SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
IFirst Regular Sessiou 
) 
SENATE 
SBN t''l 
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. 
o·htJi 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Naucy S. Dinay 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks (0 provide fi'ee medical and dental assistance to indigent children in 
consonance with the State's recognition of the need to promote the physical well-being of 
children, including promoting their right to health, and making health services adequate to all. 
In order to achieve this end, all government and private hospitals, medical centers, clinics, 
infirmaries and puericulture centers are required to render medical and dental services to 
indigent children and at the same time provide tax incentives to these covered institutions. 
M~/f!;%~CY S. BINAY 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.R No. J:,l 
Introduced by Seuator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
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AN ACT REQUIRING ALL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS, MEDICAL 
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CENTERS, CLINICS, INFIRMARIES AND PUERICULTURE CENTERS TO GIVE 
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FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT CHILDREN 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION L Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Indigent Children Free Medical and 
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Dental Service Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. -- In consonance with the State's recognition of the need 
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to promote the physical well-being of children, including promoting tbeir rigbt to bealth, and 
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making bealth services adequate to all, it is hereby declared tbe policy oftbe State to provide 
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for all possible assistance it could provide to cbildren especially tbose who are unfortunate to 
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bave no means of support or bave no one to support tbem. 
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SECTION 3. Indigent Children - For purposes of this Act, an indigent child shall refer to an 
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unemancipated child below eighteen (18) years of age who have no visible means of support 
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or whose parents or guardians have no means of providing for their immediate medical and 
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dental needs. 
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SECTION 4. Duty of the DSWD and DOH - Tbe Department of Social Welfare and 
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Development ("DSWD") and the Department of Health ("DOH") shall be tasked with the 
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primary responsibility of implementing the provisions of this Act For this purpose, the 
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DSWD shall promulgate the necessary guidelines in order to determine if a child in need of 
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medical and/or dental service may be considered indigent, taking into account the following 
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factors: 
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2. 
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3. 
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4. 
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Age of tbe child; 
Financial condition of the family; 
Degree of deprivation of parental care and support; and 
Inability ofbis parents to exercise parental authority. 
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The DOH, on the other band, shall coordinate and establish tbe necessary mechanisms and 
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regulations to govern both government and private bospitals, medical centers, clinics, 
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infirmaries and puericulture centers in the implementation ofthis Act. 
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The DSWD and DOH shall have the authority to promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Free Medical and Dental Services . . All government and private hospitals, 
medical centers, clinics, infirmaries and puericulture centers duly licensed to operate as such, 
are hereby required to render medical and dental services to indigent children, regardless of 
whether or not they are in danger of dying and/or may have suffered physical injuries 
requiring immediate medical attention. 
SECTION 6. incentives jur Private Hospital, Medical Center, Clinic, Infirmary and/or 
Puericulture Centers. - The expenses and losses of earnings incurred by a private hospital, 
medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center, or by an individual physician or 
dentist, for medicine, facilities and services extended to the care and treatment of an indigent 
child as required herein, in the amount not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P500,OOO.OO) per year, shall be considered deductible expenses and losses for income tax 
purposes, which may be carried over for a period of five (5) years. 
To ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act, all indigent children treated by private 
hospitals, medical centers, clinics, infirmaries or puericulture centers shall secure a 
certification from the social worker assigned to the hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary 
or puericulture center. The Certification shall contain the following information: 
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Name of patient; 
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That the patient is indigent and supporting proof thereof; 
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Service/s rendered to the patient; 
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Cost of such service/s based on the existing price list of the hospital, medical 
center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center at the time of treatment; and 
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Attestation from the social worker that all information contained therein are true 
and correct to his/her knowledge. 
SECTION 7. Penal Clause. -
Any hospital director, administrator, officer-in-charge, 
physician or dentist in a hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center who 
shall refuse or fail without good cause to render the appropriate medical and dental services 
pursuant to this Act, after the child has been brought to his/her attention; or any nurse, 
midwife, medical or dental attendant who shall refuse to extend the appropriate assistance, 
subject to existing rules, or neglects to notifY or call the attention of a physician or dentist in 
attendance, shall be punished with imprisonment of at least one (1) year or a tine of not more 
than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (PI50,OOO.OO), or both fine and imprisonment, at 
the sound discretion of the court. The penalty herein imposed shall not prejudice any 
administrative sanctions that may be imposed by law. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared void 
and unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be affected by 
such declaration. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other 
issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 


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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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complete publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,