FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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) 
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SENATE 
S.B.No. 1397 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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This bill seeks to establish a hospital especially dedicated to address the 
health needs of teachers all over the country. 
Teachers are indeed our unsung heroes. Despite the difficulties that continue 
to confront their profession, they remain fiercely loyal to their responsibility in 
molding the values and character of the young generation. 
Likewise, teachers are the most reliable and dedicated public servants. They 
are being constantly called upon by officials of the local and national government to 
assist in various extra-curricular and civic activities which contribute to the welfare 
of the community and the country, most notable of which is when they perform 
their functions during election period, and most recently, when they assisted the 
National Statistics Office in gathering data even in the remotest places. 
Moreover, teachers are given substitute and special parental authority under 
our laws. Article 218 of the Family Code states that the school, its administrators and 
teachers shall have special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child 
while under their supervision, instruction or custody. 
Statistics from the Department of Education show that as of school year 2008-
2009, there are 353,280 public elementary school teachers teaching at 37,607 public 
elementary schools with 12,574,506 elementary school enrollees. In the same school 
year, the teacher-pupil ratio is 1:36. In the secondary level, there are 138,058 public 
secondary school teachers performing their duties at 5,359 public secondary schools 
with 5,421,562 secondary student enrollees. This translates to a teacher-student ratio 
of 1:39. 
Due to the complexities of their job, our teachers are exposed to health risks. 
The most common ailments teachers suffer from are clearly work-related 
pharyngitis, hypertension, anemia, and hyperacidity, among others. There is a need 
for the State to provide health facilities that specifically cater to the needs of teachers 
in view of the important role they play in educating our children and in the nation's 
progress. 
Thus, this bill proposes the establishment of a special hospital, the 
PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPITAL, in the National Capital Region as the 
primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical care of teachers and 
their dependents. 
Also, all regional hospitals shall be required to establish a 
teachers' ward to provide medical services to teachers and their dependents residing 
outside the National Capital Region. 


Such hospital shall provide for comprehensive health care services to all 
teachers and their dependents and complement the existing package of services 
under the National Health Insurance Program. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1397 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A HOSPITAL FOR TEACHERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Teachers' 
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Hospital Act". 
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to adopt an 
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integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, which shall 
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endeavor to make essential health and other social services available to all people at 
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affordable cost. Towards this end, the State shall protect the interest and promote 
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the well-being of Filipino teachers, including their families and dependents through 
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the provision of social welfare services. 
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Section 3. Creation of Special Hospital and Special Wards. - To carry-out the 
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above policy, a special hospital for teachers, to be named the PHILIPPINE 
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TEACHERS' HOSPITAL, is hereby established in the National Capital Region. Such 
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hospital shall be the primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical care 
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of teachers and their dependents. 
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Each regional hospital shall establish a teachers' ward, with an initial capacity 
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of at least fifty (50) beds, which will provide hospitalization and medical care to 
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teachers and their dependents residing outside the National Capital Region. 
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For purposes of this Act, "teachers" shall include, but is not limited to, the 
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following: 
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a) All persons engaged in the classroom teaching of any subject, including 
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practical/vocational arts, at the day care, pre-school, elementary, secondary, 


and post-secondary levels of instruction in all public and private educational 
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institutions; 
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b) Individuals performing guidance and counseling in all public and private 
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. institutions; 
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c) All persons who provide instructional supervision in all public and private 
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educational institutions, 
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d) All persons employed as school administrative support employees; 
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e) School physicians, school dentists, and school nurses; 
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f) Officials and employees of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the 
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Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and 
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g) Graduates of education who have passed the government examination for 
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teachers, although not actually employed as such. 
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"Dependents" shall refer to the following: (a) the legitimate spouse 
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dependent for support upon the teacher; (b) the legitimate, illegitimate, or legally 
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adopted children, chiefly dependent upon and living with the teacher if such child 
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is not more than twenty-one (21) years of age, unmarried and not gainfully 
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employed or is over the age of majority but incapacitated and incapable of self-
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support due to a mental or physical defect; and (c) the parents dependent upon the 
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member for support. 
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Section 4. Objectives. -
To ensure the availability, accessibility and 
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afford ability of quality health care, the PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPITAL shall: 
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a) Provide for a comprehensive/total health care services to all teachers and 
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their legal dependents; 
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b) Complement the existing package of services under the National Health 
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Intmrance Program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, 
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curative and rehabilitative programs; 
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c) Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability of 
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all teacher applicants; and 
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d) Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and to 
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generate relevant information/ data in aid of policy formulation. 
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Section 5. Administration. - Upon effectivity of this Act, the PHILIPPINE 
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TEACHERS' HOSPITAL shall be administered by a Board of Directors consisting 
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of: 
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a) The Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as ex-officio 
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Chairman 
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b) The Secretary of the Department of Health as ex-officio Vice Chairman 
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c) The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education as ex-officio Member 
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d) The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as ex-
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officio Member 
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e) Three representatives from the teachers sector: one (1) from Luzon, one (1) 
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from Visayas, one (1) from Mindanao as Members. 
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The three (3) representatives from the teachers sector shall be appointed by 
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the President of the Philippines from a list of nominees prepared by the ex-officio 
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Chairman to serve for a term of three (3) years without reappointment. 
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Section 6. Responsibility and Powers. - The Board of Directors of the 
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PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPITAL shall have the following responsibilities and 
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powers: 
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a) To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the objectives 
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and purposes of the PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPIT Ai. as enunciated in 
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Section 4 of this Act; 
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b) To organize the structure of the PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPITAL in 
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accordance with a staffing pattern prepared by it and approved by the 
Department of Budget and Management; to appoint the officials and 
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employees of the Hospital, subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations; 
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to prescribe their duties and fix their compensation subject to the provisions 
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of Republic Act No. 6758; 
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c) To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its establishment, 
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maintenance, operations and objectives; 
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d) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of this 
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Act; and 
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e) To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law. 
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Section 7. Appropriation. - An amount of Three Hundred Million Pesos 
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(P300,OOO,OOO.OO) shall be appropriated for the establishment and initial operations 
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of the PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' HOSPITAL. Subsequently, appropriations for the 
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operations shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
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Section 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or parts hereof not affected thereby shall 
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remain in full force and effect. 
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Section 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
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regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
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repealed or modified accordingly. 
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Section 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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