FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
9 a 2 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 15, Section 1 provides: 
"The State recognizes the Filipino family as the 
foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its 
solidarity and actively promote its total development." 
The child, as apart of the family, is one of the most important assets of the 
nation. Consequently, the State should exert every effort to promote the child's 
welfare and enhance his opportunities for a useful and happy life. 
A child, separated from his family, loses the opportunity to develop in a 
wholesome and harmonious atmosphere conducive to his proper upbringing, 
particularly with respect to his preparation for adult life and the conscientious 
discharge of his civic duties as a whole. 
Accordingly, this bill seeks to require hospitals: 
a) to establish and 
implement security procedures to reduce the likelihood of infant patient abduction 
and baby switching; and b) to devise procedures for identifying all infant patients 
in the hospital in a manner that ensures it will be evident if infants are missing 
from the hospital. 
For all the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
932 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT SECURITY 
PROCEDURES TO REDUCE THE 
L1KELIHOD OF INFANT PATIENT 
ABDUCTION AND BABY SWITCHING, INCLUDING PROCEDURES FOR 
IDENTIFYING ALL INFANT PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL IN A MANNER 
THAT ENSURES IT WILL BE EVIDENT IF INFANTS ARE MISSING FROM 
THE HOSPITAL. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. 
This Act shall be known as the "Infant 
Protection and Baby Switching Prevention Act." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to protect the 
Filipino family, 
strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total 
development. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) 
"Identification Record" means a record maintained by hospital to aid 
in the identification of newborn patients of the hospital, including 
any of the following: 
(i) 
The footprint, fingerprint or photograph of the newborn 
patient; 
(ii) 
A written description of the infant; and 
(iii) 
An identification bracelet or anklet put on the newborn 
patient, or the mother of the newborn patient by a staff 
member of the hospital. 
(2) 
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Health. 
SEC. 4. Establishment of Security Procedures. 
In 
the 
case 
of 
hospital and critical access hospitals which provide neonatal or infant care, to 
have in effect security procedures that meet standards established by the 
Secretary in consultation with appropriate organizations) to reduce the likelihood 


of infant patient abduction and baby switching, including standards for identifying 
all infant patients in the hospital in a manner that ensures that it will be evident if 
infants are missing from the hospital. 
SEC. 5. Regulations. The Secretary of Health shall: 
, 
(A) 
consult with 
various 
organizations 
representing 
consumers, 
appropriate national and local regulatory agencies, hospitals and 
critical access hospitals; 
(B) 
take into account variations in size and location of hospitals and 
critical access hospitals and the percentage of overall services 
furnished by such hospitals and critical access hospitals and 
neonatal care and infant care represent; and 
(C) 
promulgate specific regulations that address each size and type of 
hospital covered. 
SEC. 6. Publication. Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish such regulations. 
SEC. 7. Violations and Penalties. 
(1) 
by a Hospital. 
A hospital which falls to have in effect security 
procedures that meet standards established by the Secretary under 
Section 4 of this Act to reduce the likelihood of infant patient 
abduction and baby switching, including standards for identifying all 
infant patients in the hospital in a manner that ensures that it will be 
evident if infants are missing from the hospital, shall be subject to a 
civil monetary penalty of not more than One Million Pesos 
(P1,000,000.00) or not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P500,000.00) in the case of a hospital with less than 100 beds. 
(2) 
Baby Switching is committed by one who knowingly alters or 
destroys an identification record of a newborn patient with the 
intention that the newborn patient be misidentified by any person 
shall be fined not more than Fifty Thousand pesos (P50,000.00) in 
the case of an individual and not more than Five Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) in the case of an organization or 
imprisonment for not more than five (5) years or both. 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. If any provision, or part hereof, is held and 
invalid or uinconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not 
otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting . 
. SEC. 9. 
Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,