f' 
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SIXTI,I':NTII CON(JI{I':SS Ol! Till! 1{1,I'UIlLIC 
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OUTIII,: l'IIII.lI'I'INI':S 
) 
I!irst I{cgular Session 
) 
'1) lEG -3 P2 :33 
.'lENATI, 
.'l. No, 
19S>, 
Illtruclucecl by Senator Miriam Defcnsor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, Section 14 provides: 
Seeti()ll 14. The State recogni"es the mle of women in nation-building, 
and shall ensure the I'ulldarllental equality befclrc the law of men and women. 
Certain disease,;, disorders, and conditions arc peculiar to, or more serious, or more 
prevalent in Wonlel]. I!or this reason, the Ihctors 01' medical risk or type of medical intervention 
arc dilTerent IClr them, 
LJnl(lrtunately, the government I~lils to meet women's health needs. Perhaps due to its 
I~lilure to understand that WOl1\en have unique health conditions, the governmcnt could not 
provide health programs, specially designcd IClr womCn, 
To addrcss this issue, this bill secks to establish an omee on women's heallil within the 
Dcpartment or llealth in oreier to: 
(I) I':stahlish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and coordinate all activities 
within the Ilcpartlnent of Ilcalth that relate to discase prevention, health promotion, service 
delivery, research, allli public and hcalth carc professional education cOllcerning women; 
(2) Provide expert advice and consultation to the Secretary concerning scicntilie, legal, 
ethical, and policy isslles relating to wOl\1en's health; and 
(:l) Monitor tile Ilcjlartnlent of' Ilcalth ollices, agencies, and regional activities regarding 
WOl1len's health and coordinate and stimulate activities of such departmental and agency offices 
on WOll\en's hcallh,' 
• This bill W,)S originally filed durillg the Thirleenth Congress, First Regular Session 


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SIXTICI,:NTII (,ON(iI~I':S,-; 0'; TlIl;I~I':I'[JIlIiC 
) 
01' Till,: I'IIILII'I'INFS 
) 
I'irst I{cgular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 1997 
RECEIVE!) B\': 
I ntrociueed by Scnator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
FSTAI\I,ISIIINCT AN OI'TIC," ON WOMEN'S IlEAL'!"1l 
WITI liN "II IF DL':PARTMENT OJ! [-lr':ALTrI 
lie it elJllcted by tlie Senate lind the lIouse o/liepresentatives 0/ the Philippines in 
CO!1gress IIs.l·ell/hled: 
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SFC TION I. Short "!'itle. - This Act shall be known as thc "Women's Ilealth Of[[ce Act." 
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SFCTION 2. j)ejinitioIJ.· ;\s useci in this Act, thc term "woJl1en's health conditions," 
(, 
with respecl to women or all age, cthnic, and racial groups, means all diseases, ciisorders, and 
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conditions unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in women; and for which the f[letors of 
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medical risk or type oj" medical intervention arc diflcrcnt for women, or fClr which it is unknown 
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whether slleh ",clors or types arc dif"fCrent fDr women. 
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SLCTION J. Of/ice OIJ Women '.I' lIealth. -- There shall be cstablished within the 
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Ikpartillent oj" Ilcalth :111 Of"lice on Women's Health, hereafter referred to as the "Office." The 
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Of"fiee shall be headed hy an Assistant Secretary in an ex officio capacity. 
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SI':CTION 4. !Jifties. - The onice shall, with respect to the health concerns ofwol11en-
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(A) 
I':stahlish short-rangc and long-range goals and objectives and coordinate all 
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activities within the Department of Ilcalth that relatc to disease prevention, health promotion, 
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service ddivery, research, ami public and health care profCssional education concerning women; 
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(Il) 
Provide expert advice and consultation to the Secrclary of IIcalth concerning 
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scientific, legaf, clhical, and policy issLles relating to women's health; 


(C 'J 
MOllitor the I Jcparllllent 01' Ile<llth olTices. 
agenclc~;" and regional m:livitics 
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regarding wOlllen's health and coordinate and stitllulatc activities on women's health; 
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( D) 
I'stablish a Department of Ilealth Courliillaling Committee on WOltlcn's Health to 
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be dlitired by an Assistant Secretary 1(>1' WOll1en's Ilealth which shall be composed of StcnlOl' 
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Icvd rcpresetltatives Ihlll1 each 01' the agencies atld olTices of tbe Department ofllcallh; 
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II 
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14 
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(i' ) 
(I ,) 
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privalc sedor; 
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(C J) 
I ':stabl ish a Natiotlal Womcn's Ilcalth Inlelrmation Center to . 
( J ) 
(2) 
(1) 
(4) 
j'aeililate the exchange oj' iniil1'lnalion regarding malters relating 10 health 
inlimlliltion and health prol11otion, preventive health services, researcl1 
advances and education in the appropriate usc of health care; 
I:aeilitate access to such information; 
Assist in the nnalysis of issues and problems relating to the matters 
described in this paragraph; and 
I'rovide technical assistance with respect 10 Ihe exchange of information, 
including t;leilitating the deVelopment of materials Jell' such technical 
~lssistHncc; 
('oordinate en,))'ts to promote women's health progrurns and [Jolicies III the 
Through publications and any other means appropriate, provide for the exchange 
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0 I' inl'll'lnation between members of the OJIiee, grantees of the office, and the general public; 
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(II) 
Ilctenn i ne tile current Agency level or activity regarding women's health, across 
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age, biological, and snein-eultural context, in all aspects of the Department's work, including 
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dmliing technical practice guidelines, and conducting research into patient outcomes, delivery of 
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health carc-services, and access to hcnlth carc; 
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(I) 
j,stahlish short-range and long-runge goals and objectives j()[' rescareh important 
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to wonlcn's hcalth and eoordinatc all other activities within the Department that relate to health 
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services and medical ei'fceliveness research; 
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(./ ) 
Identit'y projects in wOlllcn's health that should be conducted or supported hy the 
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Departlllent; 
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(K) 
Consult with health prof'cssionals. non··governmental organizations, consumer 
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organizations, wOlllen', health proCessionals, and other individuals and groups, as appropriate, 
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Oil tile J kpmtll1ent's poi icy with regard to women; and 
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(I.) 
Idellti Cy the need i,)r sneh research. and make an estimate each fiscal yeur of the 
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Jllllds needed to adequately support the research. 
SECTION 5. Cirullis ami COlllmels Rcgw'ding Duties. 
[n carrying out the Office's 
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duties, the Seel'l;tary, acling thl'Ongh the Olliee, may make grants to, and enter into cooperative 
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agreements, contracts, and interagency agreements with public and non-profit entities, agencies, 
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and orgalliz(llioIlS. 
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SI':CTION 6. /<'"vaillolioll ol1d fJisscminalion. 
The Office shaH, dil'cctly or through 
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contracts with public Hnd private entities, agencies, and organization, provide for evaluations of 
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projects carried out witil Iinancial assistance provided under the preceding section and for the 
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dissemination oj' ini(ll'l1wtion developed as a result oJ'''lleh projects. 
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SI'CTION 7. IIc{Jo/'ls. -
Not lakr tilan January 31 of each year, the Secrctary shall 
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prepme and submit to the appropriate committces of Congrcss a report describing the activities 
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carried oUlunder this Act during the perioci for which the report is being prepared. 
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SI':CTION 8. SC/JiI/'{f!Jilily C/ollse. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law Ol' provision not otherwise a[iccteci shall remain valid 
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and subsisting. 
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SI';C'I'ION I). /lcl!caling ('/oll.l'e. 
Any law, presidential decree or issllancc~ executive 
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order, letter oj' instruction, administrative order, rule, or rcgulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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wilh the provisions oj' this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 


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SI':CTION 10. i',f/i;clivily ('fUU.IU. 
Thi" I\d shall rake cficcl J'iilccn (15) days ililcr ils 
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publicalioll in at leasl two (2) newspapers or general circulalion. 
J\pproved, 
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