5
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
Senate
OIUt: \ f Uj,' £-)ccrrtnrp
S E N A T E  
S. No.
’19 
J ill-2 P6:11
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A 
SPECIAL 
HOSPITAL 
FOR TEACHERS AND 
THEIR 
DEPENDENTS, CONVERTING THE EAST AVENUE MEDICAL CENTER IN  
DILIM AN, QUEZON CITY, INTO THE NATIONAL TEACHERS MEDICAL 
CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Teachers play a vital role in the education of our youth and the progress of 
our nation. They perform multiple tasks Inside and outside of classrooms. During 
school days, they exercise special parental authority and responsibility over minor 
children -  guiding and teaching them good manners and right conduct as well as 
increasing their knowledge of various subject matters at hand. They prepare their 
lesson plans every night despite a tiring day just to make sure that their pupils and 
students will learn new things on the following day. Thus, they are considered one 
of the most influential and powerful forces of quality education.
During school break, teachers perform election-related duties or data 
gathering activities for the Philippine Statistics Authority and assist in various extra­
curricular and civic activities upon the request of local and national officials.
As a result of their work, teachers are susceptible to some ailments that are 
clearly work-related such as pharyngitis, hypertension, anemia and hyperacidity, 
among others. Those who are seriously afflicted by illnesses opted to resign or 
voluntarily give up their profession. Aside from the benefits that they may avail from


the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, they become the sole responsibility of 
their respective families during their hospitalization. Most of the time, the 
compensation that they received are insufficient to support their complete 
rehabilitabon.
It is high time to recognize the contributions of teachers to the nation and 
assure them that their well-being is the primordial concern of the government in 
consonance with the provisions of Article XIV, Section 5, paragraph 5, of the 
Constitution, which states in part: "The State shall ... ensure that teaching will 
attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate 
remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment." Hence, there is a 
need for the State to provide health facilities for these unsung heroes, that shall 
specifically cater to their needs including their dependents.
This bill, therefore, seeks to establish a special hospital to be known as the 
National Teachers Medical Center in the National Capital Region in order to provide 
medical facility for the hospitalization and medical needs of teachers and their 
dependents. Likewise, it requires regional hospitals to set up special wards, with an 
initial capacity of at least fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of 
the teachers and their dependents residing therein.
This bill specifically proposes that the East Avenue Medical Center will be 
converted as the National Medical Center for Teachers.
In honor of the teachers of the Philippines, the approval of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
OL" N. TOLENTINO
Senator
FRAN


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
.<|)eunfe
First Regular Session
)
- 
t' ifit" of 
4>fcrftarp
S E N A T E
•19
J'JL-2 
P6:11
S. No. ^^10
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING 
A 
SPECIAL 
HOSPITAL 
FOR TEACHERS 
AND 
THEIR 
DEPENDENTS, CONVERTING THE EAST AVENUE MEDICAL CENTER IN  
D ILIM AN , QUEZON CITY, INTO THE NATIONAL TEACHERS MEDICAL 
CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "National Teachers
2 
Medical Center Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy- It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
recognize the role of Filipino teachers in national progress and development, protect
5 
their interests and well-being, and provide them and their dependents access to
6 
affordable health care and development through an integrated and comprehensive
7 
approach. Towards this end, the State shall create a national medical center which
8 
will cater to the health and medical needs of teachers, whether in the active duty or
9 
retired, and their dependents.
10 
Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall apply to the following:
11 
(a) 
Teacher, a Filipino citizen, who may be:
12 
i. 
Any person who teaches any subject, including practical and
13 
vocational arts, at the day-care, pre-school, elementary, secondary.


1 
senior high school, college, and post-graduate courses in all public
2 
schools;
3 
ii. Any person who provides guidance and counseling in all public
4 
schools;
5 
iil. Any person who provides instructional supervision in all public
6 
schools;
7 
iv. Any person employed as school administrative support employee;
8 
V. Physicians, dentists, and nurses employed exclusively by the public
9 
schools;
10 
vi. Officials and employees of the Department of Education (DepEd)
11 
and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and
12 
vii. Retired teachers and other public school employees who have
13 
rendered a minimum of ten years of continuous service prior to
14 
their retirement.
15 
(b) Teacher's Dependents limited to the following persons:
16 
i. Legitimate spouse dependent upon the teacher for support;
17 
ii. Legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated or legally adopted children, not
18 
more than eighteen (18) years of age, or is incapable 
of self-
19 
support because of mental or physical defect, regardless of age;
20 
iii. The parent or parents living with and dependent upon the teacher
21 
for support.
22 
Sec. 4. Creation o f a National Teachers Medical Center and Special Wards in
23 
Regional Hospitals. -  To carry out the above policy, the East Avenue Medical Center
24 
in Quirino District, Quezon City shall be converted into a special hospital for teachers
25 
and shall be named as the National Teachers Medical Center (NTMC). It shall be the
26 
primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical care of teachers and their
27 
dependents.
28 
Regional hospitals located outside the NCR shall put up special wards with an
29 
initial capacity of at least fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of
30 
teachers and their dependents residing therein.
31 
Sec. 5. Free Hospitalization and Medical Care. -  The NTMC and Regional
32 
Hospitals with special wards shall not charge any hospitalization, confinement.


1 
medical treatment and medical care services rendered for teachers and their
2 
dependents.
3 
Sec. 6. Objectives. -  To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability
4 
of quality health care, the NTMC and regional hospitals shall;
5 
(a) Provide for a comprehensive or total health care services to all teachers
6 
and their dependents;
7 
(b) Complement the existing package of services under the National Health
8 
Insurance Program to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative
9 
and rehabilitative programs;
10 
(c) Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability
11 
of all teacher applicants; and
12 
(d) Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and
13 
to generate information/data in aid of policy formulation.
14 
Sec. 7. Governing Board. -  The NTMC shall be governed by the Board of
15 
Directors composed of the following:
16 
(a) The Seaetary of Education, as ex officio Chairperson;
17 
(b)The Secretary of Health, as ex officio Vice Chairperson;
18 
(c)The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as ex
19 
officio Member;
20 
(d)The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as ex officio Member;
21 
(e)Four (4) representatives from the teachers sector: one (1) from the
22 
National Capital Region, one (1) from Luzon, one (1) from Visayas, and
23 
one (1) from Mindanao, as Members, who shall be appointed by the
24 
President of the Philippines from a list of nominees recommended by the
25 
Chairperson in consultation with the Party-List group representing the
26 
teacher's sector and shall serve for a term of three (3) years without
27 
reappointment.
28 
Sec. 8. Powers and Responsibilities o f the Board. -  The Board of Directors of
29 
NTMC shall have the following powers and responsibilities:
30 
(a) To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the
31 
objectives and purposes as enunciated in Section 4 of this Act;


1 
(b) To organize the structure of NTMC in accordance with the staffing pattern
2 
prepared by it in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and
3 
Civil Service Commission (CSC), and approved by the Department of
4 
Budget and Management (DBM);
5 
(c) To prescribe the duties and fix the compensation subject to the provisions
6 
of Republic Act No. 6758, as amended, or the "Compensation and Position
7 
Classification Act of 1989";
8 
(d)To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with 
its
9 
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives;
10 
(e)To receive donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies or financial aid;
11 
(f) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of
12 
this Act; and
13 
(g)To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law.
14 
Sec. 9. Meetings and Quorum. -  The Board shall meet at least once a month or
15 
as often as may be necessary at the office of the NTMC. Special meetings may be
16 
convened at the call of the Chairman or by a majority of the members of the Board.
17 
Presence of majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
18 
Sec. 10. Allowances and per diems. -  The members of the Board shall receive
19 
a per diem for every meeting actually attended subject to the pertinent budgetary
20 
law, rules ar»d regulations on compensation, honoraria and allowances.
21 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  The Board shall adopt rules
22 
and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days from
23 
the date of its effectivity.
24 
Sec. 12. Appropriations. -  An amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos
25 
(P500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the establishment and initial operations
26 
of the NTMC. Subsequently, appropriations for the operations shall be included in
27 
the Annual General Appropriations Act.
28 
Sec. 13. Tax Exemption. -  All donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies or
29 
financial aids to the Medical Center shall be exempt from payment of taxes under
30 
the National Internal Revenue Code and the Local Government Code.
31 
Sec. 14. Annual Report. -  The NTMC shall render to the President of the
32 
Republic of the Philippines and to each House of Congress an annual operational and


1 
financial report within thirty (30) days from the first day of regular session of
2 
Congress the next calendar year.
3 
Sec. 15. Separability Clause. -  If any provision of this Act is declared
4 
unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or parts thereof not affected thereby shall
5 
remain in full force and effect.
6 
Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
7 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
8 
repealed or modified accordingly.
9 
Sec. 17. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
10 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) newspaper of
11 
general circulation.
Approved,