1 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
H O U S E   O F   R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by REP. CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A DIALYSIS WARD 
OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDING FREE 
DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
One Filipino per hour dies because of kidney failure. In 2020, Chronic Kidney 
Disease (CKD) is identified as the 10th leading cause of death in the Philippines and 
kidney failure as a major cause of hospitalization.1 The trend in having the need to 
undergo dialysis and kidney treatment is not getting any lower and in fact increases 
by around 15% annually over the past decade.2 With COVID-19, patients with kidney 
diseases are of even higher mortality risk with 40.6% for hemodialysis patients and 
50% for peritoneal dialysis patients.3 
Patients suffering from kidney diseases are inflicted with difficulties not only 
in health deterioration but also in treatment facilities access and in medical 
expenses.  The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), the leading referral 
center in the country, reports that due to COVID-19, their operations and services 
were challenged leading to a decrease in bed capacity, decrease in hospital 
admissions, and increase in length of stay of patients because of limited capacity.4 
1 https://mb.com.ph/2022/03/08/kidney-health-for-all/ 
2 https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-takes-on-the-challenges-of-kidney-disease-and-dialysis-in-a-time-of-covid/ 
3 https://www.kireports.org/article/S2468-0249(21)00831-7/fulltext 
4 https://nkti.gov.ph/index.php/50-annual-report 
August 3, 2022
1:33 pm
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The same was experienced by other medical facilities and dialysis treatment centers 
nationwide. 
In addition, dialysis in the Philippines costs an average of PhP4,500 per 
session, and is usually recommended to be conducted thrice a week amounting to 
PhP13,500 weekly which could be considered a huge amount for an average 
Filipino.5 This results in financial considerations as a factor that hinder kidney 
patients to avail necessary treatments regularly. 
Healthcare is an essential component in ensuring safe and prosperous lives 
for all Filipinos and Filipino families hence, the need to ensure that it is available, 
affordable, and accessible for all. With the number of citizens affected with kidney 
diseases that continue to increase annually, together with the high mortality risk 
posed, the need to capacitate our government hospitals is immediate and significant. 
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our country’s vulnerability in medical capacity 
which further strengthens the urgency to prepare and respond to all medical needs 
of our citizens.    
This attached bill addresses aforementioned needs through requiring national, 
regional, and provincial government hospitals to establish, operate, and maintain a 
dialysis ward or unit in their respective hospital and providing free dialysis treatment 
to indigent patients. If approved, it is envisioned to improve the quality of life not 
only of individual Filipinos but of their families, too. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly recommended. 
CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
5 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1086669 


1 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
H O U S E   O F   R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by REP. CAMILLE A. VILLAR 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A DIALYSIS WARD 
OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDING FREE 
DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS 
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 “Dialysis Center Act". 
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to improve 
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the delivery of health care services to the people and to ensure hospital facilities are 
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available, affordable and accessible to the people. 
4 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
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shall mean: 
6 
a)
Secretary refers to the Secretary of the Department of Health;
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b)
National Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and
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maintained either partially or wholly by the national government or by
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any department, division, board or other agency thereof;
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c) 
Regional Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and 
1 
maintained either partially or wholly by the national government or by 
2 
any department, division, board or other agency thereof; 
3 
d) 
Provincial Government Hospital refers to a hospital operated and 
4 
maintained either partially or wholly by the provincial government or 
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other political subdivision, or by any department division, board or 
6 
other agency thereof; and  
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e) 
Indigent Patient refers to a patient who has no visible means of 
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income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to 
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support his/her basic needs, as determined by the Department of 
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Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
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Sec. 4. Establishment, Operation and Maintenance of a Dialysis Ward or Unit. 
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– Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all national, regional, and 
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provincial government hospitals are hereby required to establish, operate and 
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maintain a dialysis ward or unit in their hospital. The dialysis ward or unit shall be 
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equipped with complete dialysis machine, equipment and supplies.  
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Sec. 5. Free Dialysis Treatment to Indigent Patients. – Dialysis treatment in all 
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national, regional and provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of 
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charge to indigent patients as defined in Section 3 (e) hereof. 
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Sec. 6. Penalty. – Any hospital chief, administrator or officer-in-charge who 
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fails to comply with this Act shall be punished with a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos 
21 
(P50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00). 
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Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary shall 
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promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this 
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Act. 
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Sec. 8. Appropriations. – Such amount as may be necessary to implement the 
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provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National 
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Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of 
1 
this Act shall be included in the government hospital’s annual appropriations.  
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Sec. 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected 
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shall remain valid and subsisting.  
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Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. – All law, presidential decrees or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary 
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to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed, 
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modified or amended accordingly. 
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Sec. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the 
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Philippines. 
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Approved, 
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