NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 2062
of f!ic S' . ci
23 m 12 P2:l4
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
EXPANDING PHILHEALTH COVERAGE TO INCLUDE BENEFIT PACKAGE TO 
ALL MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Mental disorders are conditions that affect a person's thinking, feelings, mood, 
and behavior. These may be occasional or chronic. These can affect someone's ability 
to relate to others and to function each day.1 In the Philippines, Department of Health 
(DOH) estimates that at least 3.6 million Filipinos are facing mental health issues.2
The voices in their heads, the loneliness they cannot control, and the hollowness 
and emptiness they can feel towards life, a person who is suffering from mental 
disorders cannot easily escape from these depths of sorrow and is helpless on how to 
deal with them.
Persons that suffer with this kind of ailment require government's attention 
similar to other health related concerns, especially those individuals that are below the 
poverty line. Unfortunately, PhilHealth at present only covers mental health illnesses 
such as dementia, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders under 
Mental and Behavioral Disorders by in-patient admission case rate, which only
1 MedlinePlus. (2021, March 15). Mental Disorders. Medlineplus.gov; National Library of Medicine. 
https://medlineplus.gov/mentaldisorders.html
2 Mental Health on the Move in the Philippines - Meet the Lusog-Isip App - URC. (2021, December 22), from 
https://www.urc-chs.com/news/mental-health-on-the-move-in-the-philippines-meet-the-lusog-isip-app/


amounts to Php 7,800.OO.3 The coverage is very limited, and the amount is not 
sufficient to support the patient suffering from the illness.
Thus, this bill seeks to expand PhilHealth coverage to include a benefit package 
for all mental health disorders. PhilHealth, in consultation with the Department of 
Health (DOH), along with key stakeholders such as professional societies, patient 
organizations, and health facilities, shall develop a benefit package for Filipinos with 
mental health disorders. The benefit package shall cover emergency services, 
psychiatric and neurological services, and mental health gap action program (mhGAP). 
Also, a minor suffering from mental health disorders shall likewise be benefited by this 
mental health benefit package. This benefit package will be helpful to persons 
suffering from mental health disorders so they can no longer keep to themselves their 
own struggles and to cease the battle they have been facing for too long.
In light of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
c
MARK A. VILLAR
3 Technical assistance on the development of comprehensive philhealth
https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/studies/abstract/10.MentalHealth.psdf (Accessed: March 29, 2023).


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. pnRP.
of ii)e gjt’Ciettirj'
23 ABR12 P2:14
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
EXPANDING PHILHEALTH COVERAGE TO INCLUDE BENEFIT PACKAGE TO 
ALL MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ''Comprehensive Mental
2 
Health Benefit A ct"
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. -The State affirms the basic right of all Filipinos
4 
to mental health as well as the fundamental rights of people who require health
5 
services.
6 
The State commits itself in promoting the well-being of people by ensuring that;
7 
mental health is valued, promoted and protected; mental health conditions are treated
8 
and prevented; timely, affordable, high quality, and culturally-appropriate mental
9 
health case is made available to the public; mental health service are free from
10 
coercion and accountable to the service users; and persons affected by mental health
11 
conditions are able to exercise the full range of human rights, and participate fully in
12 
society and at work free from stigmatization and discrimination.
13 
The State shall comply strictly with its obligations under the United Nations
14 
Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities,
15 
and all other relevant international and regional human rights, conventions and
16 
declarations. The applicability of Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known


1 
as the "Magna Carta for Disabled Persons", to person with mental health conditions,
2 
as defined herein, is expressly recognized.
3 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms are defined
4 
as follows:
5 
(a) MentaiHeaith- refers to a state of well-being in which the individual realizes
6 
one's own abilities and potentials, scopes adequately with the normal
7 
stresses of life, displays resilience in the face of extreme life events, works
8 
productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a positive contribution to the
9 
community;
10 
(b) Mental Health Condition - refers to a neurologic or psychiatric condition
11 
characterized by the existence of a recognizable, clinically-significant
12 
disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotional regulation, or behavioral
13 
that reflects a genetic or acquired dysfunction in the neurological,
14 
psychosocial, or developmental process underlying mentai functioning. The
15 
determination of neurologic and psychiatric conditions shall be based on
16 
scientifically-accepted medical nomenclature and best available scientific
17 
and medical evidence;
18 
(c) Mental Disorders - refer to conditions that affect a person's thinking,
19 
feelings, mood, and behavior. These may be occasional or chronic.
20 
Sec. 4. Mental Health Benefit Package. - Withi n one (1) yea r from the effectivity
21 
of this Act, PhilHealth, in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), along
22 
with key stakeholders such as professional societies, patient organization, and health
23 
facilities, shall develop a benefit package for Filipinos with mental health illnesses. This
24 
benefit package shall cover all mental health disorders. Also, a minor suffering from
25 
mental health disorders shall likewise be benefited by this mental health benefit
26 
package. The benefit package shall cover emergency services, psychiatric and
27 
neurological services, and mental health gap action program (mhGAP).
28 
Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of DOH, in
29 
consultation with key stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and
30 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.


1 
Sec. 6. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
2 
charged against the total revenue of PhilHealth, composed of premium contributions
3 
from direct contributors and premium subsidies of the government for the indirect
4 
contributors.
5 
Sec. 7. Separabiiity Cause. - If any provision or part of this Act Is declared
6 
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full
7 
force and effect.
8 
Sec. 8. Repeaiing Cause. — All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and
9 
regulations, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
10 
Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
11 
its publication in the Officiai Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,