EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S. No. G86
"19 
J’JL 22 P3;33
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Piidentel HI -
AN ACT INTEGRATING PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARE 
INTO THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the Constitution provides that l'L[T]he State 
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill 
health consciousness among themC
Each year, the number of patients with cancer, diabetes, end-stage 
renal disease, respiratory disease, cardiovascular diseases, dementia, 
Alzheimer’s disease, and similar degenerative illnesses have been 
steadily increasing.1
The 2015 Quality of Death Index released by The Economist 
Intelligence Unit2 indicated that the Philippines, with an overall ranking
of 78th out of 80 countries, is one of the worst places to die next to Iraq
'Retrieved from http://www.philstar.eom/headlines/2015/07/10/1475309/philippincs-has-crisis- 
lifestyle-related-diseases. Retrieved on July 3, 2019.
2The Quality of Death Index study developed in 2010 by the Economic Intelligence Unit ranks 
the availability, affordability, and quality of end-of-life care in forty (40) countries. The Index is 
commissioned by the Lien Foundation, a Singaporean philanthropic organization.
Retrieved 
from 
http://www.apcp.com.pt/uploads/2015-ElU-Qualitv-of-Death-Index-Oct-6- 
FINAL.pdf. 
and 
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2Ql 5/10/10/1509014/philippines-among- 
worst-places-die-studv on July 3, 2019.


and Bangladesh. This low ranking was attributed to the severe shortage 
of specialized palliative care professionals, a lack of a government-led 
strategy for the promotion of a national palliative and hospice care 
program, limited number of subsidies or programs for patients and their 
families accessing palliative care services, and limited public 
understanding and awareness of palliative care services.
As part of the current administration’s agenda to ensure healthy 
lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, this measure aims to 
close the gaps in the life-cycle approach to our country’s healthcare 
development through the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to palliative and hospice care by ensuring that all patients 
suffering from life-threatening, chronic debilitating illnesses, and/or 
progressively degenerative diseases/conditions are provided with quality 
palliative care and counselling.
This proposed bill likewise integrates palliative care into the 
structure and financing of the Philippine health care system by:
a. Strengthening and expanding the availability of palliative care 
for all patients through mandatory palliative and hospice 
services in all government and private hospitals;
b. Encouraging the development of home and community-based 
palliative and hospice care programs; and
c. Directing 
the 
Philippine 
Health 
Insurance 
Corporation 
(PhilHealth) to include in its present benefit package, in-patient 
palliative services, outpatient hospice care, and home-based 
palliative care.
Thus, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
KOKO
IMENTEL III


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S.No. 686
—
j i j 'l 22
Introduced by Senator Aqiiilino “Koko” Pimentel HI- X
AN ACT INTEGRATING PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARE 
INTO THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the
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uPalliative and Hospice Care Act
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -  The State guarantees the right of 
the people to quality health care. It is likewise mandated by the 
Constitution to adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to 
health development which shall endeavour to make essential goods, 
health, and other social services available at an affordable cost. Patients 
suffering from life-threatening, chronic debilitating illnesses, and/or 
progressively degenerative diseases/conditions are entitled to this social 
protection. In the same vein, the State also encourages the participation 
of the private sector in the development of health care services.
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. -
a. Palliative and Hospice Care Services -  refers to an approach to 
health care that improves the quality of life of patients with life 
threatening, complex, and chronic illnesses, or those experiencing 
progressively degenerative diseases beyond any benefit from 
curative or definitive treatment, regardless of life expectancy. The 
approach covers the prevention and relief of suffering by means of 
early identification, assessment, and management of pain and 
symptoms.
b. National Hospice and Palliative Care Council of the Philippines 
(Hospice Philippines, Inc.) -  a non-stock, non-profit umbrella 
organization of palliative and hospice care providers in the 
Philippines.
c. Department of Health (DOH) -  the principal health agency of the 
government responsible for ensuring access to basic public health 
services for all Filipinos through the provision of quality health 
care and regulation of providers of health goods and services.
d. Philippine Council for Health Research and Development 
(PCHRD) -  one of the three sectoral councils of the Department of 
Science and Technology (DOST) responsible for coordinating and 
monitoring health research activities in the country, as well as 
formulating policies, plans, programs, projects, and strategies for 
health science and technology development.


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e. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) -  a
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government corporation attached to the DOH for policy
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coordination and guidance, and mandated to administer the
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National Health Insurance Program.
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SEC. 4. Accreditation. -  Hospitals, private hospice institutions,
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medical practitioners, health workers in other allied professions, and
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social workers for palliative and hospice care shall be accredited by the
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DOH. The DOH, in partnership with Hospice Philippines, Inc., shall
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formulate the rules and guidelines for accreditation to ensure a standard
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quality of palliative care services.
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SEC. 5. Quality Assurance. -  Key elements necessary to ensure
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quality palliative care services in accredited hospitals and hospices shall
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include the following:
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a. Adequate number of multi-specialty personnel;
b. Assured financing for health and custodial services;
c. Clear and practical standards for facilities and services;
d. Appropriately designed and equipped facilities; and
e. Regular and systematic supervision and reporting to the DOH.
SEC. 6. Mandatory Palliative and Hospice Services. -  All 
government and private hospitals shall provide palliative and hospice


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care services to patients with life-threatening, chronic debilitating
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illness, and/or progressively degenerative disease/condition.
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Hospitals are required to link with a referral and aftercare network 
that is organized and made functional by all provincial, city, and 
municipal governments under the guidance and monitoring of the DOH.
Rural health units, health centers, and health offices are required to 
develop community-based hospice units, as well as home-based or near­
home palliative care programs in coordination with government-owned 
and privately-owned hospices in the local government units.
SEC. 7. Palliative Care Information. -  If a patient is diagnosed 
with a life-threatening disease, chronic debilitating illness, and/or 
progressively degenerative disease or condition, the patient’s attending 
health care practitioner shall offer to provide the patient and his/her 
immediate family, or any person with authority to make health care 
decisions for the patient, with information and counseling regarding 
palliative care appropriate to the patient, including, but not limited to:
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a. The range of palliative care options available to the 
patient; and
b. The prognosis, risks, and benefits of the various options.
SEC. 8. Special Leave Benefits. -  Immediate family members or 
relatives who are employed, whether in the public or private sectors, and 
are assigned by the family to provide palliative and hospice care to a


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critically-ill relative shall be entitled to a special leave benefit of sixty
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(60) days a year with full pay, subject to the applicable provisions of this
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Act and their implementing rules and regulations on the use of said leave
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benefits.
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Employees availing of this special leave privilege shall submit to 
their employers the following:
a. Name of the patient or relative undergoing palliative or hospice 
care;
b. A copy of the medical abstract of the patient or relative;
c. A certification from the hospital or hospice providing palliative 
services to the patient or relative; and
d. The nature of the care required under the circumstances.
The following employees shall not be allowed to avail of this 
special leave benefit:
a. Those who are absent from work without official leave;
b. Those who are on vacation, sick, forced, or study leave; and
c. In times of emergency, those whose services are necessary to 
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serious accidents, fire, flood, typhoon, earthquake, epidemic, or 
other analogous events.
SEC. 9. Education and Training of Health Care Professionals and 
Volunteers. -  The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall 
integrate courses on the principles and practice of Palliative and Hospice 
Care into the curriculum of Medicine and Nursing, as well as in all
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paramedical and allied health courses.
The DOH, in partnership with Hospice Philippines, Inc. and other
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DOH-accredited palliative and hospice care providers, shall develop and
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regularly update the education and specialized training modules on
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palliative care for health care professionals, health workers, and
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volunteers.
SEC. 10. Continuing Research. -  The DOH, in coordination with 
the PCHRD-DOST, shall ensure continuing research and collection of 
data on palliative and hospice care and availability of funds for this 
purpose.
SEC. 11. Program Implementor. — The DOH-Office for Technical 
Service, in coordination with other offices of the DOH, is hereby 
mandated to perform the following functions:
a. Promote palliative care in the Philippines through advocacy and 
social marketing;


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b. Formulate policies and develop standards on palliative and 
hospice care;
c. Monitor the enforcement of standards and the implementation 
of the program on palliative and hospice care;
d. Mobilize and generate resources for the sustainability of 
operations;
e. Network with international hospice associations;
f Coordinate research undertakings with other institutions and 
agencies;
g. Serve as the repository and database for policy-making and 
maintenance of a palliative care registry for accredited hospitals, 
private hospice institutions, medical practitioners, health 
workers in other allied professions, and social workers;
h. Organize and develop continuing training programs for 
physicians, nurses, physical therapist, and other professional 
health workers and volunteer workers in the field of palliative 
care;
i. Serve as the coordinating center of a national palliative care 
network located in the different regions of the country; and


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j. Establish a Code of Ethics and Standards in the practice of 
palliative and hospice care.
SEC. 12. Phil Health Benefit Package. -  Pursuant to this Act, the 
PhilHealth shall include in its present Z-Benefit package, in-patient 
palliative services, outpatient hospice care, and home-based palliative 
care.
SEC. 13. Funding Support. -  All non-profit, DOH-accredited
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palliative and hospice care institutions which are serving indigent
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patients shall qualify as institutional beneficiaries under the Philippine
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Charity Sweepstakes Office Institutional Financial Assistance Program;
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Provided, that palliative and hospice care institutions comply with the
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documentary and other requirements of the said Program.
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SEC. 14. Tax Exemptions. -  Any donation or bequest made to the
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DOH and/or other DOH-accredited Palliative and Hospice Care
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providers under this Act that is actually, directly, and exclusively
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intended for palliative and hospice care program(s) shall be exempt from
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donor’s tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction
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from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of
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the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended; Provided, that
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such donation shall not be disposed of, transferred, or sold by the donee.
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SEC. 15. Appropriations. -  The initial amount necessary to
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implement the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current
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year’s appropriation of the DOH. Thereafter, such sums as may be
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necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included


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in the DOH regular budget as provided for under the Annual General 
Appropriations Act.
SEC. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within sixty (60) 
days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Health, after 
consultation with Hospice Philippines, Inc., shall promulgate the rules 
and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.
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SEC. 17. Separability Clause. -  If any provision of this Act is
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by
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such declaration shall remain in full force and effect.
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SEC.18. 
Repealing 
Clause. 
-  All 
laws, 
executive 
and 
administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with the 
foregoing provisions are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 19. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation.
Approved,