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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo,__ 2613

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA
Representatives NERI uJ. COLMENARES and CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

AN ACT
GRANTING MANDATORY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
FOR TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS AND OTHER HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE,
BIRTHS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Mothers after being informed that they have multiple pregnancies experience happiness mixed with
trepidation and unsure of their capacity to sustain the family. Corollary to that are the
expenses with extended hospital confinement and frequent hospital visits during the prenatal,
delivery and postnatal check-ups including hospital obstetrical care - ultrasound scan, hospital
visits, in-patient stay, delivery and postnatal care including admittance of the multiple-birth babies
to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after birth. Further, the more babies born in the set (ic.
triplets, etc.), the lower the birth weight of each child and the increase in admittance to NICUs.
Statistics also show that almost half of all multiple births are premature.

More often than not, death becomes unavoidable for one or more of the babies and even of the
mothers resulting from complications during pregnancy or at childbirth. This situation then
becomes doubly devastating for the family, psychologically and financially.

After birth, extra care and attention is needed by these babies and even of their mothers, logical.y,
more than single childbirths require. ‘Thus, there is 2 need to extend not only matemity leave
benefits, but also the patemity leave benefics, for both parents to help the children adjust in their

predicament, and even the parents themselves as well

Children of multiple births also mean additional financial burden to the parents, doubling or
tripling the expenses for every child as they grow older, and more so if they have disabilities. .As
most of multiple birth incidents, the preparation of the parents having to raise more children than
what was expected is an issue that calls upon the government to be concerned about, especially to

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those from among poor to middle class families
‘This bill therefore seeks to assist parents of triplets, quadruplets and higher order multiple births
who are faced wich the problem of raising several children all at the same time and are not
economically prepared for such a situation, Specifically, mandatory support for these famili
called for on:

1, All prenatal, delivery and postnatal care services

2. Funeral expenses in case of death of any one or more of the multiple births or their

mothers;
3. Extended paternity and maternity leaves for parents;

4, Health and nutrition and educational support

‘Thus, the immediate approval of this bill is eamestly sought.

j z ad
Rep. caBede Broad yore

Bayan Muna ParbySLitt



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2613

House Bill No, __

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA
Representatives NERI J. COLMENARES and CARLOS ISAGANT T, ZARATE,

AN ACT
GRANTING MANDATORY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
FOR TRIPLETS, QUADRUPLETS.
AND OTHER HIGHER ORDER MULTIPLE BIRTHS,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1, Short Title ~ This Act shall be known as “Multiple Births Support Law of 2013”,

Section 2, Declaration of Policy ~
the 1987 Philippine

ction 11 of Art, XIII = Social Justice and Human Rights, of
Constitution provides:

Section 11, The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services

available to all people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the
underprivileged sil, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide

free medical care to paxpers.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. ~ For purposes of this Act:

a. Higher order multiples - refer to triplets (3 babies), quadruplets (4 babies), quintuplets (5
babies) or even more babies. Higher order multiples can be any combination of the ewo
basic twin types - 1 pair of identical twins plus 1 fraternal qwin, 2 sets of fraternal

twins, etc.

b. Childbirth ~ includes both labor (the process of birth) and delivery (the birth itself); it
refers to the entire process as an infant makes its way from the womb down the birth
canal to the outside world,

, at delivery and in the
This also

©. Childbirth expenses — refer to expenses incurred during pregnan
carly post natal period, including hospital, medical and surgical expenses.
includes professional fees of attending physician/s in all public and private hospita
medical facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services;

d, Child Bengjiz ~ is a payment defined by Section 4.4 of this Act, made to all parents of
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multiples provided that their joint annual incomes do not exceed P225,000 which is
the 5" income decile under the ‘Total Family Income and Expenditures and Savings ac
Current Prices for 2009. Said income shall adjust according to succeeding changes ie
the FIES values by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The monthly support <iall
continue until the child/children reach/es 18 unless he/she/they have physica’ o:
mental disabilicy.

©. Extended Paternal and Maternal Leave Benefits - refer to extra seven (7) days and thirty
(30) days granted for the employed father and mother of the multiples, respectively, in
the public and private sectors, ‘These are additional days to what is mandated by Aide
133 ofthe Labor Code and Section 14-A of "Soda Seearty Ae of 1997" (Republic Net No, 8282)

f. Maternal Death ~ refers to death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of
termination of pregnancy, intespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from
any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management

Q. Medical Services - refer to hospital services, professional services of physicians and ether
health care professionals and diagnostics and laboratory tests that are necessary for the
diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury;

h, Multiple Birth Loss/es ~ refer to loss of life (or death) of any of the higher order mule ples
through miscarriage, stillbirth and early infant deaths.

Section 4, Coverage of Government Support for Families with Higher Multiple Births.
Parents of higher order multiples shall be entitled co the following assistance free of charge:

Section 4.1 Medical check-ups, surgery/ies, laboratory and other tests incidental to the
prenatal, delivery and postnatal care of all mothers and multiples in all public
hospitals and medical institutions.

Section 4.2 All funeral expenses in case of death or loss of any one of the higher order
multiples or the mother shall be shouldered by the government.

Section 4.3, Paid paternity and maternity leave benefits as defined by Section 3e

Section 4.4, The mandatory monthly support per child shall be:

4. Health and nutrition support per child shall be equivalent to the
prevailing daily minimum wage.

2, Educational support per child shall be equivalent to one half of the
prevailing daily minimum wage,

Support shall be availed of until legal age. There is also increased independence
permitted by the parents or legal guardians.

In case the child has physical or mental disability, support may be lengthened

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depending on the degree and type of disability.

Section 4.5. Exclusion fom Coverage. Families of multiples carning an annual income
exceeding that of the 5" income decile under the Total FIES at current prices shall be
excluded from government support stated above.

Section 5, Implementing Agencies. The Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) with the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall
jointly issue the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act.

Section 6, Appropriations. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shal. be
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law. vr
amount of Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000) shall be allocated for the first year of iss
implementation,

Section 7. Separability Clause. If any postion or provision of this Act is declared voi! or
unconstitutional, the remaining postions or provisions hercof shall not be affected by such
declaration

Section 8 Repealing Clause, Any provision of law or regulations inconsistent hetewith is hereby
repealed, revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 9, Lffectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in ewe (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,