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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSEBILLNo.     10352
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Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This proposed legislation seeks to establish a Vision Care Program for Indigent Children
and to award grants for the said program to complement the efforts of local government units
(LGUs) in providing free and accessible health care.   This program, which gives priority to
kids  aged  8  and  under,  aims to provide  free  comprehensive  eye  examinations  for indigent
children.
A  study  published  by  the  United  Nations  International  Children's  Emergency  Fund
(UNICEF)1 on the Cost of Raising Children with Disabilities in the Philippines estimates that
there are about 1.6 million Filipino children with disabilities.  Among these, the Department of
Education (DepEd) identified 232,975  learners with disabilities or leaning exceptionalities2
who  -were   mainstreamed   in  regular   classes.   DepEd   classifies   exceptionalities   into:   1)
exceptionalities with diagnosis from a specialist which lists 1 1  conditions that includes visual
impairment and intellectual disability; and 2) exceptionalities based on manifestation which
includes  difficulty  in  seeing  as  one  of its  conditions.    Visual  impairment  had  the  greatest
number  of cases  among  learners  from  Grades  7  to  12  with  a total  of  13,828  cases  while
intellectual disability was prevalent among children from kindergarten to Grade 6 with a total
of 20,377 cases.3   0n the sane dataset, a total of 41,317 children reported having difficulties
in seeing with most prevalent cases in Grades 7 to 12.
A 2018 study conducted by the UP Manila National Institutes of Health's Philippine Eye
Research Institute (PERI) mentions that vision impairment and blindness rank among the major
concerns  in  the  country.     Of  some   1.98  million  Filipinos  affected,  some  400,000  have
uncorrected error refraction or myopia4 and Amblyopia has a prevalence rate of 2-5% among
children,  making  it  one  of  the  causes  of  visual  impairment  and  preventable  blindness.
According to Dr. Leo Cubillian, director of said institute,10% of kindergarten-aged Filipino
pupils are suffering from visual impairment citing that four pupils in every class of 40 have
L!]±±]2s;//}4Lw+A£=±±j]icef.org/philippines/media/5941/file/Full%20report%2Q=
%20children%20with%20disabilities%20in%20tJ&o20Philip]2jjig±]2£!±(September,
2022)
2 2 DepEd  uses the term exceptionality to refer to disability. DepEd Datasets !¢{}A{}A(±£cleped.go!£±Qh
3 Spe,cj.al  Edu.cation (SPEDL PrQfil.a .Ln the Philippines
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vision problems and three of them are due to error of refraction or myopia (nearsightedness)
while one may have amblyopia or lazy eye5.
Whiletheprevalenceofvisualimpairmentsinchildrenmayberelatedtogenetics,many
parents are using gadgets as placeholders to keep their kids occupied, resulting in more screen
time, exposing kids to blue light coming from electronic devices.  While this may be the case,
the  Philippine  Academy  of  Ophthalmology   stressed  that  poor  vision  could  impair  the
performance  of children  in  school  and  their  interactions  with  the  community  which  are
necessary for their overall holistic development.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is eamestly sought.
Lone District, Muntinlupa City
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEHNTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HousEBILLNo.10352
Introduced by Rep. Jaime R. Fresnedi
AN ACT
TO   ESTABLISH   A  NATIONAL   VISION   CARE   PROGRAM   FOR  INDIGENT
CHILDREN UNDER THE DEPARTMENT 0F HHALTH
Be  it  enacted by the  Senate  and the  House  Of Representatives  Of the  Philippines  in
Congress assembled:
SECTION  1. Sfeor/ r!.I/e.  -This Act shall be known as the " yz.sz.o77 Ccz7.e Progrczm/or
Indigent Children Act"
SEC. 2. De##ztz.o7? a/Terms.  -For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
be defined as follows:
(a) "Indigent children" refers to unemancipated children below eighteen (18) years of
age who have vision problems requiring medical services for their care and treatment,
taking into account the following factors:
(1) the age of the child;
(2) the financial condition of the family;
(3) the degree of deprivation of parental care and support; and
(4) the inability of their parents to exercise parental authority.
(b)  "Comprehensive Eye Examination"  includes an assessment of a patient's history,
general medical observation, extemal and ophthalmoscopic examination, visual acuity,
ocular alignment and motility, refraction, and as appropriate, binocular vision or gross
visual fields, performed by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
SEC.  3.   yj.JJ.o#  Cc}7.e  PJ~ogrczm /or  J77dz.ge#r  C7Iz./dre#.  -All  local  government  units
(LGUs) are hereby mandated to establish a Vision Care Prograln for Indigent Children which
shall:
(a)   Provide  free   comprehensive  eye  exaninations  by   a  licensed  optometrist  or
ophthalmologist for indigent children who have been previously identified through a
vision  screening  or  eye  exanination  by  a  licensed  health  care  provider  or  vision
screener as needing  such  services,  with priority  given to  indigent children who  are
under eight years old;
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(b) Provide free treatment or services, subsequent to the examinations described in the
aforementioned paragraph, necessary to correct vision problems; and
(c)  Develop  and  disseminate  to  parents,  teachers,  and  health  care  practitioners'
educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment in children: Provz.czec7,
That the LGU shall not expend more than 20 percent of the amount received under the
grant to carry out the purpose described in this paragraph.
SEC. 4. All Department of Health (DOH) accredited hospitals, medical centers, clinics,
infirmaries or puericulture centers  duly licensed to  operate  as  such,  are hereby required to
render medical and ophthalmology services to indigent children.
EEC. 5 . Grant Regarding Vision Care Program i ;or Indigent Children. -The Seorerfury
of the DOH shall establish an extension service to capacitate qualified LGUs in establishing
such a program and set aside funds that can be tapped by LGUs who do not have the financial
capability to implement the program.
SEC.  6.  Jmp/eme#fz.ng J{w/es cz#d Regw/cz/z.o77s.  - The  Department of the  Interior and
Local  Government  (DILG),  in  coordination  with  the  DOH,  shall  formulate  the  rules  and
regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act within six (6) months from its
effectivity.
SEC. 7. 4pf?raprz.c}/z.o#s'. -Such sums as may be necessary for the initial implementation
of this Act shall be taken from the current appropriations of the DOH and respective budgets
of LGUs. Thereafter, the fund necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC.    8.   Separ.c}bz./i.ty   C/c}"se.    -   If   any   provision   or   part   hereof   is   declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain
in full force and effect.
SEC.  9. Jzapec}/I.J?g C/czwse.  - All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, issuances,  and
rules and regulations or parts thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC.  10. Ejj7rec/z.vz.fy. -This Act shall take effect immediately following its publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
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