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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR A NATIONAL PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN 
TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WOMEN'S PREVENTIVE HEAL Tl-Il 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, ArtIcle 13, Section 11 states: 
Section 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health dl~velopment which shall endeavor to make essential goods, 
health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
There shall be priority for the needs of the under-privileged, sick, elderly, 
disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical 
care to paupers. 
According to a publication by the Philippine Heart Association, Filipino women, as part 
of their culture, would rather put the health concern of their husbands and children before their 
own, As a result, many women die from complications caused by the late detection of diseases, 
Most deadly disease plaguing women can be prevented by early detection and in some cases, 
vaccination, However, in the Philippines, access to tertiary health care and expertise of a 
specialist is not always available. 
One of these deadly diseases is cancer. According to a report by the Medical City, 
cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Filipino women, Incidence starts 
rising steeply at age 35, and that in the Philippines late-stage diagnosis is prevalent. The report 
likewise said that 56% of Fil ipino women with cervical cancer will die within five years from the 
time of detection and that twdve Filipino women die of cervical cancer cvery day. 
In the United States, well-woman visits are the foundation on which women's preventive 
care is built. Such visits include not only specific screening tests, but also a medical history, 
physical examination, evaluation and counseling, and, as indicated, vaccinations. Over the past 
20 years, it has become ckar that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to prevention. 
Although a 30-year-old woman without risk factors for cervical cancer may only need a Pap tcst 
with Human papillomavirus (HPV) co-testing every five years, the same woman would need 
more frequent screening if she were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or had a 
history of cervical cancer precursors. It is only after taking a medical history and evaluating and 
counseling a patient that a physician can make patient-specific recommendations for screening 
tests, vaccinations, preventive medications, and other preventive services, 
Well-woman visits facilitate increased access to health care that is shown to identify 
chronic disease risk factors, promote well-being, and decrease the likelihood or delay the onset 
of a targeted disease or condition, This bill therefore seeks to provide for a national public 
I This bill was filed as H,R, No, 2457 in the 113'h Congress First Session of the United States I-louse of 
Representatives. 
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outreach and education campaign to raise public awareness of women's preventive health, in 
order decrease the mortality rate of women caused by preventable diseases. 
~~ )~ 
MIRIAM DEF~S~ANTIA.60 
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2 


" 
., 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
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! .. ;Srilldi' 
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SEP -8 P 3 :25 
S. No. 2391 
________ . __________________ 
R_E_(--'-'!,'-';'-'-'\Tll in. -5=' 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representative of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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AN ACT 
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TO PROVIDE FOR A NATIONAL PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN 
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TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WOMEN'S PREVENTIVE HEALTH 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act may be cited as the "Women's Preventive Health 
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Awareness Campaign", 
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SECTION 2, Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to adopt an integrated 
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and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential 
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goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost, especially 
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women among others, and endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - The following are hereby defined: 
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(1) Secretary shall mean the Secretary of the Department of Health; 
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(2) Well woman visits shall mean preventive care visit annually for adult women to 
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obtain the recommended preventive services that are age and developmentally 
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appropriate, including preconception care and many services necessary for prenatal 
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care, This well-woman visit should, where appropriate, include other preventive 
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services listed in a set of guidelines to be issued by the Department of Health 
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(3) Women's preventive services shall cover the following: 
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(A) Screening for gestational diabetes - In pregnant women between 24 and 28 
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weeks of gestation and at the first prenatal visit for pregnant women identified 
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to be at high risk for diabetes. 
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(B) High-risk human papillomavirus DNA testing in women with normal cytology 
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results. Screening should begin at 30 years of age and should occur no more 
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frequently than every 3 years. 
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(C) Annual counseling on sexually transmitted infections for all sexually active 
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women, 
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(D) Annual counseling and screening for human immune-deficiency virus 
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infection for all sexually active women. 
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(E) All approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient 
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education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity as 
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defined, allowed, and prescribed under the Republic Act No. 10354 or the 
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Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of2012; 
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(F) Comprehensive lactation support and counseling, by a trained provider during 
pregnancy and/or in the postpartum period, and costs for renting breastfceding 
in conjunction with each birth 
(G) Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence. 
SECTION 4, In General, -The Secretary shall provide for the planning and 
implementation of a national public outreach and education campaign to raise public awareness, 
including provider awareness, of women's preventive health, Such campaign shall include the 
media campaign under Section 5 and the website under Section 6 and shall provide tor the 
dissemination of information that-
(1) describes the guidelines for women's preventive services, including the 
cervical cancer recommendations updated in 2014, by the Philippine Cancer Society, by 
the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, the Philippine of Cervical 
Pathology and Colposcopy, and by the Philippine Society of Pathologists; 
(2) promotes well-woman visits for health assessments which include screenings, 
evaluations, counseling, immunizations, and prenatal visilS, as appropriate; 
(3) explains the women's preventive services that should be given free of charge 
by the local health center and by accredited state hospitals by the Department of Health; 
(4) addresses health disparities in the area of women's prevention. 
SECTION 5, Media Campaign.-
(1) In general. -- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
section, as part of the campaign under Section 4, the Secretary shall establish and 
implement a national media campaign, 
(2) Requirement of campaign, - The campaign implemented under paragraph 
(1)-
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(A) shall disseminate infolmation about the updated guidelines for 
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women's preventive services described in Section 4(1), promote well-woman 
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visits described in Section 4(2), and provide information on the women's 
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preventive services described in Section 4(3); and 
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(8) may include the use of television, radio, Internet, and other 
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commercial marketing venues, 
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SECTION 6. Website, - As part of the campaign under Section 4, the Secretary shall, in 
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consultation with private sector experts or tln'ough contract with a private entity including a 
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medical association or non -profit organization, maintain and update an Internet website (0 
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provide information and resources about the updated guidelines for women's preventive services 
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described in Section 4(1), promote well-woman visits, and provide information on the women's 
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preventive services described in Section 4(3). 
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SECTION 7. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
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such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (0 carry out this Act. 
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SECTION 8, Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting, 
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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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'( 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - 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, 
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