Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. __2831

Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This house bill aims to institutionalize the Malasakit Center Program, hereby
mandating accredited public hospitals in the country to serve more indigent
Filipinos through the establishment of their respective Malasakit Centers.

Malasakit Centers have been proven helpful to our indigent citizens who are
in need of immediate, accessible, and convenient medical assistance. Prior to the
implementation of this program, our indigent citizens were required to submit a
myriad of documents and were forced to travel to different government agencies
to follow the procedures in securing their much sought assistance. After the
establishment of 18 Malasakit Centers (so far) all over the country, Filipinos were
meet with much easier and faster processing as the Centers provided for a one-
stop-shop venue for securing medical assistance. People no longer needed to
travel to their local PhilHealth, DSWD, PCSO, and other agencies that offered
medical assistance because the representatives of these agencies were already
Present at the Centers, ready to serve the people.

The institutionalization of Malasakit Centers will require all accredited
hospitals to provide the accessibility and ease of acquiring medical assistance to
the people. This mandates the Malaskit Centers’ permanence in our public service
delivery, assuring our citizens that they receive the health care that they deserve,
and in a timely and convenient fashion.

It is high time that we empathize on the apparently tedious and unassuring
Processes that our kababayans have to go through just to receive medical
assistance. Let us not just give them tokenistic solutions, let us also take steps in


making sure that they experience smooth and fast processing so as to avoid
unnecessary stresses on top of their already taxing situation.

As a manifestation of support to this administration’s effort, through Senator
Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go’s and Hon. Emmarie “Lolypop” Quano-
Dizon’s initiative, this representation respecfully re-files this bill.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2891

Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING MALASAKIT CENTERS IN ACCREDITED
PUBLIC HOSPITALS ALL OVER THE PHILIPPINES
AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
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 cited as the "Malasakit Center Act of
2019”.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to
hasten the delivery of medical services to the people and to ensure that adequate
health services are available and accessible to them.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. -As used in this Act, the term:

a) “Center” - refers to the Malasakit Center, a one-stop shop area for patients
who need medicines and financial assistance to medical expenses.

b) “Committee” shall mean the Malasakit Steering Committee.

c) “Hospitals” refer to Department of Health-retained hospitals and Local
Government Hospitals.

d) “Indigent” means a person who has no visible means of income or whose
income is insufficient for the subsistence of his/her family, as identified by
the DSWD based on a specific set of criteria identified for this purpose.

e) “Participating Agencies” refer to those agencies listed in Section 6 hereof.

f) “Partner Agencies” refer to PhilHealth, PCSO, DSWD, Philippine Statistics
Authority, Office of the President, and DOH/Hospital.

g) “Partner Hospital” refers to the hospital where the Malasakit Center is
situated.


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Section 4. Characteristics. - Malasakit Centers will have the following
characteristics:

a) Non-Partisan. Any indorsement from any elected official or party charter
representatives to avail of services at Malasakit will not be accommodated by
the Centers.

b) Convenient. There is no need to go to separate government offices

providing assistance and undergo the same intake interview over and over

again.

¢) Free of charge. Patients are not to be charged any fee for availing the

services inside the Malasakit Center.

d) No Cash Assistance. All assistance comes in the form of guaranty letters.

e) Requirements Apply. All programs brought by the agencies at the

Malasakit Center are subject to their respective guidelines.

Section 5. Institutionalization of the Malasakit Centers. - The Malasakit
Center program, initiated through a Joint Administrative Order among the
Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in
2018, is hereby institutionalized, starting with all the existing Malasakit Centers at
the time of the approval of this Act.

Section 6. Objectives. - The main objectives of this Act are:

a) To facilitate the process of availing government financial assistance services
for healthcare by bringing the providing agencies inside Department of
Health-retained ("DOH-retained') hospitals and local government unit (“LGU”)
hospitals, by simplifying the procedures of application for such services, and
by implementing a single standard form;

b) To help DOH-retained and LGU hospitals address issues on revenue
generation, patient congestion, longer patient stay, and maximized use of
existing bed capacity, and;

Cc) To support the maximized utilization of government funds appropriated for
purposes of financial assistance for healthcare.

Section 7. Participating Agencies.
a) Office of the President (“OPP”);
b) Department of Health (“DOH”);
C) Philippine Health Insurance Corporation ("PhilHealth”);
d) Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (*PCSO”);

e) Department of Social and Welfare and Development ("DSWD");


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f) Philippine Statistics Authority (“PSA”)

Section 8. Services and Order of Preference of Payor. - Only patients of the
partner hospitals can avail of the services at the Malasakit Center in that facility.
The selection of partner hospitals shall be done by the Inter Agency Steering
Committee created under this Act in accordance with the standards to be included
in Implementing Rules and Regulations.

For purposes of preference of payment of partner agencies of billings of patients
referred at Malasakit Centers, the Order is as follows:

a) PhilHealth:
i, PhilHealth CARES
li. Point of Service
b) PCSO:
i. At Source Ang Processing ("ASAP")
c) DSWD:

i. Crisis intervention Services primarily for healthcare (hospital bill,
laboratory/diagnostic procedures, drugs and medicines, devices,
implants, transportation, etc.)

d) Hospital/DOH:

i. Quantified Free Services (“RFS”)

ii. Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (*MAIP”)

iii, Other Services

e) Malasakit Fund - (downloaded from the Office of the President)

Section 9. Functions of Partner Agencies.

a) Hospital:
i. Designate a suitable area for the Center within the hospital premises;

ii. Deploy necessary personnel for an effective implementation of the
entire operation of the Center and provide assistance to referred patients
chargeable to its existing programs and funds;

iii. Act as the central coordinating body of the Center services and shall be
responsible to make necessary assessment of the operation and shall report to the
Secretary of Health for a more effective and efficient Center.

iv. Assign and designate the following:
Medical Social Welfare Officers for the Center to assist and assess patients
based on the information required by the Center Unified Form; Support
Personnel/Medical Social Welfare Officer to work for the Center in case of
unavailability of the Agency Representatives.

b) DSWD:
i. Assign Agency Representative's to the hospitals to represent DSWD in each of
the Centers and provide assistance chargeable to its existing programs and funds.


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ii. Furnish necessary equipment to the Center for its conduct of operation.

c) PhilHealth:

i. Deploy Agency Representatives to the hospitals or assign its already deployed
personnel to represent PhilHealth in each of the Centers therein for appropriate
assistance to its members chargeable to its existing programs and funds.

d) PCSO:

i. Put up and implement the PCSO Desk/ASAP-delivery system in the Centers

ii. Issue Guarantee Letters (“GL”) within the next working day in favor of qualified
patients, from the time the request for assistance was made, indicating the
amount of assistance and payable to Partner Hospitals. For this purpose, PCSO
shall designate PCSO officers who shall be the authorized signatories for the GLs.

e) PSA:
Put a system and deploy a representative from their Regional/Provincial Offices
to the partner hospitals that will make it easy for patients referred at the
Centers to access their NSO copies of Birth certificates, marriage certificates, or
death certificates, as the case maybe, which may be required by the partner
agencies in the availment of its programs.

f) Office of the President:

Allot and download on quarterly basis such amounts

of subsidies to the various Malasakit centers through the partner hospitals based
on guidelines formulated by the Malasakit Inter-Agency Steering Committee. It
shall be disbursed in accordance with existing accounting and auditing rules and in
consonance with the guidelines issued by the Malasakit Inter-Agency Steering
Committee.

Notwithstanding existing laws and charters of concerned agencies or government
owned corporations, the subsidies may be charged to any existing social or related
fund under the Office of the President or from remittances from the PCSO and
PAGCOR upon the discretion of the President subject to its utilization guidelines.

Section 10. Lead Agency. - The DOH shall be the lead agency in implementing
this Act. For the purpose of achieving the objectives of the Act, the DOH shall:

a) Spearhead the establishment of a Malasakit Inter-agency Steering
Committee composed of the representatives of the partner agencies. The
Secretary of Health or his representative shall preside in the meetings of the
Committee.

b) Facilitate the crafting and publication of the Implementing Rules for this
Act including standards in the selection of partner hospitals.


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c) Approve the selection of partner hospitals where Malasakit Centers that shall
be opened, provided, that the partner hospital shall have no less than 100
bed capacity and it is located in areas with nearby offices of the partner
agencies or their Regional or local offices.

d) Monitor and supervise the implementation of the Malasakit Program and the
enforcement of the provisions of this Act through its National Executive Director.

e) Ensure that the annual budget for the Malasakit Program shall be included in
the proposed appropriations of the Department of Heath and the funds
disbursed in accordance with accounting and auditing rules.

10.1- Malasakit National Executive Director-There is hereby created the
position of Malasakit National Executive Director who shall manage the day to
day affairs of the program at the national level and assist the Secretary of
Health in the implementation of this Act.

The National Executive Director shall be assisted by such number of staff and
personnel as maybe determined by the Malasakit Inter-agency Steering
Committee. For this purpose, the Department of Health is hereby authorized
to create the required plaintilla and staffing pattern in coordination with the
Department of Budget and Management and the Civil Service Commission.
The National Executive Director and staff shall be appointed by the Secretary
of Health subject to civil service rules.

The Department of Health is required to provide an available usable space
including equipment and supplies to house the Office of the National
Executive Director and staff. Its annual budget shall be included in the
appropriation of the Department of Health.

The National Executive Director shall prepare the activities, strategies, and
plans to execute the policies formulated by the Inter-Agency Steering
Committee and ensure that the program shall run smoothly nationwide.

The National Executive Director shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of
Health the annual budget to run and implement this Malasakit Program
nationwide, including the provision for personnel services.

Section 11. Administration. - There shall be a Director for each Malasakit
Center who shall be the incumbent Hospital/Medical Center Chief of that partner
hospital who shall administer, direct, coordinate, and control its affairs.

The Director shall receive no extra compensation. Each Malasakit Center shall have
one Action Officer who shall be a college degree holder with at least two years of
experience in running an office or relevant experience who shall run its day to day
affairs. The Action Officer shall be aided by and Administrative Assistant who shall
be a college graduate with a minimum of one year relevant experience. Both shall


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be appointed by the Director of the partner hospitals subject to civil service rules.

The Malasakit Center of each partner hospital shall house the various desks and
representatives of partner agencies. The various desks shall synchronize, through
the Director and Action Officer, their requirements with the end view of simplifying
and unifying the procedures in the availment of assistance from various agencies.

Notwithstanding existing laws and rules, the partner hospitals are hereby
authorized to create the required plantilla and staffing pattern pursuant to this Act
in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management and the Civil
Service Commission..

The Director of each partner hospital shall include in its budgetary submission to
the Secretary of Health through the Malasakit National Executive Director the
required budget for the Center including for the personnel services. The Secretary
of Health shall consolidate the various budgets in the Department's funding which
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 12. Powers and Functions. - The Director shall have the following
powers and functions:

a) To govern the administration and operation of the affairs of the Center;

b) To appoint such other personnel and staff as may be necessary for the
effective operation of the Center, subject to existing civil service laws, rules,
and regulations;

Cc) To provide for the continued improvement of the Center and its facilities
including training of personnel so that the highest professional levels of patient
services may be maintained;

d) To purchase and issue medicines, supplies and materials, equipment and
property required for its operation and maintenance, subject to availability to
funds or appropriations therefor;

e) To account for the funds, property, and other assets of the Center and to
submit an Annual Financial Report to the Secretary of Health at the end of
each year;

f) To promote cooperation and coordination with the different agencies in the
Center for any assistance as may be required in the performance of duties;
And,

g) To perform such other functions as may be necessary for the
accomplishment of the objectives of this Act.

Section 13. Eligible Beneficiaries. - Centers shall only cater to indigent


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patients consulted or admitted in the Partner Hospital. This presupposes that
he/she had been registered in the hospital registry.

Section 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following
its enactment into law and every year thereafter.

The sum necessary for the continuous operation of the centers shall be subsidized
in part by DOH and in part by the LGUs concerned.

Section 15. Annual Report. - The Secretary of Health shall file with the Office of
the President of the Philippines and with both Houses of Congress a detailed
annual report on the conditions and needs of the Centers and the progress of the
implementation of this Act.

Section 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days
from the approval of this Act, the DOH, in coordination with the participating
agencies concerned, shall issue the rules and regulations to effectively implement
the provisions of this Act. Any violation of this section shall render the concerned
official(s) liable under Republic Act No. 6713, otherwise known as the “Code of
Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” and other
existing administrative and/or criminal laws.

Section 17. Coordination of Government Agencies. - The DOH, in
coordination with the participating agencies and local government units, shall
assist in the effective implementation of this Act and provide the necessary
support services.

Section 18. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason any part or provision of
this Act is declared invalid and unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions
not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 19. Repealing or Amending Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 20. Effectivity. - The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 289)

Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This house bill aims to institutionalize the Malasakit Center Program, hereby
mandating accredited public hospitals in the country to serve more indigent
Filipinos through the establishment of their respective Malasakit Centers.

Malasakit Centers have been proven helpful to our indigent citizens who are
in need of immediate, accessible, and convenient medical assistance. Prior to the
implementation of this program, our indigent citizens were required to submit a
myriad of documents and were forced to travel to different government agencies
to follow the procedures in securing their much sought assistance. After the
establishment of 18 Malasakit Centers (so far) all over the country, Filipinos were
meet with much easier and faster processing as the Centers provided for a one-
stop-shop venue for securing medical assistance. People no longer needed to
travel to their local PhilHealth, DSWD, PCSO, and other agencies that offered
medical assistance because the representatives of these agencies were already
present at the Centers, ready to serve the people.

The institutionalization of Malasakit Centers will require all accredited
hospitals to provide the accessibility and ease of acquiring medical assistance to
the people. This mandates the Malaskit Centers’ permanence in our public service
delivery, assuring our citizens that they receive the health care that they deserve,
and in a timely and convenient fashion.

It is high time that we empathize on the apparently tedious and unassuring
processes that our kababayans have to go through just to receive medical
assistance. Let us not just give them tokenistic solutions, let us also take steps in


making sure that they experience smooth and fast Processing so as to avoid
unnecessary stresses on top of their already taxing situation.

As a manifestation of support to this administration’s effort, through Senator
Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go's and Hon. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-
Dizon’s initiative, this representation respecfully re-files this bill.