SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SEN1\lU67 
S.No. ___ _ 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
'15 
FEB 25 P 1 :23 
ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SCREENINGS FOR 
GLAUCOMA TO INDIVIDUALS DETERMINED TO BE AT HIGH RISK FOR 
GLAUCOMA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: "The State shall protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them." 
According to the Philippine Glaucoma Foundation and Philippine Glaucoma 
Society (here called the "Glaucoma Society"), glaucoma is a group of diseases that cause 
gradual destruction of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the cable that connects the eye 
to the brain. Optic nerve damage causes shrinking of the visual field and, eventually, 
blindness. It reportedly causes irreversible blindness. Unlike blindness caused by 
cataracts which can be reversed with cataract surgery, vision lost due to glaucoma is gone 
forever. 
The Glaucoma Society reportedly states that glaucoma is supposedly the second 
leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. One study estimates that 60.5 million 
people worldwide have glaucoma with 8.4 million of them blind in both eyes. 1 In the 
Philippines, glaucoma is the 3rd leading cause of blindness in both eyes and is the leading 
cause of irreversible blindness of both eyes.2 
I Quigley H, Broman AT. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2006. 
'Cubillan LDP, Olivar-Santos E. Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology. 2005. 


Glaucoma can occur a( any age but by far the most commonly affected are older 
individuals. Persons with the following risk factors have a higher chance of developing or 
having glaucoma: 
• 
Elevated intraocular pressure (eye pressure) 
• Family history of glaucoma 
• Age over 45 
• Previous eye injury 
• 
Chronic steroid use 
• Diabetes mellitus 
• 
People of Chinese ancestry 
These persons should have themselves screened for glaucoma by an 
ophthalmologist (EyeMD). 
Most cases of glaucoma reportedly have no symptoms or very subtle symptoms. 
Because the vision loss starts at the edges of the visual field (peripheral vision) and 
occurs gradually, many glaucoma sufferers do not realize that there is a problem until 
(hey have lost a large area of their vision. 3 
Thus, this bill seeks (0 establish a grant program to provide screenmgs for 
glaucoma to individuals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma.4 
~~ ;~ 
MIRIAM DEF~~ 
SANT~GO 
~ 
3 http://www.philglaucomasociety.orgiassets/Glaucoma%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf. 
4 This bill was originally filed by Rep. Jose Serrano in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 112'h 
Congress. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
t, .. , "7 
s. No. _""~'-"o'--o=.....::._ 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'15 fIB 25 P t :23 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
I 
AN ACT 
2 
ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SCREENINGS FOR 
3 
GLAUCOMA TO INDIVIDUALS DETERMINED TO BE AT HIGH RISK FOR 
4 
GLAUCOMA 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Glaucoma Screening 
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Act"; 
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SECTION 2. Grant Program to Provide Screenings for Glaucoma to High Risk 
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Individuals. -
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(a) Grant Program. - The Secretary of the Department of Health (here called the 
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"Secretary") shall establish a program to award a grant to an eligible entity to provide 
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screenings for glaucoma for individuals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma. 
12 
For purposes of this Act, "individuals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma" 
13 
means those individuals determined by the Secretary to be at high risk for glaucoma 
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without regard to the age of the individual. 
IS 
(b) Eligibility. - In order to be eligible to receive a grant, an entity shall (I) submit 
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an application at such time, in such form, and with such information and assurances as 
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the Secretary may require; and (2) be dedicated solely to screening individuals for 
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glaucoma and other eye diseases. 
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(c) Use of Funds. - An entity receiving a grant sha1l use the grant in accordance 
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with the following requirements: 
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(I) 
The entity shall utilize mobile screening units to test for glaucoma and 
other eye diseases. 
(2) 
The entity sha1l target screenmg activities to populations primarily 
consisting of individuals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma. 
(3) 
The entity shall form partnerships with government health centers to 
increase awareness of the need for screenings for glaucoma and to 
provide screenings for glaucoma for individuals determined to be at high 
risk for glaucoma, individuals with a family history of glaucoma, and 
individuals with diabetes. 
(4) 
The entity shall provide grants to approved medical residency training 
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programs to permit students participating in the programs to conduct 
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screenings for glaucoma for individuals determined to be at high risk for 
IS 
glaucoma. 
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SECTION 3. Authorization of Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions oUhis 
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Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each 
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fiscal year. 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared 
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unconstitutional, any other provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
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effect. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, 
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or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
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I 
SECTION 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
/fldp 13feb20 15 
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