FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
, 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1389 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
i lllllL 13 
iY;~ :00 
This bill seeks to establish literacy programs for all expectant mothers in all public and 
private hospitals, clinics, health centers and other similar establishments rendering 
maternity services to equip them with basic knowledge and skjJJs that will foster 
effective parenting. 
An expectant mother's knowledge about child birth and skills on parenting has 
histOrically been· obtained from other women, mainly from family members and 
through practical experience gained from caring for children from extended families. 
However, womens' increased participation in the workforce and attainment of higher 
education, coupled with the increasing number of childbirths in at hospitals and 
maternity clinics, have made more expectant mothers likely to rely on formally-
organized antenatal education as a means by which they develop their knowledge and 
skills on parenting. 
This bill aims to address the evolving needs of expectant mothers by requiring all public 
and private hospitals, clinic, health centers and other similar establishments rendering 
maternity services to formulate and implement literacy programs that will provide 
expectant mothers skills they can use in responsible parenting and to empower them to 
make educated choices in so far as raising their child. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
~~ 
LOREN LEGARDA 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1389 
Introduced .by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
" II 
, " 
,JUL 13 
r'~ :00 
REQUIRING ALL HOSPITALS, CLINICS, HEALTH CENTERS AND OTHER 
SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS RENDERING MATERNITY SERVICES TO 
ESTABLISH LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR ALL EXPECTANT PARENTS AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote 
the provision of formal and informal venues for postnatal literacy in the community 
level in order to assist parents in the preparation for their vital role in the molding of 
the future generations of intelligent, morally upright, healthy, psychologically stable 
and civic-minded Filipinos, 
SECTION 2. Coverage. - All public and private hospitals, clinic, health centers 
and other similar establishment rendering maternity services shall provide literacy 
programs to all expectant mothers within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
For this purpose, the literacy programs shall focus on providing expectant parents with 
skills they can use to foster responsible parenting and empower them to make informed 
and educated choices with regard to the health and well-being of their child. 
SECTION 3. Lead Agency. - The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination 
• 
with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of 
Education (DepEd), shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act, which shall include the penalty of cancellation of license to 
operate plus payment of fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (PIOO,OOO.OO) 
in case of non-compliance with the establishment of a literacy program in their 
institution, 
SECTION 4. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the implementation of 
this Act shall be charged to the appropriations for the Department of Health under the 
current General Appropriations Act thereafter, such s,um as may be needed for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
presidential proclamation, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 


SECTION 6. Separability Clause. If any provIsIOn of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not effect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions hereof. 
SECTION 7. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
2