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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10672
Introduced by BHW Partylist Rep. Angelica Natasha Co 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
"UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT" 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article II, Section 15 of the Philippine Constitution provides that “the State shall protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them.” In keeping with this constitutional mandate, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 
11223, otherwise known as the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, in December 2018. 
This landmark legislation is also critical in compliance with the Philippines’ commitment 
to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically, Goal No. 3 which 
aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages. 
More than five years after the UHC Act was implemented, however, critical reforms need 
to be put in place with the end view of protecting the Filipino people further from the 
financial consequences of paying for health services out of their own pockets because 
the cost of needed services and treatments requires them to use up their life savings, 
sell assets, or incur debts. Several studies have pointed out that such a predicament 
pushed a great number of Filipino families into difficult economic conditions and even 
poverty.  
The difficulties our country experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic also brought 
about important lessons that merit critical amendments to the UHC Act. Moreover, an 
increase in PhilHealth benefits and local health financing must be ensured. 
This bill proposes the following: 
1. To adjust the premium contribution rates for migrant workers and self-earning
individuals to a more manageable level based on the income floor to alleviate
OFWs and other self-employed Filipinos from financial strain;
2. To ensure that any unused portion of the premium subsidy of indirect contributors
shall be used exclusively for the increase in benefits of direct and indirect
beneficiaries;
July 29, 2024
3:00 pm


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3. To grant the President of the Philippines the power to suspend the increase in 
PhilHealth premium payment rates in the event of a state of national emergency, 
public health emergency, or state of calamity;  
 
4. To dispense with the stringent requirements of the Health Technology and 
Assessment Council (HTAC) on safety and effectiveness in case of a pandemic 
or upon the declaration of a state of public health emergency to allow the 
government to take appropriate steps in the acquisition and distribution of life-
saving medicines and medical facilities; 
 
5. To mandate all provincial, municipal, and city local government units to contribute 
to the Special Health Fund; 
 
6. To institutionalize the use of the special health fund for incentives and benefits 
for all public health workers, including barangay health workers (BHW) and 
barangay nutrition scholars (BNS); and 
 
7. To ensure that health professionals and health care workers, including BHWs, 
are guaranteed permanent employment, job security, and competitive salaries to 
ensure the continuity of health programs and services.  
The immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought, cognizant that health is a 
precondition for and an outcome and indicator of the social, economic, and 
environmental dimensions of sustainable development.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
REP. ANGELICA NATASHA CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  BHW Partylist   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES  
Quezon City 
 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10672 
 
Introduced by BHW Partylist Rep. Angelica Natasha Co 
 
 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
"UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines, in Congress 
assembled: 
 
SECTION 1. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
SEC. 9. Entitlement to Benefits. — Every member shall be granted immediate 
eligibility for health benefits package under the NHIP: Provided, That PhilHealth 
Identification Card shall not be required in the availment of any health services: 
Provided further, That no co-payments shall be charged for services rendered in 
basic accommodation: Provided furthermore, That co-payments and co-insurance 
for amenities in public hospitals shall be regulated by the DOH and PhilHealth: 
Provided [finally], FURTHERMORE, That the current PhilHealth package for 
members shall not be reduced: and PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT THE AMOUNTS 
UNDER EACH BENEFIT PACKAGE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE REVIEW AND 
ASSESSMENT OF THE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT COUNCIL 
PURSUANT TO SECTION 34 OF THIS ACT," 
 
PhilHealth shall provide additional NHIP benefits for direct contributors, where 
applicable: Provided, That failure to pay premiums shall not prevent the enjoyment 
of any NHIP benefits: Provided further, That employers [and—self-employed—
direct contributors] shall be required to pay all missed contributions with an 
interest, compounded monthly, of at least three percent (3%) for employers [and 
not exceeding 1.5%for self-earning, professional practitioners and migrant 
workers]. 
SEC. 2. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read as follows: 


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SEC. 10. Premium Contributions. - For direct contributors, premium rates 
shall be in accordance with the following schedule, and monthly income floor and 
ceiling: 
 
Year 
Premium Rate 
Income Floor 
 
2019 
2.75 % 
P10,000.00 
P50,000.00 
2920 
3.00% 
P10,000.00 
P60,000.00 
2021 
3.5% 
P10,000.00 
P70,000.00 
2022 
4.0% 
P10,000.00 
P80,000.00 
2023 
4.5% 
P10,000.00 
P90,000.00 
2024 
5.0% 
P10,000.00 
P100,000.00 
2025 
5.0% 
P10,000.00 
P100,000.00 
 
Year 
Premium Rate 
Income Floor 
Income Ceiling 
2024 
4% 
P10,000.00 
P50,000.00 
2025 
4.25% 
P10,000.00 
P60,000.00 
2026 
4.5% 
P10,000.00 
P65,000.00 
2027 
4.75% 
P10,000.00 
P70,000.00 
2028 
5% 
P10,000.00 
P75,000.00 
 
PROVIDED, THAT AFTER CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND 
UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH, THE 
PHILHEALTH BOARD MAY ADJUST THE INCOME FLOOR AND INCOME 
CEILING BASED ON THE FUNDING REQUIREMENT OF HEALTH BENEFIT 
PACKAGES. 
 
FOR MIGRANT WORKERS, PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS SHALL BE 
BASED ON THE INCOME FLOOR: PROVIDED, THAT FIFTY PERCENT (50%) 
OF THE PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION OF MIGRANT WORKERS SHALL BE 
SHOULDERED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: PROVIDED FURTHER, 
THAT UNPAID PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS OF MIGRANT WORKERS IN 
DISTRESS SHALL NOT BE COLLECTED UPON THEIR ARRIVAL IN THE 
COUNTRY: PROVIDED FINALLY, THAT FAILURE TO PAY PHILHEALTH 
CONTRIBUTION SHALL NOT BE A GROUND FOR NON-ISSUANCE OF 
OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE OF A MIGRANT WORKER. 
 
 [Provide, That f]For indirect contributors, premium subsidy shall be gradually 
adjusted and included annually in the General Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, 
[further,] That the funds shall be released to Philhealth: Provided further[more], 


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That the DOH, in coordination with Philhealth, may request Congress to 
appropriate supplemental funding to meet targeted milestones of this Act: Provided 
[finally] FURTHERMORE, That for every increase in the rate of contribution of 
direct contributors and premium subsidy of indirect contributors, Philhealth shall 
provide for a corresponding increase in benefits: PROVIDED FINALLY, THAT ANY 
UNUSED 
PORTION 
OF 
THE 
PREMIUM 
SUBSIDY 
OF 
INDIRECT 
CONTRIBUTORS SHALL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY  FOR THE INCREASE IN 
BENEFITS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES. 
  
IN THE EVENT OF A STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY, PUBLIC   
HEALTH EMERGENCY, OR STATE OF CALAMITY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE PHILHEALTH BOARD 
AFTER CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS, MAY SUSPEND THE 
INCREASE IN PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION RATES PROVIDED UNDER THIS 
SECTION. THE MANDATED INCREASE SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED UPON 
LIFTING OF THE STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY, PUBLIC HEALTH 
EMERGENCY, OR STATE OF CALAMITY. IN THE EVENT OF SUSPENSION, ALL 
SUBSEQUENT SCHEDULED INCREASES IN CONTRIBUTION RATES SHALL 
BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE SUCCEEDING YEARS ACCORDINGLY. 
 
SEC 3. Section 12 of Republic Act 11223 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
SEC. 12. Administrative Expense— 
 Seven and one-half 
percent (7.5%) of the actual total premium collected from direct and indirect 
contributory members during the immediately preceding year shall be allotted for 
the administrative cost of implementing the Program. 
 
SEC. 4. Section 19 of Republic Act 11223 is hereby amended to read as follows:  
 
SEC. 19. Integration of Local Health Systems into Province-wide and City-
wide Health System. — The DOH, Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG), PhilHealth and the LGUs shall endeavor to integrate health 
systems into province-wide and city-wide health systems. The Provincial and City 
Health Boards shall oversee and coordinate the integration of health services for 
province-wide and city-wide health systems, to be composed of municipal and 
component city health systems, and city-wide health systems in highly urbanized 
and independent component cities, respectively. The Provincial and City Health 
Boards shall manage the Special Health Fund referred to in Section 20 of this Act 
and shall exercise administrative and technical supervision over health facilities 
and health human resources within their respective territorial jurisdiction: Provided, 
That ALL municipalities and cities [included] in the province-wide and city-wide 
health systems shall be entitled to a representative in the Provincial or City Health 
Board, as the case may be.  
 
SEC. 5. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:  


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SEC. 20. Special Health Fund. - The province-wide or city-wide health system 
shall pool and manage, through a special health fund, all resources intended for 
health services to finance population-based and individual-based health services, 
health system operating costs, capital investments, and remuneration of additional 
health workers and incentives for all health workers IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7305, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “MAGNA CARTA FOR 
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS,” REPUBLIC ACT NO, 7883, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE “BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS ACT,” 
PRESIDENTIAL 
DECREE 
1569 
“STRENGTHENING 
THE 
BARANGAY 
NUTRITION PROGRAM,” REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11148 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE “KALUSUGAN AT NUTRISYON NG MAG-NANAY ACT,” AND OTHER 
RELEVANT LAWS: PROVIDED, THAT ALL PROVINCIAL, MUNICIPAL, AND CITY 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS SHALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPECIAL 
HEALTH FUND. Provided FURTHER, That the DOH, in consultation with the DBM 
and the LGUs, shall develop guidelines for the use of the Special Health Fund. 
 
SEC. 6. Section 34(b)(2) of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
SEC. 23. National Health Human Resource Master Plan. — The DOH, 
together with stakeholders, shall ensure the formulation and implementation of a 
National Health Human Resource Master Plan that will provide policies and 
strategies for the appropriate generation, recruitment, retraining, regulation, 
retention, and reassessment of health workforce  based on population health 
needs.  
 
To ensure continuity in the provision of the health programs and services, all health 
professionals and health care workers shall be guaranteed permanent 
employment, JOB SECURITY and competitive salaries. PROVIDED, THAT NO 
ACCREDITED BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER (BHW) SHALL BE REMOVED 
FROM SERVICE NOR SHALL BE TERMINATED EVEN AFTER THE TERM OF 
THE PUNONG BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG BARANGAY MEMBERS, 
EXCEPT FOR CAUSE AS PROVIDED BY LAW AND AFTER DUE PROCESS. 
THE 
MUNICIPAL, 
CITY, 
PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNMENTS 
AND 
THE 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DILG) SHALL 
ESTABLISH A GRIEVANCE MECHANISM AS A MEANS OF PROCESSING 
COMPLAINTS OF BHWs AGAINST ALLEGED ACTS OF DISCRIMINATION AND 
UNJUST REMOVAL FROM THE SERVICE. A BHW MAY APPEAL THEIR 
GRIEVANCES TO THE DILG.  
 
SEC. 7. Section 34(b)(2) of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
 
"SEC. 34. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) — 
xxx 


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"(b). The following criteria must be observed in the conduct of HTA: 
 
"(2) Safety and Effectiveness. — Each intervention must have undergone Phase 
IV clinical trial, and systematic review and meta-analysis must be readily available. 
The interventions must also not pose any harm to the users and health care 
providers; PROVIDED THAT, IN CASE OF A PANDEMIC OR UPON THE 
DECLARATION OF A STATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, SUCH 
REQUIREMENTS MAY BE DISPENSED WITH;" 
xxx 
 
         SEC 8. Continuity of Benefits — Nothing in this Act shall be construed to eliminate 
or diminish any benefits or entitlements already granted to members of Philhealth. 
 
SEC 9. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force 
and effect. 
 
SEC 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
letters of instruction, proclamations, and administrative regulations that are inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC 11. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper 
of general circulation.  
 
           Approved,