Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

H.BillNo.__2'789,

Introduced by Representative Estrellita “Ging” B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall protect and promote the
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Further,
the State shall also adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development with the end in view of making essential health services available to all
the people at affordable cost, giving priority to the needs of the underprivileged sick,
elderly, disabled, women, and children.

In consonant with the constitutional mandate, this bill seeks 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. Likewise, it is the intention of this
bill that once an indigent patient dies in the hospital his or her bill shall be borne by
the Government and or be considered as tax credit to the private hospitals

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 should address this problem by
providing free medical assistance.

In this light, the bill seeks to answer the problem of lack of medicine, the cost
of which is now beyond the reach of many Filipinos on account of poverty particularly
in the provinces including the Province of Nueva Ecija.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is amestly requested.

Rep. ESTRELLITA “GING” B. SUANSING
4 District, Province of Nuevp Ecija


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

H. Bill No,__2789

Introduced by Representative Estrellita “Ging” B. Suansing

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A FREE MEDICINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE POOR
AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
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 Medicine Assistance Program, hereinafter referred to as
the "Program", to be administered by the Department of Health (DOH) through its.
authorized government hospital in each particular Congressional district, to be
known as the health district, in coordination with the Department 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 6. Indigent who dies in Hospitals. — If eligible beneficiary dies in a
government hospital while undergoing medical care, his or her expenses shall be
borne out by the Government. Provided, that if the beneficiary dies in a private
hospital while undergoing medical care, the expenses incurred shall be allowed to
deduct from the gross income of said hospital.


SECTION 6, Appropriations. - There is hereby appropriated the sum of Ten
Million Pesos (P10,000,000.00) 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 maybe necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act.

SECTION 7. Rules and Regulations. The DOH, jointly with the DSWD, and in
consultation with the Philippine Medical Asociation shall prescribe such rules and
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provision of this Act within six (6)
months from the affectivity thereof.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of laws, orders, decrees,
including rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be
held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
this publication in one (1) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,