I. 
~~j~ 30 1912 :I 9 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHlLPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
-*, L 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The government’s efforts to reform the health sector have been set in place 
through several innovative projects and programs aimed at providing the people with 
comprehensive health services. The participation of local government units has been 
tapped to make health care services more affordable and accessible. 
However, the fact remains that sophisticated and advanced hospital and medical 
equipment and facilities are found in highly urbanized cities, so much so that patients 
from the rural areas have to travel all the way to these urban cities just to avail 
themselves of advanced medical treatment. The high costs of treatment and the 
additional travel expenses are financially draining particularly for patients that need 
treatment on a regular and sustained basis. This is especially true for patients who are 
suffering from kidney disorder who have to undergo dialysis treatment regularly. 
In consonance with the constitutional mandate to make health services available 
to all the people at affordable cost, this bill requires all national, regional, and provincial 
government hospitals to establish, operate and maintain a dialysis ward or unit in their 
respective hospital in order that dialysis treatment will be available and accessible to the 
people especially those in the rural areas in a cost-effective manner. Moreover, this bill 
requires that dialysis treatment should be provided to indigent patients, free of charge. 
For more efficient delivery of health care services to the Filipino people, the 
immediate approval of this proposed measure is earnestly urged. 
LUISA “LOI” NEJERCITO 
ESTRADA 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPIIW3 
1 
First Regular Session 
$ * ~  
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING 
ALL 
NATIONAL, 
REGIONAL, 
AND 
PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A 
DIALYSIS WARD OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPlTAL 
AND 
PROVIDING F W E  DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Dialysis Center Act.” 
Section 2. Declaration of PoZicy. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
improve the delivery of health care services to the people and to ensure hospital facilities 
are available, affordable and accessible to the people. 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) 
“Secretary” shall refer to the Secretary of the Department of Health; 
(B) 
“National Government Hospital” shall refer to a hospital operated and 
maintained either partially or wholly by the national government or by 
any department, division, board or other agency thereof; 
“Regional Government Hospital” shall refer to a hospital operated and 
maintained either partially or wholly by the national government, or 
other political subdivision or by any department, division, board or other 
agency thereof; 
(C) 


“Provincial Government Hospital” shall refer to a hospital operated and 
maintained either partially or wholly by the provincial government or 
other political subdivision, or by any department, division, board or other 
agency thereoe and 
“Indigent Patient” shall refer to a patient whose combined annual family 
income does not exceed Thirty Thousand Pesos ~30,000.00) annually. 
Section 4. Establishment, Operation and Maintenance of a Dialysis Ward or 
UniL - Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all national, regional, and 
provincial government hospitals are hereby required to establish, operate and maintain 
a dialysis ward or unit in their hospital. The dialysis ward or unit shall be equipped with 
complete dialysis machine, equipment and supplies. 
Section 5. Free Dialysis Treatment to Indigent Patients. - Dialysis treatment in 
all national, regional, and provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of 
charge to indigent patients as defined in Section 3(E) hereof. 
Section 6. Penalty.- Any hospital chief, administrator or oEcer-in-charge who 
fails to comply with this Act shall be punished with a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (P 
50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,OOO.OO). 
Section 7. 
Implementing Rules and Regalatiom. - The Secretary shall 
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
Section 8. 
Appropriations. - Such amount as may be necessary to implement 
the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National 
Treasury. Thereafler, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the government hospital’s annual appropriations. 


Section 9. 
Separability Clause - If any provision 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 10. 
Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
Section 11. 
Effecti17ity CZause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
afier its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,