FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 
2242 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Itj 
The Constitution, Atiicle XV, Section 3, paragraph 2 provides that the State shall defend: 
"The right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, 
and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and 
other conditions prejudicial to their development." 
Good vision is essential for proper physical development and educational progress in 
growing childl;en. Many serious ocular conditions are treatable if identified in the preschool and 
early school-aged years. Early detection of ocular conditions provides the best opportunity for 
effective, inexpensive treatment and can have far-reaching implications for vision. 
Various identification methods, whether vision screening or comprehensive eye exams 
required by law, will identify children who need these services. A child identified through vision 
screening should receive a comprehensive eye exam followed by subsequent treatment as 
needed. A child identified through a comprehensive eye exam should receive subsequent 
treatment as needed. All children identified as needing services should have access to subsequent 
treatment as needed. 
This bill seeks to establish a grant program to provide vision care to children. l 
1 This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regnlar Session. 
1 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 2242 
'~!"i;F'''I::') S'! '~_"" ,; 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VISION CARE TO CHILDREN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
3 
SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Vision Care for Kids Act". 
4 
SECTION 2. Definition of Term. - The following terms as used in this Act shall be 
5 
defined as follows: 
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(1) "Comprehensive Eye Examination" includes an assessment of a patient's 
7 
history, general medical observation, external and ophthalmoscopic examination, visual 
8 
acuity, ocular alignment and motility, refraction, and as appropriate, binocular vision or 
9 
gross visual fields, performed by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist; 
10 
(2) "LGU" refers to a local government unit, which maybe a province, city or 
11 
municipality, 
12 
(3) "Secretary" refers to the Secretary of Health. 
13 
SECTION 3. Grant regarding vision care for children. -
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(a) In General-- 'The Secretary, may award grants to LGUs on the basis of an established 
15 
review process for the purpose of complementing existing government efforts for: 
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(1) providing comprehensive eye examinations by a licensed optometrist or 
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ophthalmologist for children who have been. previously identified through a vision 
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screening or eye examination by a licensed health care provider or vision screener as 
19 
needing such services, with priority given to children who are under 9 years old; 
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1 
(2) providing treatment or services, subsequent to the examinations described in 
2 
paragraph (l), necessary to correct vision problems; and 
3 
(3) developing and disseminating, to parents, teachers, and health care 
4 
practitioners, educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment in children. 
5 
(b) Criteria and Coordination - The Secretary, in consultation with appropriate 
6 
professional and consumer organizations including individuals with knowledge of age 
7 
appropriate vision services, shall develop criteria governing the operation of the grant program 
8 
under subsection (a), and for the collection of data related to vision assessment and the utilization 
9 
of follow up services. 
10 
(c) Application- To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an 1,GU shall 
11 
submit to the Secretary an application in such form, made in such maI1I1er, and containing such 
12 
information as the Secretary may require, including the following: 
13 
(1) information on existing Federal, Federal-State, or State-funded children vision 
14 
program; 
15 
(2) a plan for the use of grant funds, including how funds will be used to 
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complement existing State efforts (including possible partnerships with non-profit 
17 
entities); 
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(3) a plan to determine if a grant eligible child has been identified as provided for 
19 
in Section3(a); and 
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(4) a descriptiori of how funds will be used to provide items or services only as a 
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secondary payer to any local government compensation program, under an insurance 
22 
policy, or under any government health benefits program; or by any entity that provides 
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health services on a prepaid basis. 
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(d) Evaluations- To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an 1,GU shall 
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agree that, not later than one (1) year after the date on which amounts under the grant are first 
26 
received by it, and annually thereafter while receiving amounts under the grant, the I,GU will 
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submit to the Secretary an evaluation of the operations and activities carried out under the grant, 
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including--
2 


, 
1 
(1) an assessment of the utilization of vision services and the status of children 
2 
receiving these services as a result ofthe activities carried out under the grant; 
3 
(2) the collection, analysis, and reporting of children's vision data according to 
4 
guidelines prescribed by the Secretary; and 
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(3) such other information as tlie Secretary may reqnire. 
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(e) Limitations in Expenditure of Grant - A grant may be made under subsection (a) only 
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if the LGIJ involved agrees that it will not expend more than 20 percent (20%) of the amount 
8 
received under the grant to carry out the purpose described in paragraph (3) of such subsection. 
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SECTION 4. Appropriations. - Such sums as may be necessary for the initial 
10 
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current appropriations of the Department of 
II 
Health (DOH). Thereafter, the fund necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be 
12 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
14 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
15 
valid and SUbsisting. 
16 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
17 
order, letter of'instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the 
18 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
19 
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
20 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
iptmt05july2010 
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