FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIF’PINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 3252 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, section 12 states: “The State recognizes the sanctity 
of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social 
institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from 
conception. xxx” 
The World Health Organization recently released a scientific-based evidenced 
report entitled “Meeting Women’s Contraceptive Needs in the Philippines”. Among the 
key points stated by the report are as follows: 
Without contraceptive use in the Philippines, there would be 1.3 million more 
unplanned births, 0.9 million more induced abortions and 3,500 more 
maternal deaths each year. 
More than half of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unintended, with the 
highest proportions in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central and 
Eastern Visayas, and Caraga. 
Three in 10 Filipino women at risk for unintended pregnancy do not practice 
contraception. These women account for nearly seven in 10 unintended 
pregnancies. 
Poor women are especially likely to need assistance in preventing unintended 
pregnancy. The 35% of women aged 15 - 49 who are poor account for 53% of 
unmet need for contraception.’ 


In the Philippines, the alleged root cause o f  abortion is unintended pregnancy. 
Hence, expectant mothers should be aware of the services available, during and after 
pregnancy. This bill seeks to encourage and assist women to carry their children to live 
birth by providing services, during and after pregnancy, which will alleviate the financial, 
social, emotional, and other difficulties that may otherwise lead to abortion. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
2 
SENA 
S. B. No. 
9 
MAY 18 Po, :07 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A PREGNANT SUPPORT SERVICES OFFICE 
UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Care for Life Act of 2009”. 
SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. -As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
a. Pregnancy support services refers to services offered by the government, faith-based, 
and other providers, during and after pregnancy, that will encourage and assist 
women to carry their children to live birth by alleviating financial, social, emotional, 
and other difficulties that may otherwise lead to abortion, including the following: 
1. Material assistance, including maternity and baby clothing, diapers, baby food 
(including formula), and baby furniture 
2. Referrals for adoption, job training, housing, assistance with domestic 
violence, and food stamps and other governmental assistance. 
3. Crisis hotlines, including for violence or suicide prevention. 
4. Pro-bono obstetric and prenatal care services for women intending to carry 
their children to live birth, including services during pregnancy and following 
childbirth, and neonatal care services, including referrals for such services. 
5. Pro-bono legal services to assist women who wish to carry their children to 
live birth and parents with newborn children. 
6. Child care services. 
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7. Services to assist parents to care for, and prepare to care for, a child with 
Down Syndrome or another prenatally diagnosed condition, and to facilitate 
the adoption of such children as appropriate. 
8. Life skills mentoring, including to enhance the following competencies: 
i. Strengthening marriage. 
ii. Communication and conflict management for building healthy 
marriages and families. 
iii. Decision-making and relationship-building skills prior to mamage. 
iv. High-risk behavior awareness. 
9. Life-skills counseling. 
b. Secretary refers to the Department of Health Secretary; 
SECTION 3. Pregnant Support Sewices Of$ce. - The Department of Health shall 
establish an Office of Pregnant Support Services which shall encourage and assist pregnant 
women to carry their children to live birth by providing services, during and after pregnancy, that 
will alleviate the financial, social, emotional and other difficulties that may otherwise lead to an 
abortion. 
SECTION 4. Pregnancy Care Information Service. - The Secretary shall develop and 
maintain a comprehensive, publicly accessible, and user friendly database, to be known as the 
Pregnancy Care Information Service, to serve as a consolidated source of information on 
pregnancy support services. Further, it shall include pertinent information on the providers of 
the pregnancy support services listed in the database. 
SECTION 5. Annual Conference. - The Secretary shall conduct an annual nationwide 
best practices conference, gathering experts from State and local governments, prenatal and 
parenting care centers, and other relevant facilities to: 
a. Share information on best practices in pregnancy support services; and 
b. Identify and address key burdens or adverse circumstances facing pregnant women, 
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SECTION 6. Public Outreach, - The Secretary shall develop and implement a public 
outreach campaign to provide information on pregnancy support services to vulnerable women, 
including those in low-income, urban and rural areas. 
SECTION 7. Parental Care Grants to Institution of Higher Education. - The Secretary 
may award competitive grants to institutions of higher education for the exclusive purpose of 
providing pregnancy support services, which may include: 
a. Employing a registered nurse, physician assistant or physician with specialized 
training in prenatal care. 
b. Establishing and maintaining student outreach programs to provide prenatal care, 
parenting assistance, and student housing assistance to the institution’s pregnant and 
parenting students. 
SECTION 8. Annual Report. - The Secretary shall submit an annual report to Congress 
on the activities, the funds expended on such activities, and the results achieved through such 
activities. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter o f  instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Ifldp 
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