EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
7201

House Bill No.
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Data shows that in 2018, there are already at least 8 million senior citizens in the
country accounting for around 8% of the total population

The country needs a specialized health facility/hospital focused on providing a full
range of health care services, including primary care, wellness services, and behavioral
health care to the elderly population of the country. The facility will also enable our elderly
population who are most vulnerable to diseases to avail of much needed specialized health
care.

With this, we can ensure that our senior citizens will not be neglected when it comes
to their health needs.

In view of foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is eamestly requested.

RUFYS‘B. ROD! EZ


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
7101

House Bill No.

AN ACT
CONVERTING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH INTO A
CORPORATE BODY TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC
HEALTH AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE," AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “National Center for Geriatric
Health and Research Institute Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health of older persons by ensuring that health services are available
and accessible to them through the establishment of a specialized hospital that will cater to
their medical needs.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(a) Geriatric health services refer to the medical services or intervention provided
by a multi-disciplinary team usually headed by a Geriatrician;

(b) Geriatrician refers to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary training
and examination, and specializes in the field of Geriatrics;

(©) Geriatrics refers to the sub-specialty of Internal Medicine that aims to
promote health, and to prevent and treat disabilities of older adults;

(4) Gerontology refers to the study of the biological, psychological, spiritual,
social, economic, and demographics aspects of the aging process;

(e) Integrated delivery of geriatric health services refers to hospital and
community-based medical and psycho-social services provided to senior
citizens by a multi-disciplinary team;

(f) — Multi-discipiinary team refers to a team composed of health professionals
headed by a geriatrician and includes surgeons, organ-system specialists,
nurses, clinical pharmacist, rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, dentists,
social workers, caregivers, family members, and patients themselves; and

(9) Senior citizens or older persons refer to Filipino citizens who are at least sixty
(60) years old

SEC. 4. Conversion of the National Center for Geriatric Health ((NCGH). - NCGH, located
in San Miguel, Manila, is hereby converted into a corporate body to be known as the
“National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute” (NCGHRI). The NCGHRI shall
be attached to the Department of Health (DOH) for the primary benefit of senior citizens or
the elderly. The bed capacity of the hospital shall be increased from fifty (50) to one
hundred (100).

SEC. 5. Purposes and Objectives. — The NCGHRI shall have the following purposes and
objectives:


(a)

(b)

(o)

()

(e)

0)

(9)

Equip, maintain, administer, and operate an integrated medical institution,
which shall specialize in geriatric health services;

Geriatrician refers to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary training
and examination, and specializes in the field of Geriatrics;

Provide and maintain affordable, quality, and timely hospital care through an
efficient health service delivery system, which prioritizes the needs of the
elderly and the resources which will provide free medical care to indigent
citizens;

Finance, sponsor, hold, or participate in congress, conventions, conferences,
seminars, workshops, and training programs on geriatric health services or
related fields in the Philippines and abroad;

Encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, nurses,
health officers, social workers, and other medical and technical personnel in
the practical and scientific implementation of health services to the older
persons;

Coordinate the various efforts and activities of other goverment agencies
and local goverment units for the purpose of achieving a more effective
approach to the delivery of geriatric health services; and

Extend medical services to elderly persons pursuant to the goals, objectives,
and rules of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).

SEC. 6. Scope of Services. - Consistent with its purposes and objectives, the NCGHRI
shall provide the following services:

(a)

(b)

()

(a)

(e)

Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and
equipment necessary to provide long term and palliative services with its
wards divided into the following: dementia, long term care, palliative care,
respite care, and other units as may be deemed necessary;

Community-based services to develop and implement community-based
programs in partnership with local government units, conduct research and
extemal resource outsourcing to implement community-based integrated
geriatric health services, and conduct training necessary for the social
functioning of senior citizens and their families, utilizing the multi-disciplinary
team approaches;

Education programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of practice in
the specialized field of geriatrics and other related fields, and to conduct post-
graduate training and short-term courses for medical doctors and allied
medical professions;

Program development and research to develop cutting edge researches and
programs to combat diseases of old age, promote active health care, and to
provide necessary consultancy service, technical assistance, and standard
setting tor geriatric wards in every tertiary level hospital, nursing homes, and
residential center catering to the health and functioning needs of senior
citizens, in coordination with the Philippine Council on Health Research and
Development (PCHRD) and the Institute of Aging of the National Institute of
Health (IA-NIH); and

Assistance in the installation of a “senior citizens ward’ in every govemment
hospital for the exclusive use of senior citizens who are in need of hospital
confinement by reason of their health conditions, pursuant to Section 5 (c) of
Republic Act 9994 otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of
2010.”

SEC. 7. Board of Trustees. - The NCGHRI shall be administered by a Board of Trustees,
hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be composed of the following

(a)

Secretary of Health, as Chairperson;


(b) Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as Vice-Chairperson;

(©) _ Director of the Institute of Aging of the National Institute of Health;

(d) Chief Executive Officer/President of the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation;

(e) President of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines;

() President of the Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology;

(g) One representative from the Philippine Medical Association with expertise in
the field or geriatrics and gerontology;

(h) One representative from non-governmental organizations which provide
services for senior citizens duly registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) or any appropriate regulatory body and with programs
accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as
member,

(i) Two representatives from the private sector; and

() Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital.

The members of the Board enumerated in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) shall
serve as ex-officio members. The ex-officio members of the Board may designate their
respective alternates who shall be the officials next-in-rank to them and whose acts shall be
considered the acts of their principals.

The members of the Board under subparagraphs (e), (f), (h), (i) and () shall be
appointed by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of
Health for the first initial appointees, and then by the Board for subsequent appointees.

The appointive members of the Board shall serve for one (1) year, unless sooner
removed for a cause,

No person shall be appointed member of the Board unless a citizen and a resident of
the Philippines, of good moral character, and has attained proficiency, expertise, and
recognized competence in one or more of the following fields: hospital finance and
administration, medical care, public health care, government rules and regulations, law,
business management, or marketing. The members of the Board should have at least five
(5) year experience in their fields of expertise.

To maintain the quality of management, the DOH, in coordination with the DSWD,
subject to the approval of the President, shall prescribe, pass upon, and review the
qualifications and disqualifications of individuals appointed as members of the Board and
shall disqualify those found unfit.

The Board shall be govemed by a set of by-laws, which shall include the members’
responsibilities, accountabilities, and cause of termination.

The members of the Board shall be composed of a maximum of eleven (11)
members.

SEC. 8. Powers and Functions. - The Board shall have the following powers and functions
in addition to its general powers of administration:

(a) Formulate and adopt the by-laws, rules and regulations, policies, guidelines.
and procedures consistent with law and the provisions of this Act to govern
the administration and operations of the NCGHRI:

(b) Formulate and develop programs for the enhancement of healthcare services
for older persons, including the training of NCGHRI personnel and resident
doctors;

(©) _ Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical institutions,
domestic or foreign, as may be necessary, in attaining the purposes and
objectives of the NCGHRI;

(d) Receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations, or real and personal properties
of all kinds, and to administer the same for the benefit of the NCGHRI, in
accordance with the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default


thereof, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion,
determine;

(e) _ Receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law such sums as may be
provided by law for the support of the NCGHRI; and

() Perform all such other acts as maybe necessary for or incidental to the
accomplishment of the objectives of the NCGHRI

SEC. 9. Organizational Structure and Staffing pattern. — The Board shall determine the
organizational structure and staffing pattern of the NGHRI subject to the evaluation by the
Civil Service Commission and of the Organization Position Classification and
Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the DOH
The Board may recognize said structure, modify the staffing pattern, and create or abolish
divisions, sections, or units in the NCGHRI.

SEC. 10. Corporate Officers. - The Board shall appoint a Secretary and such other officers
as may be deemed necessary to carry out its objectives. Selection of the corporate officers
must be based on the fundamental and specific qualifications prescribed by existing laws.

SEC. 11. Chief Executive Officer. - The NCGHRI shall be headed by a Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines for a term of one
(1) year and renewable upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health.

The CEO shall exercise the following powers and functions:

(a) Execute the policies, guidelines, and programs approved by the Board, and
be responsible for the efficient discharge of management and operational
functions;

(b) Submit for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed measures,
policies, guidelines, and programs as deemed necessary or proper for the
effective implementation of the purposes and objectives of the Act;

(©) Direct and supervise the management, operation, and administration of the
NCGHRI and may delegate this power and any or some of his administrative
responsibilities and duties to the other officers of the NCGHRI;

(4) Execute, on behalf of the Board, all contracts and agreements which the latter
may enter into, and to execute, accomplish, and deliver any and all
documents relative to such contracts and agreements;

(e) _ Represent the NCGHRI in all dealings with other persons or entities, whether
domestic or foreign, and whether government and private;

(f) Determine the staffing patter and the number of personnel at the NCGHRI
and define their duties and responsibilities;

(a) Recommend to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal,
and suspension of officers and employees of the NCGHRI; and

(h) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be vested
or reposed by the Board.

SEC. 12. Board of Trustees’ Meetings and Quorum. - The Board shall hold meetings at least
‘once a month. Special meetings may be convened at the call of the Chairperson or by the
majority of the members of the Board. Six (6) members of the Board shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of official business.

SEC. 13. Property of NCGHRI. - The property of NCGHRI shall consist of real, personal,
and other types of property previously owned by, or reserved for, the NCGHRI, or property
which may hereafter be given, donated, acquired, transferred, or conveyed to it by the
Philippine goverment, its branches and instrumentalities, or any foreign government, as
well as by trust, foundation, corporations or persons, alien or domestic, in order to carry out
its purposes and objectives as set forth herein.


SEC. 14. Appointment by the Board. — The Board shall have the authority to appoint,
promote, transfer, remove, suspend, or otherwise discipline the officers or employees of the
NCGHRI upon the recommendation of the Chief Operating Officer (COO), subject to Civil
Service laws, rules, and regulations.

SEC. 15. Executive Committee. - The Board may, by a resolution approved by the majority
of all its members, create an Executive Committee of not more than five (5) members whom
it shall appoint. At least three (3) members of the Executive Committee shall be members of
the Board. The Executive Committee shall exercise all such powers as may be delegated
to it by the Board. The Executive Committee shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings
and report the same to the Board whenever required. The Board shall have the power to
change the members of the Executive Committee at any time, to fill vacancies therein and to
discharge or dissolve such Committee either with or without cause.

SEC. 16. Compensation of Members of the Board of trustees. - The members of the Board
by resolution of the majority or the members in good standing of the NCGHRI, may claim
expenses for their attendance in regular or special meetings: Provided, however, that actual
and necessary expenses of the members of the Board, while serving the interests of
NCGHRI and in pursuit of its defined objectives and purposes, may be allowed by special
board resolution.

The appointive non-government members of the Board shall be entitled to
honorarium for each meeting actually attended at rates determined under existing laws,
rules, and regulations

SEC. 17. Civil Service Law Coverage for Employees. — The hiring, appointment, promotion,
discipline, and other terms and conditions of the service of all employees of the NCGHRI
shall be consistent with the provisions of the Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations,
except as otherwise provided for in this Act

SEC. 18. Security of Tenure of' Civil Service Officers and Employees of the Corporation. —
The provision of Republic Act No. 6656 entitled, “An Act fo Protect the Security of Tenure of
Civil Service Officers and Employees in the Implementation of Govemment Reorganization”
and other existing laws shall apply to all officers and employees of NCGHRI except to the
members of the Board

SEC. 19. Salaries, Benefits, and Other Compensation. — The salaries, benefits, and other
compensation of the officers and employees of the NCGHRI shall be in accordance with the
existing compensation and the standard position classification for employees of the
government. Provided, That there shall be no diminution in the salaries and benefits of the
employees and officers.

SEC. 20. Early Retirement and Separation Benefits. — Officials and employees of the NCGH
voluntarily opting for separation or retirement shall be entitled to the benefits provided for
under existing laws.

SEC. 21. Assistance from other Goverment Offices. - The NCGHRI may call upon any
department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government for such assistance,
as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes and objectives.

Alll individual, entities, and institutions are hereby enjoined to render full assistance
and cooperation to the NCGHRI in the accomplishment of its objectives and activities.

SEC. 22. Program for indigents. The Board shall ensure that the NCGHRI shall adopt and
enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for the indigent patients shall
not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of hospital beds.


SEC. 23. Tax Exemptions. - Any donation, bequest, and grant shall be exempt from donor's
tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction from the gross income of the
donor in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
amended.

The NCGHRI is hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal
revenue taxes, tariff, and customs duties, and all other kinds of taxes, fees, charges, and
amendments thereto, levied by the goverment and its political subdivisions, agencies, and
in instrumentalities.

SEC. 24. Hospital Trust Fund. ~ All funds not coming from the General Appropriations Act
(GAA), such as contributions from taxes and assessments from authorized sweepstakes
lotteries, donations, legacies, and endowment from various sources, domestic and foreign
entities and individuals, and income of pay wards and other hospital services shall he used
and disbursed only upon the authorization of the Board for the purposes of enhancing the
health services for the elderly and the improvement of hospital facilities, which include the
purchase of medicines, supplies, hospital beds, equipment, and career advancement.
Provided, That disbursements shall be in accordance with existing accounting and auditing
rules and regulations: Provide, further, That, the funds shall be exclusive for hospital
utilization and shall not be used to cover personnel services expenditures.

SEC. 25. Transfer of Personnel, Assets, Records, and Equipment. — All personnel, assets,
records, equipment, and liabilities of the NCGH are hereby transferred to and shall
henceforth appertain to the NCGHRI as a Corporation.

SEC. 26. Annual Report. - The NCGHRI, through its Board, shall submit an annual report to
the President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and the
House Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments, and recommendations to
better improve the delivery of geriatric health services.

SEC. 27. Auditor. — The Commission on Audit shall appoint a representative who shall be
the auditor of the NCGHRI and such personnel as may be necessary.

SEC. 28. Effect of Dissolution. — In the event that NCGHRI is dissolved for any reason, all its
remaining properties at the time of such dissolution shall be placed under the custody of
DOH

SEC. 29. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged to the DOH appropriations under the current GAA. Thereafter, such sum as_ may
be necessary for the continued operation of the NCGHRI shall be included in the annual
GAA

SEC. 30. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act, the DOH, in coordination with the DSWD, and the DBM shall promulgate such rules
and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 31. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in full
force and effect.

SEC. 32. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive and administrative orders, rules and
regulations inconsistent with the foregoing provisions are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly

SEC. 33. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,