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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article XIII, provides: 
Section 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential 
goods, health and other social services available to all the people at 
affordable cost. There 
shall be priority for the needs of the 
underprivileged sick, disabled, elderly, women and children, The State 
shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers. 
There is a need to increase the awareness of the general public on the welfare of the deaf. 
They are a vital segment of our society and a significant force in the efforts for national 
development. 
Studies show that infants, toddlers, and children, who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, have 
unique language, learning, and communication needs. They need not grow up mute, if only 
proper care and attention is given. 
This bill seeks to establish a comprehensive program regarding early detection, diagnosis, 
and interventions for newborns with hearing loss. Through the program, the State can effectively 
provide special care and training for their rehabilitation and subsequent integration into the 
mainstream of society.’ 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
-, 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
s . B . N ~ .  1209 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS REGARDING EARLY DETECTION, 
DIAGNOSIS, AND INTERVIEW FOR NEWBORNS AND INFANTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Early Hearing Loss 
Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purposes. - the purposes of this Act are to authorize nationwide early 
detection, diagnosis, referral, and intervention networks, technical assistance, national applied 
research program, and inter-agency and private sector collaboration for policy development, in 
order to assist in making progress toward the following goals: 
(A) All babies born in hospitals in the Philippines should be screened for hearing loss 
before leaving the hospital, unless the parents of the children object to the 
screening; 
(B) Babies who are not born in hospitals should be screened within first thee (3) 
months of life; 
(C) Diagnostic audiologic testing, if indicated, should be performed in a timely manner 
to allow appropriate referral for treatmenthntervention before the age of six (6) 
months; 
(D) All universal newborn hearing screening programs should include a component 
which ensures linkages to diagnosis and the community system of early intervention 
services; and 
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(E) Public policy in early hearing detection, diagnosis, and intervention should he based 
on applied research and the recognition that infants, toddlers, and children who are 
deaf or hard-of -hearing have unique language, learning, and communication needs, 
and should he the result of consultation with pertinent public and private sectors. 
SECTION 3. Nationwide Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Networks. - The 
Secretary of Health shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to develop 
nationwide early detection, diagnosis, and intervention networks for the following purposes: 
(A) To develop State capacity to support newborn hearing loss detection, diagnosis, and 
intervention; 
(B) To monitor the extent to which hearing detection is conducted in birthing hospitals 
throughout the country, and assist in the development of universal newborn hearing 
detection programs in birthing hospitals and non-hospitals birthing sites; 
(C) To develop models which ensure effective screening, referral, and linkage with 
appropriate diagnostic, medical, and qualified early intervention services, providers, 
and programs within the community; and 
(D) To collect data on early detection, diagnosis, and intervention that can he used for 
applied research and policy development. 
SECTION 4. Technical Assistance, Data Management, and Applied Research. 
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The 
Secretary shall make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical assistance 
to agencies to complement an intramural program and to conduct applied research related to 
infant hearing detection, diagnosis, and heatmenthntervention. The program shall carry out the 
following: 
(A) Provide technical assistance on data collection and management; 
(B) Develop standardized procedures for data management to ensure quality monitoring 
of infant hearing loss detection, diagnosis, and intervention programs; 
Study the costs and effectiveness of hearing detection conducted by programs in 
order to answer issues of importance to policymakers; 
(C) 
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(D) Identify the causes and risk factors for congenital hearing loss that might lead to the 
development of preventive interventions; 
(E) Study 
the 
effectiveness 
of 
early 
hearing 
detection, 
diagnosis, 
and 
treatmenthntervention programs by assessing the health, developmental, cognitive, 
and language status of these children at school age; and 
Promote the sharing of data regarding early hearing loss with birth defects and 
developmental disabilities monitoring programs for the purpose of identifying 
previously unknown causes of hearing loss. 
(F) 
SECTION 5. Coordination and Collaboration. - 
(A) In General. - In carrying out programs under this Act, the Department of Health shall 
coordinate with consumer groups serving individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing; persons 
who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and their families; qualified professional personnel who are 
proficient in deaf or hard-of-hearing children’s language and who possess the specialized 
knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to serve deaf and hard-of -hearing infants, toddlers, 
children, and their families; other health and education professionals and organizations; third 
party payers and managed care organizations; and related commercial industries. 
(B) Policy Development. - The department shall coordinate and collaborate on 
recommendations for policy development with the private sector, including consumer and 
professional based organizations, with respect to early hearing detection, diagnosis, and 
treatmenthntervention. 
SECTION 6. Authorization of Appropriations. - 
(A) Nationwide Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Networks. - For the 
purpose of carrying out this act, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Health Ten Million Pesos (PlO,OOO,OOO.OO) 
for the current fiscal year, Twenty Million Pesos 
(P20,000,000.00) for the next fiscal year, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
succeeding fiscal years. 
(B) 
Technical Assistance, Data Management, and Applied Research-Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention. - For the purpose of carrying out this act, there are authorized 
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to be appropriated Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) for the current fiscal year, Seven Million 
Pesos (P7,000,000.00) for the next fiscal year, and such sums may be necessary for each of the 
succeeding fiscal years. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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