..I.. 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
i 
&-,I -2 
‘i 
,
I
 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
. ., 
, 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 14 provides: 
Section 14. The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, 
and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of men and women. 
Certain diseases, disorders, and conditions are peculiar to, or 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 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; 
(2) Provide expert advice and consultation to the Secretary concerning scientific, legal, 
ethical, and policy issues relating to women’s healtb and 
(3) 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.* 
’ This hill was originally tiled during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Women’s Health Office Act 
of 2007.” 
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 - 
(A) Unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in women; and 
(8) 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. 
SECTION 3. Health Office on Women’s Health. - There shall be established within the 
Office of the Secretary an Office on Women’s Health, hereafter referred to in this section as the 
“Office”. The Office shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary in an ex oficio capacity. 
SECTION 4. Duties. -The Office shall, with respect to the health concerns of women - 
(A) 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, 
1 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
I 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
21 
28 
(B) Provide expert advice and consultation to the Secretary concerning scientific, legal, 
ethical, and policy issues relating to women’s health, 
(C) 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; 
(D) Establish a Department of Health 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; 
(E) Establish a National Women’s Health Information Center to - 
(1) 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; 
(2) Facilitate access to such information; 
(3) Assist in the analysis of issues and problems relating to the matters described 
in this paragraph; and 
(4) Provide technical assistance with respect to the exchange of information, 
including facilitating the development of materials for such technical 
assistance; 
(F) Coordinate efforts to promote women’s health programs and policies in the private 
sector; 
(G) Through publications and any other means appropriate, provide for the exchange of 
information between members of the Office, grantees of the office, and the general 
public; 
(H) Determine the current Agency level of activity regarding women’s health, across age, 
biological, and socio-cultural context, in all aspects of the Department’s work, 
including drafting technical practice guidelines, and conducting research into patient 
outcomes, delivery of health care-services, and access to health care; 
2 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
(I) 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; 
(J) Identify projects in women’s health that should be conducted or supported by the 
Department; 
(K) Consult with health professionals, non-governmental organizations, consumer 
organizations, women’s health professionals, and other individuals and groups, as 
appropriate, on the Department’s policy with regard to women; and 
(L) Identify the need for such research, and make an estimate each fiscal year of the 
funds 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 interagency agreements with public and non-profit entities, agencies, 
and organizations. 
SECTION 6. Evaluation and Dissemination. - The Office 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 CZuuse. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid 
and subsisting. 
3 


1 
2 
3 
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. 
4 
5 
SECTION 10. EfSectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at leas1 two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
G 
Approved, 
4