THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
THIRD REGULAR SESSION 
1 
RECEIVED BY: 
S.B. NO. 2455 
Introduced by Senator ALFRED0 S. LIM 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is pathetic to note that many of our sick but indigent countrymen 
who are medically attended to in public hospitals and diagnosed as 
suffering from certain ailment and prescribed the needed medicines, are 
nonetheless helpless in having their illness cured because of lack of 
means to buy medicines as prescribed. 
Medical attention without the concomittant medicines being 
administered to the patient is meaningless. 
Again, poverty is depriving many indigent patients of the rare 
opportunity of medical advancement and recent discoveries on cure of 
diseases because the medicines are hardly affordable nay within the 
indigent patients' reach. 
The most appropriate and quick source of funding for free 
medicines to indigent patients is the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) of 
local government units. 
It is the bill's purpose to set aside a certain percentage of the IRA 
appropriation for free medicines to indigent patients in their respective 
localities. 
I 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
THIRD REGULAR SESSION 
1 
S.B. NO. 2455 
Introduced by Senator ALFRED0 S. LIM 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO EARMARK A 
PORTION OF THEIR INTERNAL REVENUE ALLOTMENTS 
FOR FREE MEDICINES TO INDIGENT PATIENTS I N  
THEIR LOCALITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representative of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Local Governments to Earmark a Portion of IRA 
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for 
Free Medicines - it shall be the obligation of all local 
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governments to set aside and earmark a portion of their Internal 
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Revenue Allotments (IRA) for appropriation as free medicines to be 
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distributed to the public hospitals, clinics, dispensaries or other 
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outlets to indigent patients for free in their localities. 
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SECTION 2. Indigent Patients, defined; How Dispensed. - 
Indigent patients are those who have no financial means to buy 
medicines for their personal needs as prescribed by physicians from 
public hospitals, clinics or dispensaries; 
provided, however, that 
the local government shall maintain a list confirmed by the 
barangay officials concerned where the indigent patient resides and 
to issue an identifying document to insure that the free medicines 
are properly dispensed to deserving recipients; provided, further, 
that said hospitals, clinics or dispensaries shall, as far as practicable, 
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establish their own pharmacy or outlets within their premises and 


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maintain sufficient stock or quantity and the most common 
prescribed medicines in order to immediately provide the free 
medicines to the indigent patients. 
SECTION 3. Regular Accounting - All pharmacies or outlets 
distributing or dispensing free medicines shall render periodic 
accounting of such disbursement duly posted in the public bulletin 
boards specifying the patient's name, address, doctor prescribing 
the medicine and the amount or cost, which shall be furnished the 
Oversight Committee on Health of both chambers of Congress. 
SECTION 4. Acts Constituting Violations of this Act; Penalty - 
I n  addition to the criminal liability incurred by persons for violating 
the Revised Penal Code or other Special laws, the following acts 
shall constitute a crime under this Act: 
(a) Preparing a list or certification that a patient is indigent 
when he is not; 
(b) Submitting, preparing or altering any document to make 
it appear that any legitimate acquisition, purchase, disbursement or 
distribution had been made for free medicines when in fact there is 
none; 
(c) 
Diverting, devoting for other use or purpose, using or 
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concealing the funds intended for free medicines under this Act; 
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(d) Dispensing or distributing the free medicines under this 
Act other than to indigent patients; 
(e) Selling or disposing of the free medicines under this Act; 
(f) Marking up or padding the purchase cost of medicines 
acquired under this Act; and, 
(9) 
Knowingly purchasing expired medicines or those 
expiring within one (1) year from date of purchase. 
Those found guilty of committing any of the acts above 
defined shall be sentenced to an imprisonment of not less than two 
(2) years nor more than seven (7) years. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
(15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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