NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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72 NOV 10 P2:00
SENATE
S.B. No. 149.S
RECEIVED BY.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE EYE
EXAMINATIONS TO CHILDREN
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 11358, otherwise known as the National Vision Screening Act, 
was enacted on July 2019. It is intended to screen the eye vision of kindergarten 
students and identify eye problems at early childhood.
This proposed measure seeks to complement the said law. It aims to provide 
comprehensive eye examinations for children already identified at high risk of vision 
impairment.
Data from the Philippine Eye Research Institute (PERI) as of 2017 showed that 
one in 20 pre-schoolers and one in 4 school-aged children experienced eye problems. 
Over 10% of Filipino children were also expected to have "visual acuity" issues or 
problems with their vision.
With the current distance learning set-up among Filipino students, this number 
is expected to rise. Thus, the urgency of this measure.
RAMQ
BONG REVILLA, JR.


LON.
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
S.B. No. 1495
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Senate
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*22 NOV 10 P2fl0
RtCEl'i'DBV
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE EYE
EXAMINATIONS TO CHILDREN
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short title. - This Act shall be known as the "Children's Vision 
Improvement and Learning Readiness Act of 2022".
Sec. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms and 
phrases shall mean as follows:
A. Secretary- means Secretary of Health;
B. Child -as defined by Part 1, Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of 
the Child, shall mean every human being below the age of eighteen 
years; and
C. Comprehensive eye examination - means an assessment of a patient's 
history, general medical observation, external and ophthalmoscopic 
examination, visual acuity, ocular alignment and motility, refraction, and 
as appropriate, binocular vision or gross visual fields, performed by an 
optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
Sec. 3. Grants Regarding Comprehensive Eye Examinations for Children. -


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A) In General - The Secretary may make grants to cities and municipalities for the
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purpose of:
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1) Providing comprehensive eye examinations for children identified or considered
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at high risk of vision impairment, with priority given to school-based programs
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for children;
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2) Providing subsequent treatment or services necessary to correct vision
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problems; and
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3) Developing and disseminating, to parents, teachers, heaith care practitioners,
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and the public, educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment
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in children, and the State's vision improvement initiatives.
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B) Criteria and Coordination.
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1) Criteria. - The Secretary, in consultation with appropriate professional and
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consumer organizations including individuals with knowledge of age-
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appropriate vision services, shall develop criteria -
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a) Governing the operation of the grant program; and
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b) For the collection of data related to vision assessment and the utiiization of
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follow up services.
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C) Application. - A grant may be made under Paragraph (A) only if an application for
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the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, made
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in such manner, and contains such information as the Secretary may require,
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including:
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1) Information on existing government-funded children's vision screening
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programs;
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2) a plan for the use of grant funds. Including how funds will be used to
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complement existing country's efforts;
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3) a plan to determine if a grant eligible child has received an age-appropriate
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vision screening; and
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4) a description of how funds will be used to provide items or services only as a
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secondary payer to -
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a) any government compensation program, under an insurance policy, or
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under any government health benefits program; or
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b) by any entity that provides health services on a prepaid basis.


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D) Evaluations. - A grant may be made under paragraph (A) only if the municipality 
involved agrees that, not later than one (1) year after the date on which amounts 
under the grant are first received by the municipality, and annually thereafter while 
receiving amounts under the grant, the municipality will submit to the Secretary 
an evaluation of the operations and activities carried out under the grant, including:
1) An assessment of the utilization of vision services and the status of children 
receiving these services as a result of the activities carried out under the grant;
2) The collection, analysis, and reporting of children's vision data according to 
guidelines prescribed by the Secretary; and
3) Such other information as the Secretary may require.
Sec. 4. Authorization of Appropriations. - For the purpose of carrying out this 
Act, such sums as may be deemed appropriate by the Secretary are hereby authorized 
to be appropriated from the National Treasury.
Sec. 5. Separabiiity Ciause. If any portion of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the portions or provisions which are not affected shall 
continue to be in full force and effect.
Sec. 6. Repeating Ciause. All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and 
regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.
Sec. 7. Effectivity Ciause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved.