FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Naturopathic medicine or naturopathy is a complementary and alternative 
medicine. Naturopathic practice may include different modalities such as manual 
therapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, counseling, environmental 
medicine, aromatherapy, orthomolecular medicine, nutritional counseling, 
homeopathy, and chiropractic. Practitioners emphasize a holistic approach to 
patient care. Naturopathy has its origins in a variety of world medicine practices, 
including the Ayurveda of India and Nature Cure of Europe.* 
Naturopaths use standard medical diagnostic techniques to treat disease with natural 
medicines and therapies in lieu of pharmaceutical drugs and surgeries. These natural approaches 
include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, lifestyle counseling, naturopathic 
physical medicine, natural childbirth and basic training in oriental medicine. 
At present, the Philippines does not have any laws to regulate the practice of 
naturopathy. Individuals who complete a home study course in as little as six (6) weeks can serve 
as a naturopath. This is a cause for concern as people's health and lives are put at risk by the 
improper practice of naturopathy. Hence, this bill seeks to establish educational requirements for 
the practice of naturopathic medicine in the Philippines. Specifically, to practice naturopathy in 
Philippines, the applicant for a professional license must a graduate of an accredited four-year 
residence training program; pass a national examination; be licensed as a naturopath in another 
jurisdiction; and meet any and all other requirements as set forth by the Board of Examiners. 
' http:llen.wikipedia.orglwiki/Nahu.opathic-medicine 


6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE OR NATUROPATHY 
IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Naturopathic Medicine Act 
of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a policy of the State to promote the general 
welfare of the people. Towards this end, the State shall enact a law to regulate the practice of 
naturopathic medicine or naturopathy in the Philippines. 
SECTION 3. DeJinition of Terms. -For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Diagnose” means to examine in any manner another person, parts of a person‘s 
body, or substances, fluids, or materials excreted, taken, or removed from a person’s body or 
produced by a person‘s body to determine the source, kind, or extent of a disease or other 
physical condition. 
(B) “Minor Office Procedure” means the use of operative, electrical, or other methods for 
the repair of, and care incidental to, superficial lacerations and abrasions, the removal of 
foreign bodies located in superficial tissues, and the use of antiseptics and local anesthetics in 
connection with these methods. The term includes the use of local anesthesia applied topically 
or by injection, whether natural or prescription, in superficial tissues associated with the 
performance of minor office procedures. The term shall not include general or spinal anesthesia, 
major surgery, surgery of the body cavities, or specialized surgeries, including plastic surgery or 
surgery involving the eyes, tendons, ligaments, or major blood vessels. 
1 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
(C) “Natural Antibiotics” means antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiprotozoal agents that 
are naturally occurring substances or manufactured substance that are substantially identical to 
the naturally occurring substances. 
(D) “Natural Medicines” mean: 
(1) Food, food extracts, and dietary supplements as defined by Republic Act 
No. 7394, as amended, otherwise known as The Consumer Act of the Philippines; 
(2) Homeopathic remedies; 
(3) Plant substances that are not designated as prescription drugs or controlled 
substances; 
(4) Over-the-counter medications; 
(5) Prescriptions that are consistent with the competent practice of naturopathy; 
and 
(6) Substances prepared according to the homeopathic pharmacopeia of the 
United States of America. 
(E) “Naturopathic Childbirth” means uncomplicated natural childbirth assisted by a 
naturopathic physician. The term includes the use of natural substances, ophthalmic antibiotics, 
emergency childbirth medicines, and simple uncomplicated episiotomies, but does not include 
the use of forceps delivery, general or spinal anesthesia, caesarean section, or induced 
abortion. 
(F) “Naturopathic Medicine” or “Naturopathy” means a system of primary health care for 
the prevention, diagnosis, and care of human health conditions, injuries, and diseases that uses 
education and natural substances and remedies to support and stimulate the individual’s intrinsic 
self-healing processes. 
(G)“Naturopathic Mobilization Therapy” means manually administering mechanical 
treatment of body structures or tissues to restore the normal physiological function of the body 
by normalizing and balancing the musculoskeletal system of the body. The term does not 
include osseous manipulation. 
(H)“Naturopathic Physician” means a person who holds the person out to the public as 
licensed to practice naturopathic medicine or who practices naturopathic medicine under this Act. 
2 


8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
(I) “Naturopathic Physical Medicine” means the use of the physical agents of air, water, 
heat, cold, sound, light, and electromagnetic nonionizing radiation and the physical 
modalities of electrotherapy, biofeedback, diathermy, 
ultraviolet 
light, 
ultrasound, 
hydrotherapy, naturopathic mobilization therapy, and exercise. The term does not include the 
practice of physical therapy, acupuncture, or chiropractic. 
(J) “Topical preparations” means topical analgesics, anesthetics, antiseptics, scabicides, 
antifungals, and antibacterials. 
SECTION 4. Practice of Naturopathic Medicine and Use of Title “Naturopathic 
Physician”. - Only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this act shall practice 
naturopathic medicine or use the title “Naturopath”, “Doctor of Naturopathy”, “Doctor of 
Naturopathic Medicine”, or use the initials, “ND”, or “NMD or hold oneself out to the public 
that they practice naturopathy in any of its forms. 
SECTION 5. Philippine Board of Naturopathic Medicine. - (A) A Philippine Board of 
Naturopathic Medicine shall be appointed in the same manner as the appointment of Members of 
other professional boards to assist the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on matters of 
professional licensing. 
(B) The Board shall be composed of not less than seven (7) licensed naturopathic 
physicians who meet the requirements set forth in this Act. An Executive Secretary to the Board 
shall be appointed and shall be either a licensed naturopathic physician or a non-physician, 
deemed qualified. 
(C) There shall be two (2) members of the Board from the medical or osteopathic 
community and no one discipline shall comprise both members. 
SECTION 6. Requirements for a Professional License. - To qualify for a license as a 
naturopathic physician, an applicant shall fulfill the following requirements: 
(A)Application. -The applicant shall file an application with the PRC. 
@)Education. - The applicant shall have received an education, including a degree of 
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, “N.D.”, from an approved naturopathic college, 
3 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
For purposes of this section, the term “approved naturopathic college” means a college 
or residential program granting the degree of Doctor of Naturopathy or Doctor of Naturopathic 
Medicine that: 
(1) Is accredited by an agency recognized by the government, the council for 
naturopathic medical education or its successor, or approved by the Board which meets 
the standards generally recognized and being met by other licensing jurisdictions; 
(2) Has candidate for accreditation status with the accrediting agency; or 
(3) Has been approved by the board after the college or residential program was 
investigated and found to meet education standards equivalent to those established by 
the accrediting agency and which meets the standards generally recognized and being 
met by other licensing jurisdictions; 
(C)Experience. - The applicant shall have had experience as a naturopathic physician 
satisfactory to the board and in accordance with the commissioner‘s regulations; 
(D)Exurninution. - The applicant shall have passed an examination satisfactory to the 
board and in accordance with the commissioner’s regulations which may include the 
naturopathic physicians licensing examination or its successor; or other test that maintains the 
standards generally accepted nationally; 
(E) Age. -The applicant shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age; 
(F) Citizenship. - The applicant shall be a Filipino citizen; 
(G) Character. - The applicant shall be of good moral character as determined by the 
Board; and 
(H) Fees. - The applicant shall pay a fee as determined by the PRC for admission to a 
Board-conducted examination and for an initial license; a for each reexamination; and a fee for 
an initial license for persons not requiring admission to a Board-conducted examination; 
SECTION 7. Exempt Persons. - The following persons under the following limitations 
may practice naturopathic medicine within the Philippines without a license: 
4 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
(A) Any naturopathic physician who is employed as a resident in a public hospital, 
provided such practice is limited to such hospital and is under the supervision of a licensed 
naturopathic physician or other licensed physician 
(B) Any naturopathic physician who is licensed in another country and who is 
meeting a naturopathic physician licensed in the Philippines, for purposes of consultation, 
provided such practice is limited to such consultation; 
(C) Any naturopathic physician who is licensed in another country, who is visiting a 
medical school or teaching hospital in the Philippines, receive naturopathic medical or medical 
instruction for a period not to exceed six (6) months or to conduct naturopathic medical or 
medical instruction, provided such practice is limited to such instruction and is under the 
supervision of a licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed physician; 
(D) Any naturopathic physician who is authorized by a foreign government to practice 
in relation to its diplomatic, consular or maritime staffs, provided such practice is limited to such 
staffs; 
(E) Any commissioned naturopathic medical officer who is serving in the United States 
Armed Forces or Public Health Service or any naturopathic physician who is employed in the 
United States Veterans Administration, provided such practice is limited to such service or 
employment; 
(F) Any intern who is employed by a hospital and who is a graduate of a naturopathic 
medical school, provided such practice is limited to such hospital and is under the supervision 
of a licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed physician; 
(G) Any naturopathic medical student who is performing a clinical clerkship or 
similar function in a hospital and who is matriculated in a naturopathic medical school which 
meets satisfactory standards, provided such practice is limited to such clerkship or similar 
function in such hospital; 
(H) A person engaged in the sale of vitamins, health foods, dietary supplements, 
herbs, or other products of nature, the sale of which is not otherwise prohibited under Philippine 
law; or 


8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
(I) A person providing nutritional advice, giving advice concerning proper nutrition, 
or giving information as to the use and role of food and food ingredients, including dietary 
supplements, except that providing nutritional advice under this subdivision does not include 
the authority to practice medicine or surgery, to undertake the treatment or c u e  of a disease, pain, 
injury, deformity, or physical or mental condition, or to state that a product might cure a 
disease, pain, injury, deformity, or other condition other than providing nutritional support for 
the person. 
SECTION 8. Prohibited Acts; Penalties. - It shall be unlawful for any person to hold 
himself out to the public as licensed to practice naturopathic medicine or who practices 
naturopathic medicine under this Act without having acquired a professional license under this 
Act. The offender shall be punished by a penalty of imprisonment of arrest0 mayor, or a fine of 
not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court, taking 
into consideration all attending circumstances. 
This section shall not apply to those persons exempt from acquiring a professional license 
for the practice of naturopathic medicine under Section 7 of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the 
passage of this Act, the Board of Naturopathic Medicine shall promulgate the necessary rules 
and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
6 


1 
2 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
3 
Approved, 
Irgs 
7