SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
656 
SENATE BILL NO. __ 
_ 
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'13 
JUL -8 P5:23 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G, EJERCITO 
, 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
IArticle II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution succinctly 
provi~es that "the State shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them." 
Consonant with this Constitutional provision, it is also stipulated 
under Article XIII, Section 11, mandating the State to take certain 
steps to prioritize the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, 
disabled, women, and children and that the State shall endeavor to 
provide free medical care to paupers. 
This proposed measure aims to establish a free medicine 
assistance program in a health district" to benefit only the 
underprivileged, the elderly, the disabled, women and children, and 
the poorest of the poor, which shall be administered by. the 
Department of Health in coordination with the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development. 
It is common knowledge that some of our countrymen die not 
because their illness is incurable but due to lack of medicine. or 
proper medical treatment or assistance on account of poverty. The 
Government cannot always remain indifferent to this reality; it must 
offer some direct help somehow for their intended beneficiaries to 
feel its Impact. In this context, the bill seeks to answer, starting 
with this approach, the problem of lack of medicine the cost of 
which is now beyond the reach of many Filipinos on account of 
poverty. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is 
fervently soug ht. 
\ 
~--.' 
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


• 
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'13 
JUl -8 P5 :23 
SIXT~ENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
RECEIVED BY;-f 
SENATE 
656 
SENATE BILL NO. __ 
_ 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FREE MEDICINE ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM FOR THE POOR AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
Be enacted bv the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines In Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Free 
Medicine for the Poor Act of 2013". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the policy of 
the State to promote the right to health and well-being of the 
people and to adopt a system of effecting the delivery of free 
medicine to those who have less in life, giving priority to the 
underprivileged, the sick, the elderly, the disabled, women and 
children, and the poorest of the poor. 
SECTION 3. Establishment of Free Medicine Assistance 
Program. There is hereby established a Free Medil;;ine Assistance 
Program, 
hereinafter referred 
to as 
the "Program", to be 
administered by the Department of Health (DOH). through its 
auth<;>rized government hospital in each particular Congressional 
district, to be known as the health district, in coordination with the 
Depa1rtment of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
SECTION 4. Eligible Beneficiaries. - The program shall be 
limited to eligible beneficiaries to be identified by the DOH through 
the government hospital in the health district in coordination with 
the DSWD. The implementing rules and regulations shall see to it 
that the intended beneficiaries come from the ranks of the poorest 
of the poor, the Program being strictly a poverty alleviation 
measure. 


SECTION 5. Appropriations. - There is hereby appropriated 
the sum of Twenty Five Million Pesos (P2S,OOO,OOO) for each health 
district to fund the initial requirements of this Act. The National 
Government shall subsequently include in the budget of the 
Department of Health in the General Appropriations Act such 
amount as me be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Rules and Regulations. - The DOH, jointly with 
the DSWD, shall prescribe such rules and regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out the provision of this Act within six (6) 
months from the effectivity thereof. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. -
All provisions of laws, 
orders, decrees, including 
rules and 
regulations inconsistent 
herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of 
this Act shall 
b~: held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other 
provisions hereof i hich are not affected thereby shall continue to 
be in full force and!. effect. 
. 
'I 
I SECTION g", Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
(15) ~ays following this publication in one (1) national newspaper of 
general circulation. 
Approved,