FIFTEENTH CONGRESS }
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

725

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create a hospital dedicated to overseas Filipino workers and
their dependents.

Section 3, Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that the State
shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and
promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. Pursuant to
this, Republic Act No. 8042 otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas
Filipinos Act of 1995 was enacted to implement this State policy.

Data from the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics reveal that as of year-
end 2006, there were 1,062,587 Filipinos deployed for overseas employment,
generating US$12,761,307 worth of remittances and therefore contributing 10% to the
country’s gross national product for the same year.

Due to differing culture, working conditions and upper-hand nature of overseas
employers characterizing overseas employment, overseas Filipino workers often find
themselves vulnerable to abuse, discrimination and exploitation. Some of them come
home with poor health conditions that need immediate attention. Based on statistics,
about 42% of all repatriated OFWs returned to the Philippines needing medical attention
or hospital confinement for various physical or mental illnesses sustained abroad.

This bill seeks to address the health needs of overseas Filipino workers by
creating a hospital that exclusively caters to them. This proposed measure also aims to
complement the present package of health services provided by OWWA so as to


include supplementary provisions for preventive, promotive, diagnostic and rehabilitative
programs so that a comprehensive/total health care for OFWs and their dependents can
be had

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

RYFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

wan Lhe sen JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES _—)
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House Bill No. 725

Introduced by Representative Rufus B, Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS CONTRACT WORKERS
(OCWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the “OWWA MIGRANT
WORKERS HOSPITAL ACT OF 2010".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to 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
affordable cost. Further, the State shall afford full protection to labor, local and
overseas. Towards this end, the State shall protect the interest and promote the well-
being of Filipino overseas contract workers including their families and dependents
through the provision of social and welfare services.

SEC. 3. Creation of a Special Hospital. — To carry-out the above policy, a
migrant workers’ hospital to be named as the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS
HOSPITAL is hereby created under the supervision and control of the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration.

SEC. 4. Objectives. — To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of
quality health care, the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall:

a) Provide for comprehensive/total health care services to all migrant workers
who are OWWA contributors and their legal dependents;


b) Complement the existing package of services under the Medical Care

°)

d)

Program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and
rehabilitative programs;

Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability of
all the would-be overseas contract workers duly covered by an approved job

Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and to
generate relevant information/data in aid of policy formulation.

SEC. 5. Administration. — Upon effectivity of this Act, the OWWA MIGRANT
WORKERS HOSPITAL shall be administered by a Board of Directors consisting of:

a)
b)

°)
q)

e)

f)

The Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment as Ex-
Officio Chairman

The Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration as
Ex-Officio Vice Chairman

The Secretary of the Department of Health as Ex-Officio Member

The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
as Ex-Officio member

The Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration as Ex-Officio Member

Two (2) representatives from OCWs Sector (one (1) from land based;
‘one (1) from sea based) as Members

The two (2) representatives from the OCWs Sector shall be appointed by the
President of the Republic of the Philippines from a list of nominees prepared by the Ex-
Officio Chairman to serve for a term of three (3) years without reappointment.

SEC. 6. Responsibility and Powers. - The Board of Direct
MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall have the following responsibi

a)

b)
°)

4)

To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the
OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL'S objectives and purposes
as enunciated in Section 4 of this Act;

To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives;

To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes
of this Act;

To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law.

SEC. 7. Appropriation. - An amount necessary for the establishment, initial
operations of the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall be taken out from the
funds of the Medical Care Program for Overseas Contract Workers and the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration. Subsequently, its appropriation shall be included in
the Annual General Appropriations Act.


SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the
remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and
effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and
their implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation

Approved.