NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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•22 JUL12 A10:20
SENA 
S. B. No.
RECEIVED B;
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A DIALYSIS WARD 
OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDING FREE 
DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS
! 
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Kidney failure has become the 10th leading cause of death in the Philippines 
and is one of the leading causes of hospitalization. In fact, based on the data from 
the University of the Philippines (UP), around 35,000 Filipinos needed dialysis 
treatment in 2020 with a 15% increase in cases every year. Experts have also pointed 
out that a significant factor for patients dying due to this illness is because of missed 
dialysis treatments.
Patients from the provinces, who are suffering from kidney disorder, have to 
travel all the way to urban cities just to avail themselves of dialysis treatment, which 
is needed on a regular and sustained basis. This challenge was even aggravated when 
the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country which forced the government to implement 
massive lockdowns. While the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) 
has expanded the coverage of dialysis treatment from 90 to 144 sessions in 2021, 
there are still added costs in accessing these treatments such as food and 
transportation expenses. Moreover, since the treatment must be availed three times 
a week or around 156 sessions in a year, Filipinos suffering from renal failure must 
cover for the remaining sessions which cost around P4,500 per session on average.


In lire with the government's efforts to reform the health sector and provide 
Filipinos with comprehensive health services, local government units must be tapped 
to make healthcare services more affordable and accessible. Thus, this bill requires 
all national, regional and provincial government hospitals to establish, operate and 
maintain a dialysis ward or unit to ensure that dialysis treatment will be available, 
accessible and cost-effective especially to those living in the rural areas. Moreover, 
this bill requires that dialysis treatment be provided to indigent patients free of 
charge.
The aim of this bill is in consonance with the Constitutional mandate to make 
health services available to our countrymen at affordable cost. For more efficient 
delivery of healthcare services to the Filipino people, the immediate approval of this 
proposed measure is earnestly sought.
^ONNY ANGARA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 321
^ St Hill l 
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72 JUL12 AlO :20
\\KUy,td C:V:....
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A DIALYSIS WARD 
OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDING FREE 
DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ’’Dialysis Center Act ”
2 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to
3 
improve the delivery of health care services to the people and to ensure hospital
4 
facilities are available, affordable and accessible to the people.
5 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms
6 
shall mean:
7 
a) National Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and maintained
8 
either partially or wholly by the national government or by any department,
9 
division, board or other agency thereof;
10 
b) Regional Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and maintained
11 
either partially or wholly by the national government or by any department,
12 
division, board or other agency thereof;
13 
c) Provincial Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and maintained
14 
either partially or wholly by the provincial government or other political
15 
subdivision, or by any department division, board or other agency thereof; and
16 
d) Indigent Patient refers to a patient who has no visible means of income,
17 
compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her
1


1 
basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and
2 
Development (DSWD).
3 
Sec. 4. Establishment,^ Operation and Maintenance of a Dialysis Ward
4 
or Unit - Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all national, regional,
5 
and provincial government hospitals are hereby required to establish, operate and
6 
maintain a dialysis ward or unit in their hospital. The dialysis waro or unit shall be
7 
equipped with a complete dialysis machine, equipment and supplies.
8 
Sec. 5. Free Dialysis Treatment to indigent Patients. - Dia lysis treatment
9 
in all national, regional and provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of
10 
charge to indigent patients as defined in Section 3 (e) hereof.
11 
Sec. 6. Penalty. - Any hospital chief, administrator or officer-in-charge who
12 
fails to comply with this Act shall be punished with a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos
13 
(P50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00).
14 
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The Department of Health
15 
(DOH), in coordination with concerned agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate
16 
the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within sixty
17 
(60) days from its date of effectivity: Provided, That the failure of the promulgation of
18 
the said rules and regulations shall not prevent the implementation of this Act upon its
19 
effectivity.
20 
Sec. 8. Appropriations. - Such amount as may be necessary to implement
21 
the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National
22 
Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of this
23 
Act shall be included in the government hospital's annual appropriations.
24 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid
25 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
26 
shall remain valid and subsisting.
27 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
28 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
29 
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or
30 
amended accordingly.


1 
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
2 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation
3 
in the Philippines.
Approved,