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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
CONVERTING THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-MACAPAGAL NATIONAL 
CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH UNDER THE JOSE R. REYES MEMORIAL 
MEDICAL CENTER AS THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH 
AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is a policy of the State that promotes the right to health of the people and 
instills health consciousness among them (Sec. 15, Art. II, Constitution). Likewise, the 
Constitution provides that 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 an affordable cost. There 
shall be a priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, 
and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers (Sec. 
11. Art. XIII, Constitution)
The National Center for Geriatric Health, which is our country’s first premier 
specialty hospital catering to the specific healthcare needs of our elderly, was 
established through the initiative of the undersigned. Unfortunately, for the past nine 
(9) years, the services of the Center were not extended to our elderly, and to ensure
the needed health services of the Center were not extended to our elderly as
envisioned. To better respond to the needs of our elderly and to ensure that needed
health services are available and accessible to them, there is an urgent need to establish
a specialized hospital that will truly and efficiently cater to such medical needs. It is,
therefore, the aim of this Bill to convert the National Center for Geriatric Health into
a “National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute”, with the objective of
equipping, maintaining, administering, and operating it as an integrated medical
institution that shall specialize in geriatric health services.
The government should not forsake the aged, as they have, in one way or the 
other, contributed to the good of our country. For even the Psalmist in the Holy Writ 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
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prayed for God’s help and for God not to forsake him when he is old and gray-headed 
(Psalm 71:18). 
In the light of these foregoing, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly 
pleaded. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
CONVERTING THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-MACAPAGAL NATIONAL 
CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH UNDER THE JOSE R. REYES MEMORIAL 
MEDICAL CENTER AS THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH 
AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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 “Geriatric Health 
Act.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – 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 senior citizens at an 
affordable cost. Priority shall be given to the underprivileged sick and disabled senior 
citizens.  
To this end, the State shall protect and promote the right to health of senior citizens 
by ensuring holistic health services through the establishment of a geriatric specialty 
hospital and research institute.  
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
(a) Acute care refers to a specialized program that addresses the needs of
hospitalized senior citizens through a multidisciplinary team approach to
prevent functional and cognitive decline;
(b) Apex or end-referral hospital refers to a hospital that offers specialized services
as determined by the Department of Health (DOH), which is contracted as
a stand-alone facility by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation;
(c) Geriatric health services refer to the medical services or interventions
provided by a multidisciplinary team to senior citizen patients;
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(d) Geriatric medicine or Geriatrics refers to the sub-specialty of internal and 
family medicine that promotes the health of senior citizens, and assesses, 
diagnoses, and treats a wide range of conditions, diseases, disabilities, and 
complexities that affect people as they age;  
  
(e) Geriatric palliative care refers to a specialized medical care that focuses on 
providing senior citizens relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious 
illness, regardless of diagnosis or stage of disease, provided alongside 
curative and other forms of treatment. It is a field of inter-specialty 
collaboration that responds to the socio-demographic changes and 
challenges of senior citizens with severe and life-limiting conditions;  
 
(f) Geriatric specialty center refers to a unit or department in a DOH hospital that 
offers specialized care to senior citizens, addressing their particular 
conditions and providing specific procedures and management of cases 
requiring specialized training and equipment;  
 
(g) Geriatrician refers to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary training 
and specialty licensure examination for the practice of Geriatric Medicine; 
  
(h) Gerontology refers to the study of the biological, psychological, spiritual, 
social, economic, and demographic aspects of the aging process;  
 
(i) Multidisciplinary team refers to a team composed of health professionals 
headed by a geriatrician and comprised of surgeons, organ-system 
specialists, 
nurses, 
clinical 
pharmacists, 
rehabilitation 
therapists, 
nutritionists, dentists, social workers, caregivers, family members, and 
patients;   
 
(j) People-centered service refers to a holistic and humane approach to geriatric 
care that adopts the perspectives of individuals, families, and communities, 
and regards them as participants and beneficiaries of health systems and 
services;  
 
(k) Senior citizen refers to an elderly Filipino who is at least sixty (60) years old;  
  
(l) Sub-acute care refers to care for patients who no longer require 
hospitalization, but still need skilled medical care through rehabilitative 
medicine; and  
  
(m) Transitional care refers to a form of health care in geriatric medicine 
designed to ensure coordination and continuity of care for the safe and 
effective management of both chronic and acute illness in senior citizens as 
they are transferred to different locations or levels of care.  
  


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SEC. 4. National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute. – The Dr. Eva 
Macaraeg- Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health (DEMMNCGH) under the 
Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center is hereby converted into a national specialty 
center to be known as the National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute 
(NCGHRI), and shall be under the direct control and supervision of the DOH.  
  
The conversion of the DEMMNCGH shall be fully realized within a period of five (5) 
years from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the DOH shall ensure that services 
shall not be disrupted during the transitory period. 
  
SEC. 5. Scope of Services. – The NCGHRI shall provide the following services:  
 
(a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and 
equipment for senior citizens needing acute and sub-acute care, geriatric 
palliative care, outpatient care, and transitional care services; 
 
(b) Specialized clinical, public health, and operations research and training 
programs with a multidisciplinary or multi-center approach;  
  
(c) Technical assistance and capacity building in the establishment of geriatric 
specialty centers  in accordance with Republic Act No. 11959, otherwise 
known as the “Regional Specialty Centers Act,” and in geriatric health 
services in all government primary health facilities and hospitals under the 
management of local government units (LGUs); and  
  
(d) Programs and services for the special needs of senior citizens with 
disabilities.  
 
SEC. 6. Powers and Functions. – To carry out the provisions of this Act, the 
NCGHRI shall have the following powers and functions: 
 
(a) Serve as an apex hospital or end-referral facility that shall specialize in 
geriatric health services;  
 
(b) Increase the bed capacity, service capabilities, healthcare facilities, and 
human resource requirements of the NCGHRI based on its hospital and 
human resource development plan  subject to the approval of the DOH; 
  
(c) Provide and maintain people-centered service through an efficient health 
service delivery system for senior citizens;  
 
(d) Extend medical services to senior citizens in accordance with the National 
Health  Insurance Program pursuant to Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise 
known as the “Universal Health Care Act”;  
 


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(e) Provide an integrated and effective approach in the delivery of geriatric 
health services in  collaboration with concerned government agencies and 
stakeholders, and LGUs;   
  
(f) Finance, sponsor, hold, or participate in local and international 
conventions, conferences, congresses, seminars, workshops, and training 
programs on geriatric health or related fields;   
 
(g) Establish a standardized referral system for all geriatric health service;  
  
(h) Provide higher and up-to-date geriatric training for professionals, 
postgraduates, academics, and allied healthcare providers, especially 
from the geriatric specialty centers; 
  
(i) Conduct cutting-edge research studies on diseases related to old age for the 
development of policies, protocols, standards, and solutions for 
specialized health care; 
  
(j) Publish research studies that shall serve as an information resource for the 
medical and research community in coordination with concerned 
government offices and relevant professional organizations;   
 
(k) Conduct and participate in local and international gerontological research 
activities;  
 
(l) Conduct capacity and capability assessment of the services provided by the 
NCGHRI;  
 
(m) Provide consultancy service and technical assistance in the setting of 
standards for geriatric wards in every tertiary level hospital, nursing 
home, and residential center catering to the health needs of senior citizens, 
in consultation with the Philippine Council for Health Research and 
Development of the Department of Science and Technology, the Institute 
on Aging – National Institutes of Health (IA-NIH) under the University 
of the Philippines, and other relevant institutions as may be determined 
by the NCGHRI;  
 
(n) Provide fellowship training in geriatric medicine;  
  
(o) Develop and maintain a core information hub on geriatrics and 
gerontological studies in coordination with the concerned offices of the 
DOH and its attached agencies, the IA-NIH, and other relevant 
institutions as may be determined by the NCGHRI;  
  
(p) Identify and recommend to the DOH possible sites for the relocation of the 
NCGHRI; and  


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(q) Study and recommend, in coordination with the Governance Commission 
for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations, the appropriate 
steps for the formal establishment and incorporation of the NCGHRI in 
accordance with Republic Act  No. 10149, otherwise known as the “GOCC 
Governance Act of 2011”: Provided, That the NCGHRI shall remain under 
the full control and supervision of the DOH, unless Congress shall 
provide otherwise.  
 
SEC. 7. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. – The Secretary of the DOH 
shall determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the NCGHRI, 
subject to the evaluation and approval of the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM) and in compliance with the civil service and other pertinent laws, rules, and 
regulations.  
  
SEC. 8. Categorization of Patients. – The NCGHRI shall enforce a categorization 
of paying and non-paying patients and shall ensure the allocation of beds for indigent 
patients in accordance with existing laws and guidelines.  
 
SEC. 9. Coordination with and Assistance from Other Government Agencies. – 
The NCGHRI  shall coordinate with the National Commission of Senior Citizens 
(NCSC) in the development of its programs and services. It may likewise call upon 
any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, such as 
the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and 
Gaming Corporation, for assistance in the pursuit of the purposes and objectives of 
this Act.  
 
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall, in coordination 
with the DOH and NCGHRI, provide technical assistance and capacity building in the 
establishment and maintenance of nursing homes and residential care facilities and 
senior citizens’ wards in government hospitals pursuant to Republic Act No. 9994, 
otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior CitizensmAct of 2010.”  
 
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall, in coordination with the DOH 
and NCGHRI, provide education programs and scholarships to pursue excellence and 
the highest level of quality in the practice of the specialized field of geriatrics and other 
related fields, including postgraduate training and short-term courses for medical 
doctors and other allied medical health professions, in coordination with public or 
private training institutes such as the IA-NIH. The CHED shall also provide education 
programs in geriatrics and gerontology subjects in undergraduate health and allied 
professions, including training of students, as well as postgraduate medical education 
of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, and allied professionals.  
  
SEC. 10. Use of Income. – All income generated from the operations of the 
NCGHRI shall be deposited in an authorized government depository bank and shall 


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be used to augment the funds for its maintenance, other operating expenses, and 
capital outlay requirements, subject to the guidelines set by the DOH and the DBM.    
 
SEC. 11. Tax Exemptions. – All donations, endowments, contributions, grants, 
and bequests used actually, directly and exclusively for and in accordance with the 
purposes and functions of the NCGHRI shall be exempt from donor’s tax, and the 
same shall be considered as allowable deductions from gross income for purposes of 
computing the taxable income of the donors, in accordance with the provisions of the 
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.  
  
The NCGHRI shall be exempt from income tax and customs duty levied by the 
government and its political subdivisions, agencies, and instrumentalities, subject to 
the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, and 
Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the “Customs Modernization and Tariff 
Act.”  
 
The NCGHRI shall avail of the tax expenditure subsidy administered by the Fiscal 
Incentives Review Board, subject to the provisions of Title XIII (Tax Incentives) of the 
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, Executive Order No. 93, as 
amended, and the General Appropriations Act.  
  
SEC. 12. Annual Report. – The NCGHRI shall submit an annual report to the 
President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and 
the House of Representatives Committee on Health on its activities, accomplishments, 
and recommendations.  
  
SEC. 13. Transitory Provisions. – To ensure the smooth transition towards the 
full implementation of this Act, the following provisions shall apply:  
  
(a) The buildings and equipment, fixtures and furnishings, other assets, and liabilities 
of the DEMMNCGH may be absorbed by the NCGHRI;  
 
(b) The current appropriations of the DEMMNCGH may be absorbed by the NCGHRI, 
subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit;  
  
(c) The existing officials and employees of DEMMNCGH shall continue to assume the 
duties of their positions until new appointments are issued. They shall be placed in 
the new staffing pattern of the NCGHRI in accordance with Republic Act No. 6656, 
entitled “An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers and 
Employees in the Implementation of Government Reorganization, and the rules and 
regulations governing reorganization. Officials and employees, including casual and 
temporary employees, who may not be absorbed in the new staffing pattern due to 
redundancy shall avail of the applicable retirement benefits and separation incentives 
as provided under existing laws:  Provided, That officials and employees holding 
permanent appointment shall also be given the option to be transferred to other units 
or offices within the DOH without reduction in rank, status, pay and benefits;  


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(d) Research grants acquired by the NCGHRI during the transition shall be utilized 
solely for their intended purposes; and  
 
(e) Existing contracts and agreements entered into with third parties prior to the 
enactment of this Act shall remain valid.  
 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall, in consultation with the DSWD, CHED, and the 
NCSC, and other concerned agencies, promulgate the rules and regulations necessary 
to carry out the provisions of this Act.    
 
SEC. 15. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the DOH. Thereafter, 
the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  
 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
  
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations, 
and other issuances or parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with this Act 
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
 
 
Approved,