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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by REP. JAVIER MIGUEL L. BENITEZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Congenital Heart Disease (“CHD”) is one of the most common types of birth 
defects, affecting an estimated 9 out of every 1,000 newborns globally,1 including 
thousands of Filipino children each year. It is a lifelong condition that may result 
in significant physical limitations, frequent hospitalizations, and long-term 
medical management, including surgeries and medications.  
Despite these serious health challenges, individuals with CHD are not currently 
afforded the full protection and support extended to Persons with Disabilities 
(“PWDs”) under existing laws, rules and regulations such as Republic Act 
(“R.A.”) No. 7277 (1992) or the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.”2 As 
a result, many patients and their families bear the full brunt of medical and socio-
economic burdens, with limited access to government assistance, discounts on 
health services, or employment support.  
The proposed inclusion of CHD aims to close a policy gap by formally 
recognizing CHD as a condition that qualifies for the benefits and protections 
accorded to the PWDs. It ensures that all individuals diagnosed with CHD, 
regardless of age, are entitled to the same privileges granted to PWDs, including, 
but not limited to, discounts on medicines, diagnostic and therapeutic 
procedures, assistive devices, public transportation fares, and access to 
educational and employment support programs. 
1 Johnson, J. (2024). Congenital Heart Defects in Children. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/congenital-heart-defects-
children/symptoms-causes/syc-20350074 
2 Republic Act No. 7277 The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (1992) 
July 14, 2025
8:00 am
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Through this measure, the State upholds its duty to protect and promote the right 
to health and social welfare of all citizens, with particular attention to the most 
vulnerable. It seeks to promote greater inclusivity, compassion, and social justice 
for individuals with CHD and their families. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JAVIER MIGUEL L. BENITEZ 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila  
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by REP. JAVIER MIGUEL L. BENITEZ 
AN ACT MANDATING THAT PATIENTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART 
DISEASE BE GIVEN THE SAME PRIVILEGES AS PERSONS WITH 
DISABILITIES (PWDs), AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. -  It is the declared policy of the State to 
protect and promote the right to health of the people, instill health awareness 
among them, to make available essential goods, health, and other social services 
to all citizens at affordable cost and to deliver medical care to indigents free of 
charge.  
SEC. 2. Disability Benefits to Persons with Congenital Heart Disease - Persons 
with Congenital Heart Disease (“CHD”) shall be entitled to the same benefits 
granted to Persons With Disability (“PWDs”) such as, but not limited to:   
(a) At least twenty percent (20%) discount and exemption from the value-
added tax (“VAT”), if applicable, on the following sale of goods and
services for the exclusive use and enjoyment or availment of the PWDs:
(1) On the fees and charges relative to the utilization of all services in
hotels and similar lodging establishments; restaurants and
recreation centers;
(2) On admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses, concert
halls, circuses, carnivals and other similar places of culture, leisure
and amusement;
(3) On the purchase of medicines in all drugstores;
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(4) On medical and dental services including diagnostic and laboratory 
fees such as, but not limited to, x-rays, computerized tomography 
scans and blood tests, and professional fees of attending doctors in 
all government facilities, subject to the guidelines to be issued by 
the Department of Health (“DOH”), in coordination with the 
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (“PhilHealth”);  
(5) On medical and dental services including diagnostic and laboratory 
services, and professional fees of attending doctors in all private 
hospitals and medical facilities, in accordance with the rules and 
regulations to be issued by the DOH, in coordination with the 
PhilHealth;  
(6) On fare for domestic air and sea travel;  
(7) On actual fare for land transportation travel such as, but not limited 
to, public utility buses or jeepneys (“PUBs/PUJs”), taxis, Asian 
utility vehicles (“AUVs”), shuttle services and public railways, 
including Light Rail Transit (“LRT”), Metro Rail Transit (“MRT”) 
and Philippine National Railways (“PNR”); and 
(8) On funeral and burial services for the death of the PWD:  Provided, 
That the beneficiary or any person who shall shoulder the funeral 
and burial expenses of the deceased PWD shall claim the discount 
under this rule for the deceased PWD upon presentation of the 
death certificate. Such expenses shall cover the purchase of casket 
or urn, embalming, hospital morgue, transport of the body to 
intended burial site in the place of origin but shall exclude obituary 
publication and the cost of the memorial lot.  
 
(b) Educational assistance to PWD, for them to pursue primary, secondary, 
tertiary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education, in both 
public and private schools, through the provision of scholarships, grants, 
financial aids, subsidies and other incentives to qualified PWD, including 
support for books, learning materials, and uniform allowance to the extent 
feasible: Provided, That PWD shall meet the minimum admission 
requirements;  
 
(c) To the extent practicable and feasible, the continuance of the same benefits 
and privileges given by the Government Service Insurance System 
(“GSIS”), Social Security System (“SSS”), and Pag-IBIG, as the case may be, 
as are enjoyed by those in actual service;  
 
 
(d) To the extent possible, the government may grant special discounts in 
special programs for PWD on purchase of basic commodities, subject to 


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the guidelines to be issued for the purpose by the Department of Trade and 
Industry (“DTI”) and the Department of Agriculture (“DA”); and  
 
 
(e) Provision of express lanes for PWD in all commercial and government 
establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.  
 
The abovementioned privileges are available only to PWD including patients 
with CHD who are Filipino citizens upon submission of any of the following as 
proof of their entitlement thereto: 
 
(a) An identification card issued by the city or municipal mayor or the 
barangay captain of the place where the PWD resides; 
 
(b) The passport of the PWD concerned; or  
 
(c) Transportation discount fare Identification Card (“ID”) issued by the 
National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (“NCWDP”).  
 
The privileges may not be claimed if the PWD claims a higher discount as may be 
granted by the commercial establishment and/or under other existing laws or in 
combination with other discount program/s. 
 
 
The  establishments  may  claim  the  discounts  granted  in  subsection  (a),  
paragraphs  (1),  (2),  (3), (5),  (6),  (7),  and  (8)  as  tax  deductions  based  on  the  
net  cost  of  the  goods  sold  or  services rendered:  Provided,  however,  That  the  
cost  of  the  discount  shall  be  allowed  as  deduction  from the  gross  income  
for  the  same  taxable  year  that  the  discount  is  granted:  Provided,  further,  
That the  total  amount  of  the  claimed  tax  deduction  net  of  value-added  tax,  
if  applicable,  shall  be included in their gross sales receipts for tax purposes and 
shall be subject to proper documentation and to the provisions of the National 
Internal Revenue Code (“NIRC”), as amended.  
 
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations -  The  Department  of Social  
Welfare  and  Development,  in  consultation  with  the  Department  of  Health, 
Philippines Society of Pediatric Cardiology, the  Department  of  Finance,  and  
the  National  Council  on  Disability  Affairs,  shall  promulgate  the  necessary  
rules  and  regulations  for  the  effective  implementation of the provisions of this 
Act: Provided, That the failure of the concerned agencies to promulgate the  said  
rules  and  regulations  shall  not  prevent  the  implementation  of  this  Act  upon  
its effectivity.  


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SEC. 4. Repealing Clause - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
rules, and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 5. Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,