SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
JUL 3D 
SENATE 
________ ~~~~~S-.N-o-.~1~1~7-9----~---fl-r-.-------:--~ \ 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The United Nations Population Fund underlines the critical role of midwives in the reduction of 
child mortality and delivery of quality maternal healthcare in the country. "Midwives are key 
healthcare facilitators in helping to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 (reducing child 
mortality), 5 (improving maternal health) and 6 (combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other 
diseases)." I 
Cognizant of the above magnitude of their task, this measure seeks to strengthen and expand the 
scope of the midwifery profession by amending the 20-year old Philippine Midwifery Act of 
1992, with the end in view of reducing maternal and prenatal morbidity and mortality. 
. 
... 
. . 
. 
. 
This measure seeks to put forward the following amendments: 
• 
grant additional powers as well as enhances the general welfare and commitment to service and 
professionalism of midwives; 
• 
allow midwives to administer life-saving drugs when no physician is available provided they are 
appropriately trained for such purpose; 
• 
require midwives to be certified proficient to peiform the necessary care and services to prevent 
maternal deaths and allow them to administer essential newborn care; 
• 
require practicing midwives who intend to perform Emergency Obstetric and neonatal Care 
(EIEmONC) to apply for and acquire accreditation from the Department of Health (DoH); 
• 
require registered midwives to maintain competence by continual learning through continuing 
professional education (CPE) to be provided by the accredited professional organization or any 
recognized professional midwifery organization; 
• 
provide for a mandated comprehensive midwifery program which includes a valid assessment of 
career performance and potential of midwives; 
• 
provide for the minimum base pay of midwives in public health institutions which shall not be 
lower than the 1st step of the hiring rate prescribed for the positions under the revised SSL Ill. 
In view ofthe foregoing, passage of this measure is earnestly sou 
RILLANESIV 
Senator 
1 'Skilled Midwives Essential For Safer Maternal, Newborn And Reproductive Health,' Says FIGO. Information retrieved from 
ht:tp;/!www.figo,org/news/%E2%800/098skilled-midwiyes-essentiaJ-safer_maternal_newborn_and_reprodllcHye_health%E20Jn800Jn99_ 
~ 
6/23/2013. 
1 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
JUL JO P j :;5 
SENATE 
_____ 
--:::-:-----:_-:-:-----=-_S_._N_O:-. ==1~1~. 
~7--=-9-=--::-:::------!-n-;(-' ,_., __ 
:!_" :_} 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F, Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF THE PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO, 7392, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
"PHILIPPINE MIDWIFERY ACT OF 1992", AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Article III. Section 23 of Republic Act No, 7392 is hereby amended to read 
2 
as follows: 
3 
"SEC 23. Practice of Midwifery Defined. - The practice of midwifery consist in 
4 
performing or rendering or ordering to perform or render, for a fee, salary, or other 
5 
reward or compensation, services requiring an understanding of the principles and 
6 
application of procedures and techniques in the supervision and care of women during 
7 
pregnancy, labor and puerperium management of normal deliveries, including the 
8 
performance of internal examination during labor except when patient is with antenatal 
9 
bleeding: health education of the patient, family and community: primary health care 
10 
services in the community, including nutrition and family planning in carrying out the 
11 
written order of physicians with regard to antenatal, intra-natal and post-natal care of the 
12 
normal pregnant mother in giving immunization, including oral and parenteral dispersing 
13 
of oxytoxic drug after delivery of placenta, suturing pereunial lacerations to control 
14 
bleeding, to give intravenous fluid during obstetrical emergencies, ADMINISTER 
15 
LIFE-SAVING DRUGS SUCH AS MAGNESIUM SULPHATE, OXYTOCIN, 
16 
STEROIDS 
AND 
ORAL 
ANTIBIOTICS 
WHEN 
NO 
PHYSICIAN 
IS 
17 
AVAILABLE, provided they [have been] ARE APPROPRIATELY trained for that 
18 
purpose [:] AND CERTIFIED PROFICIENT TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY 
1 


1 
CARE AND SERVICES TO PREVENT MATERNAL DEATHS, MIDWIVES ARE 
2 
ALSO HEREBY ALLOWED TO ADMINISTER ESENTIAL NEWBORN CARE 
3 
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMMUNIZATION and [may inject] 
4 
INJECTING Vitamin K to the newborn. Provided however. That this provision shall not 
5 
apply to students in midwifery schools who perfonn midwifery service[ s] under the 
6 
supervision ofthe instructors [, nor to emergency cases]. 
7 
"THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) SHALL ISSUE GUIDELINES ON 
8 
THE ACCREDITATION OF MIDWIVES TO PERFORM EMERGENCY 
9 
OBSTETRIC AND NEONATAL CARE (E/EmONC), ALL PRACTICING 
10 
MIDWIVES WHO INTEND TO PERFORM E/EmONCMUST APPLY FOR AND 
11 
ACQUIRE ACCREDITATION FROM THE DOH AFTER NECESSARY 
12 
TRAININGS 
AND 
EXAMINATION 
AND 
COMPLIANCE 
OF OTHER 
13 
REQUIREMENTS AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE DOH." 
14 
SEC. 2. A new provision in inserted between Sections 23 and 24 of Republic Act No. 
15 
7392 to read as follows: 
16 
" SEC. 24. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION. -
17 
A REGISTERED MIDWIFE IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN COMPETENCE BY 
18 
CONTINUAL 
LEARNING 
THROUGH 
CONTINUING 
PROFESSIONAL 
19 
EDUCTAION 
(CPE) 
TO 
BE 
PROVIDED 
BY 
THE 
ACCREDITED 
20 
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION OR ANY RECOGNIZED PROFESSIONAL 
21 
MIDWIFERY ORGANIZATION: PROVIDED, THAT THE PROGRAM AND 
22 
ACTIVITY FOR THE CPE SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY 
23 
THE 
PROFESSIONAL 
REGULATION 
COMMISSION, 
AFTER 
DUE 
24 
CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD OF MIDWIFERY: PROVIDED, 
25 
FURTHER, THAT THE EARNED CPE UNITS SHALL BE MANDATORILY 
26 
RQUIRED FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE PROFESSIONAL IDENTFICATION 
27 
CARD OF A REGISTERED MIDWIFE." 
2 


1 
SEC.3. The following provisions shall be inserted between Sections 26 and 27 of 
2 
Republic Act No. 7392 to read as follows: 
3 
"SEC. 28. HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCE PROUCTION, UTILIZATION, 
4 
PLACEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT. -
THE BOARD, IN COORDINATION 
5 
WITH 
THE 
ACCREDITED 
PROFESSIONAL 
ORGANIZATON 
AND 
'6 
APPROPRIATE GOVERN-MENTOR PRIVATE AGENCIES, 
SHALL 
7 
INITIATE, UNDERTAKE AND CONDUCT STUDIES ON HEALTH HUMAN 
8 
RESOURCE 
PRODUCTION, 
UTILIZATION, 
PLACEMENT 
AND 
9 
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CONTINUING PROFESSIONALIZATION OF 
10 
MIDWIFERY." 
11 
"SEC. 29. COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY PROGRAM. -
12 
WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, THE 
13 
BOARD, IN COORDINATION WITH THE ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL 
14 
ORGANIZATION, NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ACCREDITED SERVICE 
15 
PROVIDERS AND THE DOH, IS HEREBY MANDATED TO FORMULATE 
16 
AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY PROGRAM THAT 
17 
INCLUDES A VALID ASSESSMENT OF CAREER PERFORMANCE AND 
18 
POTENTIAL, THUS, UPGRADE THE LEVEL OF SKILL AND COMPETENCE 
19 
OF MIDWIVES IN THE COUNTRY SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE 
20 
AREAS OF SKILL OF MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE AND SUCH AOTEHR 
21 
AREAS AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD. THE BENEFICIARIES 
22 
OF THE PROGRAM ARE OBLIGED TO SERVE IN ANY RURAL OR 
23 
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST TWO (2) YEARS 
24 
FROM THE DATE OF TEH COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM." 
25 
"SEC. 30. SALARY AND COMPENSATION. - IN ORDER TO ENHANCE 
26 
THE GENERAL WLEFARE AND COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND 
27 
PROFESSIONALISM OF MIDWIVES, THE MINIMUM BASE PAY OF 
3 


1 
MIDWIVEWS WORKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH INSITUTIONS SHALL NOT 
2 
BE LOWER THAN THE 1ST STEP OF THE HIRING RATE PRESCRIBED FOR 
3 
THE POSITIONS UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6758, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
4 
AS THE "COMPENSATION AND POSITION CLASSIFICATION ACT OF 
5 
1989", AS AMENDED." 
6 
"SEC. 31. FUNDING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE MIDWIFERY 
7 
PROGRAM.-
8 
THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT NEEDED TO TRAIN AT LEAST 
9 
TEN 
PERCENT 
(10%) 
OF 
MIDWIVES 
OF 
TEH 
APRTICIPATING 
10 
GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL 
11 
GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT; PROVIDED, THAT THE DOH SHALL 
12 
SET THE CRITERIA FOR TEH A V AILMENT OF THIS PROGRAM." 
13 
SEC. 4. Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Professional Regulation 
14 
Commission, in coordination with the DOH and the accredited professional organization of 
15 
registered midwives, shall promulgate a new implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 
16 
No. 7392 which shall be punished in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
17 
SEC. 5. If any part or provision of this Act shall be held unconstitntional or invalid, other 
18 
provisions which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
19 
SEC 6. All laws, issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed 
20 
or modified accordingly. 
21 
SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
22 
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
4