THIRTEENTH 
CONGRESS OF THE mpuBLrc ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
4 1  
S. B. NO. 
ej 
O R  
At*: 
Introduced by Senator Luisa “Lo?’ P. Ejercito Estrada 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 14, provides: 
“The State recognizes the role o€ women in nation building, 
and shall ensure the fkndamental equality before the law of women 
and men.” 
Certain diseases, disorders, and conditions are peculiar to, more serious, or more 
prevalent in women. For this reason, the factors of medical risk or type of medical 
intervention are different for them. 
Unfortunately, the government fails to meet women’s health needs. Perhaps, due 
to its failure to understand that women have unique health conditions, the government 
could not provide health programs, specially designed for women. 
To address this issue, this bill seeks to establish an Office on Women’s Health 
within the Department of Health in order to: 
(1) establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and coordinate ail 
activities within the Department of Hedth that relate to disease prevention, 
health promotion, service delivery, research, and ptibfic and health care 
professional education concerning women; 
(2) provide expert advice and consultation to the Secretary concerning scientific, 
legal, ethical, and policy issues relating to women’s health; and 
(3) monitor the Department of Health offices, agencies, and regional activities 
regarding women’s Iiedth and coordinate and stimuiatp, activities of such 
departmental and agency offices on wonien’s health. 
In view hereof, immediate approval of this proposed measure is highly 
recommended. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHlLPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Luisa P. Ejercito Estrada 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH WITRl[N THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
Be it enacted by h e  Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippims in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall known as the “Women’s Office Act.” 
SECTION 2. Definition, - As used in this section the term “women’s health 
conditions”, with respect to women of all age ethnic, and racial groups, means all 
diseases, disorders, and conditions--- 
(1) 
(2) 
for which the factors of medical risk or type of medical 
intervention are different for women, or for which it is unknown 
whether such factors or types are different for women. 
unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in women; and 
SECTION 3. Health OfJice On Women’s Health. - There is established within 
the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health, an Office on Women’s Health 
(hereafter referred to in this section as the “Office’’). The Office on Women’s Health 
shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary in an ex officio capacity. 
SECTION 4. Duties. - The Office shall, with respect to the health concerns of 
women --- 
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establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and 
coordinate all activities within the Department of Health that relate 
to disease prevention, health promotion, service delivery, research, 
and public and health care professional education concerning 
women; 
provide expert advice and consultation to the Secretary concerning 
scientific, legal, ethical, and policy issues relating to women’s 
health; 
monitor the Department of Health offices, agencies, and regional 
activities regarding women’s health and coordinate and stimulate 
activities of such departmental and agency offices on women’s 
health; 
establish a Department of HeaIth Coordinating Committee on 
Women’s Health to be chaired by an Assistant Secretary for 
Women’s Health which shall be composed of senior level 
representatives from each of the agencies and offices of the 
Department of Health; 
establish a National Women’s Health Information Center to -- 
facilitate the exchange of information regarding matters 
relating to health information and health promotion, 
preventive health 
services, research 
advances, 
and 
education in the appropriate use of health care; 
facilitate access to such information; 
assist in the analysis of issues and problems relating to the 
matters described in this paragraph; and 
provide technical assistance with respect to the exchange of 
information (including facilitating the development of 
materials for such technical assistance); 
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coordinate efforts to promote women’s health programs and 
policies in the private sector; 
through publications and any other means appropriate, provide for 
the exchange of information between members of the Ofice, 
grantees of the Office, and the general public. 
determine the current Agency level of activity regarding women’s 
health across age, biological, and sociocultural contexts, in all 
aspects of the Department’s work, including drafting clinical 
practice guidelines, and conducting research into patient outcomes, 
delivery of health care services, and access to health care; 
establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives for 
research important to women’s health and coordinate all other 
activities within the Department that relate to health services and 
medical effectiveness research; 
identify projects in women’s health that should be conducted or 
supported by the Department; 
consult with health professionals, nongovernmental organizations, 
consumer organizations, women’s health professionals, and other 
individuals and groups, as appropriate, on the Department’s policy 
with regard to women; and 
identifying the need for such research, and making an estimate 
each fiscal year of fimds needed to adequately support the 
research. 
SECTION 5. Grants And Contracts Regarding Duties.. - In carrying out the 
office’s duties, the Secretary, acting through the Office, may make grants to, and enter 
into cooperative agreements, contracts, and inter-agency agreements with public and 
nonprofit private entities, agencies, and organizations. 
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SECTION 6. Evaluation And Dissemination. - The OEce shall directly or 
through contracts with public and private entities, agencies, and organization, provide for 
evaluations of projects carried out with financial assistance provided under the preceding 
section and for the dissemination of information developed as a result of such projects. 
SECTION 7. Reports. - Not later than January 31 of each year, the Secretary 
shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing 
the activities carried out under this act during the period for which the report is being 
prepared. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifleen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Gl/Z/slee bills1 violet/women 's health ofJice act 
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