Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  1907 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MARCELINO C. LIBANAN 
AN ACT 
MANDATING 
THE 
ESTABLISHMENT 
AND 
MAINTENANCE 
OF 
A 
CENTRALIZED PATIENT RECORD SYSTEM IN MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES, 
TO BE KEPT BY RURAL HEALTH UNITS OR HEALTH CENTERS AND SIMILAR 
PRIMARY HEALTH FACILITIES, ENSURING CONTINUITY OF CARE AND 
ADHERENCE TO DATA PRIVACY STANDARDS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The right to health is a fundamental human right enshrined in our Constitution. However, for 
many Filipinos, particularly those residing in municipalities and cities without robust public 
hospital infrastructure, access to continuous and quality healthcare remains a significant 
challenge. A critical gap in our current healthcare system is the absence of a standardized and 
centralized patient record-keeping mechanism at the local level. 
Currently, when indigent or even ordinary citizens seek medical attention at rural health units 
(RHUs), health centers, or during medical missions, their medical history often goes 
unrecorded or is fragmented across various temporary notes. This lack of comprehensive 
patient records poses serious impediments to effective healthcare delivery: 
1. Impaired Diagnosis and Treatment: Attending physicians, whether at local health
centers or during medical missions, lack crucial historical data, making accurate
diagnosis difficult and potentially leading to suboptimal or redundant treatments.
2. Lack of Continuity of Care: Without a centralized record, patients moving between
different health facilities or even seeing different doctors within the same local unit
cannot ensure that their complete medical journey is understood, hindering long-term
health management.
3. Ineffective Public Health Initiatives: The absence of systematic data collection at the
grassroots level limits the ability of local health authorities to effectively monitor health
trends, plan targeted interventions, and respond efficiently to public health crises.
4. Disadvantage During Medical Missions: While medical missions provide vital
services, the inability to access a patient's prior medical history often means that care is
July 15, 2025
12:22 pm


delivered in isolation, without the benefit of past diagnoses, medications, or unique 
patient needs. 
This proposed measure, the "Local Health Record System Act of 2025," seeks to address 
these critical deficiencies by mandating the establishment and maintenance of a Centralized 
Patient Record System (CPRS) in every municipality and city, to be managed by their 
respective rural health units, health centers, or equivalent primary health facilities. 
By enacting this measure, we aim to empower local health units with the necessary tools to 
provide more effective and continuous care, improve public health surveillance, and ensure 
that every Filipino, regardless of their location or economic status, has a documented health 
history that supports their right to quality medical attention. This Bill represents a vital step 
towards a more integrated, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare system at the local level. 
MARCELINO C. LIBANAN 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  1907 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MARCELINO C. LIBANAN 
AN ACT 
MANDATING 
THE 
ESTABLISHMENT 
AND 
MAINTENANCE 
OF 
A 
CENTRALIZED PATIENT RECORD SYSTEM IN MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES, 
TO BE KEPT BY RURAL HEALTH UNITS OR HEALTH CENTERS AND SIMILAR 
PRIMARY HEALTH FACILITIES, ENSURING CONTINUITY OF CARE AND 
ADHERENCE TO DATA PRIVACY STANDARDS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Local Health Record System Act 
of 2025." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to uphold the 
right to health of all its citizens, particularly those residing in underserved municipalities and 
cities. To this end, the State shall ensure the accessibility and continuity of healthcare services 
by mandating a centralized, secure, and accessible patient record system in every local 
government unit, to be managed by its rural health units, health centers, or equivalent primary 
health facilities. This policy shall be implemented with utmost respect for the privacy of 
personal and sensitive personal information, in full compliance with Republic Act No. 10173, 
otherwise known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012." 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act: 
a) Centralized Patient Record System (CPRS): Refers to an organized, unified, and secure
system, whether electronic or manual, for collecting, storing, managing, and retrieving patient
health information within a local government unit, accessible to authorized health personnel.


b) Rural Health Unit (RHU) / Health Center (HC) / Primary Health Facility: Refers to the 
primary healthcare facility established by the local government unit in a municipality or city, 
responsible for delivering basic health services.  
c) Local Government Unit (LGU): Refers to any municipality or city in the Philippines.  
d) Patient Record: Refers to any information, whether recorded in paper or electronic form, 
that relates to the physical or mental health of an individual, and to the provision of health 
services to the individual. This includes, but is not limited to, demographic data, medical 
history, diagnoses, treatments, medications, laboratory results, and other relevant clinical 
findings.  
e) Personal Information: Refer to any information whether recorded in a material form or 
not, from which the identity of an individual is apparent or can be reasonably and directly 
ascertained by the entity holding the information, or when put together with other information 
would directly and certainly identify an individual.  
f) Sensitive Personal Information: Refer to personal information: (1) About an individual’s 
race, ethnic origin, marital status, age, color, and religious, philosophical or political 
affiliations; (2) About an individual’s health, education, genetic or sexual life, or to any 
proceeding for any offense committed or alleged to have been committed by such person, the 
disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings; (3) Issued by 
government agencies peculiar to an individual which includes, but not limited to, social security 
numbers, previous or current health records, licenses or its denials, suspension or revocation, 
and tax returns; and (4) Specifically established by an executive order or an act of Congress to 
be kept classified. 
SECTION 4. Mandate for Centralized Patient Record System. a) Every local government 
unit shall establish and maintain a Centralized Patient Record System (CPRS) within its rural 
health unit, main health center, or equivalent primary health facility. b) The CPRS shall serve 
as the primary repository of all patient records generated from consultations, check-ups, 
medical missions, vaccinations, and other health interventions conducted by the 
RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility and its satellite health facilities within the local government 
unit. c) Each patient shall be assigned a unique identifier to ensure accurate and continuous 
tracking of their health history. 
SECTION 5. Content of Patient Records. The CPRS shall, at a minimum, include the 
following information for each patient: a) Demographic data (name, address, date of birth, sex, 
contact information). b) Comprehensive medical history (past illnesses, surgeries, allergies, 
immunizations). c) Current complaints and symptoms. d) Diagnoses. e) Treatment plans and 
interventions. f) Prescribed medications. g) Laboratory and diagnostic test results. h) Referrals 
to other healthcare providers. i) Records of medical missions attended, including services 
received and findings. j) Other relevant clinical notes and observations. 
SECTION 6. Data Privacy and Security. The establishment and maintenance of the CPRS 
shall strictly adhere to the principles and provisions of Republic Act No. 10173, the "Data 
Privacy Act of 2012," and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.  


a) Consent: The collection and processing of personal and sensitive personal information shall 
be based on the informed consent of the patient or their legal guardian, except when otherwise 
allowed by law.  
b) Purpose Limitation: Patient records shall only be collected and processed for legitimate 
purposes related to healthcare provision, public health, and research, as defined by law.  
c) Security Safeguards: The RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility shall implement appropriate 
organizational, technical, and physical security measures to protect patient records against 
accidental or unlawful destruction, alteration, disclosure, access, misuse, or any other unlawful 
processing. This shall include: i. Access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can view 
and modify records. ii. Encryption for electronic records. iii. Regular security audits and 
vulnerability assessments. iv. Secure physical storage for manual records.  
d) Data Breach Notification: In the event of a security incident or data breach involving 
patient records, the RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility shall promptly notify the affected 
individuals and the National Privacy Commission in accordance with existing regulations.  
e) Right to Access and Rectify: Patients shall have the right to access their own records and 
request corrections of any inaccurate or outdated information, subject to reasonable procedures.  
f) Retention and Disposal: Patient records shall be retained only for as long as necessary for 
the fulfillment of the purposes for which they were collected, or for the establishment, exercise, 
or defense of legal claims, or for legitimate business purposes, or as provided by law, and shall 
be disposed of securely thereafter. 
SECTION 7. Interoperability and Data Sharing.  
a) The Department of Health (DOH) shall develop standards for interoperability to facilitate 
secure and seamless sharing of patient records among RHUs/HCs/Primary Health Facilities 
within the same local government unit, and with other authorized healthcare providers and 
public health programs, subject to patient consent and strict data sharing agreements.  
b) For medical missions, patient records from the CPRS may be securely shared with the 
attending medical professionals upon explicit patient consent, ensuring continuity of care and 
avoiding redundant procedures. The medical mission organizers shall be bound by the same 
data privacy and security obligations under this Act and the Data Privacy Act. 
 c) Mandatory Record Sharing by Hospitals: Public and private hospitals shall be mandated 
to share relevant patient records with the patient's designated RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility 
upon the written request of the patient, his or her authorized representative, or the attending 
physician at the RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility, provided that such request is for the purpose 
of ensuring continuity of care or for legitimate public health purposes.  
The hospital shall release such records: 
• 
Within five (5) working days from receipt of the request; 
• 
In a secure format, whether printed or electronic; 
• 
At no cost for indigent patients certified by the LGU. 


Such sharing shall strictly adhere to the provisions of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its 
Implementing Rules and Regulations, ensuring the security and confidentiality of the shared 
information. 
SECTION 8. Funding and Implementation.  
a) The initial establishment and subsequent maintenance of the CPRS shall be funded through 
appropriations from the General Appropriations Act, the annual budget of the Department of 
Health, and the respective Local Government Units (LGUs).  
b) The DOH shall:  
i. Formulate the necessary guidelines, standards, and protocols for the establishment, 
operation, and maintenance of the CPRS.  
ii. Provide technical assistance and capacity building to LGUs and health personnel in 
implementing and managing the CPRS.  
iii. Develop and implement a standardized training program for health workers on data 
management, data privacy, and the use of the CPRS. iv. Monitor the compliance of 
local government units with the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Penalties.  
a) Any local government unit or RHU/HC/Primary Health Facility failing to establish or 
maintain a CPRS as mandated by this Act, without justifiable cause, shall be subjected to 
administrative sanctions as determined by the Department of Health.  
b) Public and private hospitals failing to comply with the mandatory record sharing provision 
(Section 7c) shall be subject to administrative penalties as determined by the Department of 
Health, without prejudice to other applicable laws.  
c) Violations of the data privacy and security provisions of this Act shall be penalized in 
accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 10173, the "Data Privacy Act of 2012," 
without prejudice to other applicable laws. 
SECTION 10. Transitory Provisions.  
a) Local government units covered by this Act shall establish their respective CPRS within two 
(2) years from the effectivity of this Act.  
b) The DOH shall prioritize the provision of technical and financial assistance to local 
government units with the greatest need. 
SECTION 11. 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 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, 
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,