specifically, mandatory support for these fami

called for on:

1.
2.

3.
4

All prenatal, delivery and post natal care services

Funeral expenses in case of death of any one or more of the multiple births or their
mothers;

Extended paternity and matemity leaves for parents;

Health and nutrition and educational support

Thus, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ikoov A. CASINO

Bayan Muna Party-list


Repiibliv of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _ 4783

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA _
REPS. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES and TEDDY A. CASIN'

AN ACT
GRANTING MANDATORY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR
TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS AND HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE BIRTHS,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as “Multiple Births Support Law of 20117.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy — Section [1 of Art. XIII — Social Justice and Human Rights, of
the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides:

Section 11, The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and
other social services available to all people at affordable cost. There shall be
priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act:

(a) Higher order multiples - refer to triplets (3 ‘vabies), quadruplets (4 babies).
quintuplets (5 babies) or even more babies. Higher order multiples can be any
combination of the two basic twin types ~ 1 pair of identical twins plus I fratemal
twin, 2 sets of fraternal twins, etc. ..

(b) Childbirth — includes both labor (the process of birth) and delivery (the birth itself); it
tefers to the entire process as an infant makes its way from the womb down the birth
canal to the outside world.


(e) Childbirth expenses — refer to expenses incurred during pregnancy, at delivery and
the early post natal period, including hospital, medical and surgical expenses. This
also includes professional fees of attending physician/s in ull public and private
hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services:

(d) Child Benefit - is a payment defined by Section 4.4 of this Act, made to all parents of
multiples provided that their joint annual incomes do not exceed P225,000 which is
the 5" income decile under the Total Family Income and Expenditures and Savings at
Current Prices for 2009. Said income shall adjust according lo succeeding changes in
the FIES values by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The monthly support shall
continue until the chifd/children reach/es 18 unless he/she/they have physical or
mental disability.

(e) Extended Paternal and Maternal Leave Benefits - refer to cxtra seven (7) days and
thirty (30) days granted for the employed father and mother of the multiples.
respectively, in the public and private sectors. These are additional days to what is
mandated by Article 133 of the Labor Code and Section 14-A of “Social Security Act
of 1997" (Republic Act No. 8282).

(P Maternal Death — refers to death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of
termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. from
any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.

{g) Medical Services - refer to hospital services, professional services of physicians and
other health care professionals and diagnostics and laboratory tests that are necessary
for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury;

(h) Multiple Birth Loss/es — refer to joss of life (or death) of any of the higher order
multiples through miscarriage, stillbirth and early infant deaths.

Section 4, Coverage of Government Support for Families with Higher Multiple Births.
Parents of higher order multiples shall be entitled to the following assistance free of charge:

Section 4.1 Medical check-ups, surgerylies, laboratory and other tests incidental to the
pre-natal, delivery and post natal care of all mothers and multiples in all
public hospitals and medical institutions.

Section 4.2 All funeral expenses in case of death or loss of any one of the higher order
multiples or the mother shall be shouldered by the government.

Section 4.3, Paid paternity and matemity leave benefits as defined by Section 3c.
Section 4.4, The mandatory monthly support per child shall be:

1. Health and nutrition support per child shall be cquivalent to the
prevailing daily minimum wage.


2. Educational support per child shali be equivalent to one half of the
prevailing daily minimum wage.

Support shall be availed of until legal age. There is also increased independence
penmitted by the parents or legal guardians.

In case the child has physical or mental disability. support may be lengthened
depending on the degree and type of disability

Section 4.5. Exclusion from Coverage. Families of multiples earning an annual income
exceeding that of the 5 income decile under the Total FIES at current prices shall be
excluded from government support stated above.

Section 5. Implementing Agencies. The Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) with the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Labor and imployment (DOLE) shall
jointly issue the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act

Section 6, Appropriations. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its cnactment into law. An
initia amoupt of Thirty Miliion Pesos (P30,000,000} shail be allocated for the first vear of its
implementation.

Section 7. Separability Clause. If any portion or provision of this Act is declared void or

unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be affected by such
declaration,

Section 8. Repealing Clause. Any provision of law or regulations inconsistent herewith is
bereby repealed, revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 9, Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afler its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,