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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

stone win xo, 2049

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article 15, Section | of the 1987 Constitution posits that:

“The State recognizes the jino family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it
shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development.”

‘The child, as an integral part of every family, is considered to be one of the most important
assets of the nation, therefore compelling the State to exert maximum effort to promote a child’s
welfare and provide opportunities for a purposeful and decent life.

When a child is taken from his family, he loses a vital component of his growth: a
harmonious atmosphere conducive to the formation of the moral and social building blocks of a
well-rounded individual. The family prepares children for the challenges of adulthood, instilling in
them conscientiousness and respect for civic duties.

‘To enable the perpetual strengthening of the family as a critical social institution, this Act
shall require hospitals to: 1) establish and implement security procedures to reduce the likelihood of
infant abduction and/or baby switching; and 2) devise procedures for identifying all infant patients
in the hospital in such manner that will ensure that it will be evident if ever an infant goes missing
in a hospital.

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



REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bit No, 8040

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
TO REQUIRE HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT SECURITY
PROCEDURES TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF INFANT PATIENT ABDUCTION
AND BABY SWITCHING, INCLUDING PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFYING ALL
INFANT PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL IN A MANNER THAT ENSURES IT WILL BE
EVIDENT IF INFANTS ARE MISSING FROM THE HOSPITAL

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 Protection Act of 2018.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.—It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect the
Filipino family, strengthen its solidarity, and actively promote its total development.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms.—For purposes of this Act:

a. Identification record means a record maintained by a hospital to aid in the identification
‘of newborn patients of the hospital, including any of the following:

1) The footprint, fingerprint or photograph of the newborn patient;

2) A written description of the infant; and

3) An identification bracelet or anklet put on the newbom patient, or the mother of the
newborn patient by a staff member of the hospital

b. Secretary means the Secretary of Health.


SEC. 4. Establishment of Security Procedures.—In the case of hospital and critical access
hospitals which provide neonatal or infant care, to have in effect security procedures that meet
standards established by the Secretary in consultation with appropriate organizations to reduce the
likelihood of infant patient abduction and baby switching, including standards for identifying all
infant patients in the hospital in a manner that ensures that it will be evident if infants are missing
from the hospital.

SEC. 5. Infant Identification Records.—Al\ hospitals, both public and private, shall hereby
keep an identification record of all newborn infants under their care and ensure that such records are
utilized towards the prevention of infant patient abduction and baby switching.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations.—The Department of Health shall within
120 days after the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its
effective implementation.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause.—If any part or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, other parts or provisions hereof, which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full

force and effect.

SEC. 8. Effectivity—This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,