FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
s, No. 2829 
) 
) 
) 
'11 
MAY 17 P 4 :12 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the solemn duty of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the 
people to full, healthy and holistic health development. In this light, it is the responsibility 
of the State to promote an environment conducive to the development of all its citizens 
to become, to the best of their potentials, independent, self-reliant and productive 
members of society. 
In the pursuit of such policy, the State shall institutionalize the inclusion of infant 
eye preventive health care system in order to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum. 
Ophthalmia neonatorum refers to a disease or condition of the eye, or eyes of an 
infant in which there is inflammation, swelling or redness in either one or both eyes, 
either apart from or together with purulent discharge from the eye or eyes, at any time 
within two (2) weeks after the birth of such infant, independent of the nature of the 
infection. 
Under this proposed measure, it shall be the duty of any healthcare practitioner 
who attends or assists at the birth of a child, to instill in each eye of the newborn baby, 
as soon as possible and not later than one (1) hour after complete delivery of the 
newborn, ocular%prophylaxis approved by the Department of Health (DOH) for the 
prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum. Moreover, any healthcare practitioner who 
delivers, or assists in the delivery, of a newborn in the Philippines shall, prior to delivery, 
inform and educate the parents or legal guardian of the newborn of the availability, 
nature and benefits of ocular prophylaxis. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requ._illil.. ... 
~ 
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAP~ 
Senator 
F 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 2829 
) 
) 
) 
'11 
MAY 17 P 11 :12 
RECEIVED BY;f-
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
FOR 
THE 
MANDATORY 
INCLUSION 
OF 
OCULAR 
PROPHYLAXIS INTO THE NEWBORN SCREENING PROGRAM OF THE 
GOVERNMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
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 Eye 
Preventive Health Care Act of 2011". 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy, -
It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to protect and promote the right to health of the people to full, healthy and holistic 
development and the right to self-determination. As such, the State shall promote an 
environment conducive to the development of all its citizens to become, to the best of 
their potentials, independent, self-reliant and productive members of society. 
Towards this end, the State commits itself to the establishment of institutional 
mechanisms to provide a comprehensive information, education and communication 
campaign on ophthalmia neonatorum in order to address this health concern. In the 
pursuit of such policy, the State shall also institutionalize the inclusion of ocular 
prophylaxis in its national newborn screening system. 
SEC. 3. 
shall mean: 
Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
(a) 
"Ophthalmia neonatorum" any disease or condition of the eye, or eyes of 
an infant in which there is inflammation, swelling or redness in either one or both eyes, 
either apart from or together with purulent discharge from the eye or eyes, at any time 
within two (2) weeks after the birth of such infant, independent of the nature of the 
infection. 
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(b) 
"Healthcare practitioner" physicians, midwives, and those authorized by 
law to attend at childbirth. 
(c) 
"Health institutions" hospitals, health infirmaries, health centers or lying-in 
centers with obstetrical and pediatric services, whether public or private. 
(d) 
"Local health officer" city or municipal health officer. 
SEC. 4. 
Section 4 (1) of Republic Act No. 9288, otherwise known as the 
"Newborn Screening Act of 2004" is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"1) Comprehensive Newborn Screening System means a newborn 
screening system that includes, but is not limited to, education of relevant 
stakeholders; collection and biochemical screening of blood samples 
taken from newborns; PROVISION OF OCULAR PROPHYLAXIS ON 
NEWBORN INFANTS; tracking and confirmatory testing to ensure the 
accuracy of screening results; clinical evaluation and biochemical/medical 
confirmation of test results; drugs and medical/surgical management and 
dietary supplementation to address the heritable conditions; and 
evaluation activities to assess long term outcome, patient compliance and 
quality assurance." 
SEC. 5. 
Information, Education and Communication (IEC) to Patients. -
Any healthcare practitioner who delivers, or assists in the delivery, of a newborn in the 
Philippines shall, prior to delivery, inform and education the parents or legal guardian of 
the newborn of the availability, nature and benefits of ocular prophylaxis. 
SEC. 6. 
Delivery of Services. • It shall be the duty of any health care 
practitioner who attends or assists at the birth of a child, to instill in each eye of the 
newborn baby, as soon as possible and not later than one (1) hour after complete 
delivery of the newborn, ocular prophylaxis approved by the Department of Health 
(DOH) for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum. 
SEC. 7. 
It is the duty of all health institutions to post and keep posted in 
conspicuous places in their institution, copies of this Act, and to instruct persons 
professionally employed in such institutions and places regarding their duties under this 
Act, and to maintain such records of cases of ophthalmia neonatorum in the manner 
and form prescribed by the DOH. 
SEC.S. 
The local health officer shall: 
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(a) 
Investigate each case of ophthalmia neonatorum reported to him/her, and 
any other such case as may come to his/her attention: Provided, That he/she cannot do 
so without the prior consent of the parents or guardian of the child; and 
(b) 
Report all cases of ophthalmia neonatorum and the results of all such 
investigations as he/she may make, to the DOH in the manner and form prescribed by 
said Department. 
SEC. 9. 
The Department of Health (DOH) shall: 
(a) 
Enforce the provisions of this Act; 
(b) 
Provide for printing, publication and distribution to all health institutions 
and healthcare practitioners, advice and information on the proper use of scientific 
prophylactic for ophthalmia neonatorum, the necessity for the prompt and effective 
treatment thereof, together with copies of this Act; 
(c) 
Prepare the appropriate documentary forms and furnish them to all local 
health officers for distribution to healthcare practitioners free of charge; and 
(d) 
Report any and all violations of this Act to the Office of the Prosecutor of 
the province where said violations are committed. 
SEC. 10. 
Appropriations. -
The funds necessary to implement the 
provisions of this Act shall be incorporated in the annual general appropriations of the 
Department of Health (DOH). 
SEC. 11. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR) - The DOH shall 
issue the implementing rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this Act within one hundred eighty (180) days after its approval. 
SEC. 12. 
Separability Clause. 
-
The provisions of this Act are hereby 
declared separable, and if any clause, sentence, provision or section hereof, should be 
declared invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions of this Act which can 
be given force and effect without the provisions which have been declared invalid. 
SEC. 13. 
Repealing Clause. 
-
All laws, or parts thereof, inconsistent 
herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 14. 
Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
3