FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 15, provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
Thousands of infants each year are born with serious birth defects of the brain and spine, 
called neural tube defects. The most common of these are spina bz$da, the incomplete closure of 
the spinal column, and anencephaly, a fatal condition in which an infant is born with a severely 
underdeveloped brain and skull. 
Studies in the United States show that as many as seventy percent (70%) of neural tube 
birth defects could be prevented if all women of childbearing age consume four hundred (400) 
micrograms of folic acid daily, begiming before pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin found 
naturally in foods such as leafy green vegetables, beans, citrus fruits, and juices and in certain 
multivitamin capsules. Unfortunately, a majority of women are neither aware of this prevention 
opportunity, nor consuming the recommended daily amount. 
Hence, this bill seeks to provide a national folic acid education campaign in order to urge 
women to take the simple step to prevent neural tube defects.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIF’PINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. B. No. sEN!iT271 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR A NATIONAL FOLIC ACID EDUCATION PROGRAM 
TO PREVENT BIRTH DEFECTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Repvesentatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Folic Acid Promotion and 
Birth Defects Prevention Act.” 
SECTION 2. Pvogram Regarding Effects of Folic Acid in Prevention ofBirth Defects. - 
(A) In General. - The Secretary of Health shall carry out a program, directly or through 
grants or contracts, for the following purposes: 
(1) To provide education and training for health professionals and the general 
public for purposes of encouraging each women of reproductive capacity, whether or not 
planning a pregnancy, to consume on a daily basis a dietary supplement that provides an 
appropriate level of folic acid. 
(2) To conduct research with respect to such education and training, including 
identifying effective strategies for increasing the rate of consumption of folic acid by 
women of reproductive capacity. 
(3) To conduct research to increase the understanding of the effects of folic acid 
in preventing birth defects, including understanding with respect to cleft lip, cleft palate, 
and heart defects. 
(4) To provide for appropriate epidemiological activities regarding folic acid and 
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birth defects, including epidemiological activities regarding neural tube defects. 
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(B) Consultations with Private Entities. - In carrying out paragraph (A), the Secretary 
shall consult with appropriate public or private entities, including national non-profit private 
organizations, health professionals, and providers of health insurance and health plans. 
(C) Technical Assistance. - The Secretary may, directly or through grants or contracts, 
provide technical assistance to public and non-profit private entities in carrying out the activities 
described in paragraph (A). 
(D) Evaluations. - The Secretary shall, directly or through grants or contracts, provide for 
the evaluation of activities under paragraph (A) in order to determine the extent to which such 
activities have been effective in carrying out the purposes of the program under such subsection, 
including the effects on various demographic populations. Methods of evaluation under the 
preceding sentence may include surveys of knowledge and attitudes on the consumption of folic 
acid and on blood folate levels. Such methods may include complete and timely monitoring of 
infants who are born with neural tube defects. 
(E) Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Efectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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