Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS 
(OFWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
This proposed measure seeks to establish a special hospital for Overseas Filipino 
Workers and their dependents in order to address the limited scope of our existing 
medical package of services under the Medical Care Program for OFWs pursuant to 
Executive Order No. 195 series of 1994. 
OFWs are regarded as our heroes with their remittances that keep our economy 
afloat. What we do not often see, however, are the emotional and physical stresses 
that living and working abroad bring, which can be worsened by different climates and 
distance from family. The most common ailments or health problems suffered by 
OFWs are pneumonia, hypertension, cancer, trauma, liver disease, depression, 
among others. 
Our move towards health development should include the provision of quality and 
accessible health care to our OFWs and their dependents. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
July 26, 2021
5:59 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS 
(OFWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 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 "Migrant Workers Hospital 
Act." 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavour to make 
essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable 
cost. Further, the State shall protect the interest and promote the well-being of Filipino 
overseas workers including their families and dependents through the provision of 
social welfare services. 
Sec. 3. Creation of Special Hospital. – To carry out the above policy, there is hereby 
created a special hospital with at least tertiary level of care to be known as the 
Migrant Workers Hospital which shall be under the supervision and control of the 
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). 
Sec. 4. Objectives. – To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of quality 
health care, Migrant Workers Hospital shall: 
a) Provide for a comprehensive/total health care services to all migrant workers 
who are OWWA contributors including their legal dependents;
b) Complement the existing package services under the Health Care Program so 
as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative 
programs;
c) Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability of 
all the would-be overseas Filipino workers duly covered by an approved job 
order;
d) Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and to 
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generate relevant information and data in aid of policy formulation. 
 
Sec. 5. Administration and Composition of Board Members. – Upon the effectivity of 
this Act, the powers and the administration of the Migrant Workers Hospital shall be 
vested in a Board, which is composed of the following members: 
 
a) The Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment as Ex-Officio 
Chairman; 
b) The Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration as 
Ex-Officio Vice Chairman; 
c) The Secretary of the Department of Health as Ex-Officio Member; 
d) The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as 
Ex-Officio member; 
e) The Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration as 
Ex-Officio Member; 
f) Two (2) representatives from OFW sector (one from land based and another 
from sea-based) as Members. 
 
The two representatives from the OFW sector shall be appointed by the 
President of the Republic of the Philippines from a list of nominees submitted by 
the Ex-Officio Chairman. The representatives appointed shall serve for a term of 
three (3) years without re-appointment. 
 
Sec. 6. Responsibilities and Powers. – The Board of Directors of the Migrant Workers 
Hospital shall have the following responsibilities and powers: 
 
a) To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the Migrant 
Worker's Hospital's objectives and purposes as enunciated in Section 4 of this 
Act; 
b) To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its establishment, 
maintenance, operations and objectives; 
c) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of this 
Act; 
d) To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law. 
 
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Board shall adopt rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the date 
of its approval. 
 
Sec. 8. Appropriation. – In addition to the seed money held in trust by the OWWA, the 
National Government shall contribute the amount necessary for the establishment 
and initial operation of the Migrant Workers Hospital which shall be taken from the 
National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Subsequently, its appropriation shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
Sec. 9. Assistance from Government Offices, etc. – The Migrant Workers Hospital 
may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the 
Government, including government owned or controlled corporations, for such 
assistance as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes and objectives. 
 


Sec. 10. Exemption from Donor's Taxes, Customs and Tariff Duties. – All donations, 
contributions or endowments which may be made by persons or entities to the 
Hospital, and the importation of medical equipment and machineries, spare parts and 
other medical equipment not hereto mentioned used solely and exclusively for the 
Migrant Workers Hospital shall be exempt from income, gift, direct and indirect taxes, 
wharfage fees and other charges and restrictions. 
Sec. 11. Annual Report. – The Migrant Workers Hospital shall render to the President 
of the Philippines, to the Senate and to the House of Representatives an annual 
report of its activities and recommendations. 
Sec. 12. Congressional Oversight Committee. – A Congressional Oversight 
Committee, herein after referred to as the "Committee," is hereby constituted in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act. The Committee shall be composed of the 
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources 
Development and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on 
Overseas Workers Affairs and four (4) additional members from each House to be 
designated by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives respectively. The Committee shall, among others, in aid of 
legislation: 
1. Monitor and ensure the proper implementation of this Act;
2. Review the performance of the hospital; and
3. Review the proper implementation of the programs of the Hospital and the use 
of its fund.
In furtherance of the herein above cited objectives, the Committee is empowered to 
require the hospital to submit all pertinent information including but not limited to its 
performance data and its annual audited financial statement certified by the 
Commission on Audit. 
Sec. 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions hereof. 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations or part thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 15. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,