Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 8296

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 13 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT

PhilHealth’s critical mandate is to have a sustainable fund management to ensure the
continuous delivery of health care services. Hence, news pertaining to PhilHealth’s
alleged anomalies on the irregular and illegal disbursements of the Interim
Reimbursement Mechanism alarmed the public. These issues threaten the very life of
the institution and its supposed health insurance coverage for Filipinos.

The National Health Insurance Program, expanded through the recent enactment of
the Universal Health Care Law, was established to provide health insurance coverage
and ensure affordable, acceptable, available and accessible health care services for
all citizens of the Philippines.

This proposal deems it proper that the Chairman of the Board should be the Secretary
of Finance and not the Secretary of Health. It is the Secretary of Finance that is more
suited to ensure that the program includes a sustainable system of funds constitution,
collection, management and disbursement for financing the availment of a basic
minimum package and other supplementary packages of health insurance benefits by
a progressively expanding proportion of the population.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is most earnestly sought.

Pal

LUIS RAYMUND “RAY” F,/VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quesen City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no! 296

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 13 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 13 of Republic Act 11223 is hereby amended to read as
follows:

Section 13. PhilHealth Board of Directors. —

(a) The PhilHealth Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board, is hereby
reconstituted to have a maximum of thirteen (13) members, consisting of the following:
(1) five (5) ex officio members, namely: the Secretary of [Health] FINANCE, Secretary
of Social Welfare and Development, Secretary of Budget and Management, Secretary
of [Finance] HEALTH, Secretary of Labor and Employment: (2) three (3) expert panel
members with expertise in public health, management, finance, and health economics;
and (3) five (5) sectoral panel members, representing the direct contributors, indirect
contributors, employers group, health care providers to be endorsed by their national
associations of health care institutions and health care professionals, and
representative of the elected local chief executives to be endorsed by the League of
Provinces of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines and League of
Municipalities of the Philippines: Provided, That at least one (1) of the expert panel
members and at least two (2) of the sectoral panel members are women.

The sectoral and expert panel members must be Filipino citizens and of good moral
character.

The expert panel members must: (i) be of recognized probity and independence and
must have distinguished themselves professionally in public, civic or academic
service; (ii) be in the active practice of their professions for at least seven (7) years;
and (iil) not be appointed within one (1) year after losing in the immediately preceding
elections, whether regular or special.


(b) The [ Secretary of Health ] SECRETARY OF FINANCE shall be an ex officio
[nonvoting] Chairperson of the Board. THE SECRETARY OF FINANCE MUST BE
PRESENT AND ACT AS THE CHAIRMAN IN ALL BOARD ACTIONS AND
CANNOT BE REPRESENTED BY AN ALTERNATE OR REPRESENTATIVE.

(c) All appointive members of the Board shail be required to undergo training in health
care financing, health systems, costing health services and HTA prior to the start of
their term. Noncompliance shalll be a ground for dismissal.

Within thirty (30) days following the effectivity of this Act, the Governance Commission
for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GCG) shall, in accordance with
the provisions of Republic Act No. 10149, promulgate the nomination and selection
process for appointive members of the Board with a clear set of qualifications,
credentials, and recommendation from the concemed sectors.

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances or
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act shall hereby be revised or
amended accordingly.

SECTION 3. Reparability Clause. - If any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional
or invalid such parts or provisions thereof not so declared shall remain valid and
subsisting.

SECTION 4. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved