EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S enate
of thf ^ re rfta r^
23 P5«9
S E N A  
S. B. No. ^6o
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
INTEGRATING PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARE INTO THE PHILIPPINE 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
EXPLANATORY NOTE
There is a predominant notion that the organizing principle behind the medical 
profession is to cure illnesses or rid the world of disease. While these avowed aims 
are rightly pursued, improving the quality of life of patients ought to be the foremost 
concern of our medical professionals.
No less than the preamble of the Constitution of the World Health Organization 
(WHO) provides: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well­
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." The 1987 Constitution 
itself is preambled on the nation's desire to build "a just and hum ane society 
[emphasis added]."
Hence, while our healthcare system should work on curing and preventing 
sickness, it should also promote people's well-being, especially when they are 
enduring intense pain and suffering from chronic diseases.
Many Filipinos today are afflicted with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other 
life-threatening and debilitating conditions—imposing costs that are not only 
financial, but also emotional, social, and psychological.
This underscores the importance of formally integrating Hospice and Palliative 
Care into the Philippine Healthcare System—the underlying objective of the 
foregoing measure. Hospice and Palliative Care is comprised of multi-disciplinary 
approaches focused on promoting the quality of life of patients, regardless of age, 
and their families.


In 2014, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution1 calling on the World 
Health Organization (WHO) and Member States, including the Philippines, to improve 
access to palliative care as a core component of their respective healthcare systems. 
Said resolution emphasized that palliative care "is an ethical responsibility of health 
systems" and that health care professionals have "the ethical duty to...alleviate pain 
and suffering, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual, irrespective of whether the 
disease or condition can be cured." The resolution further affirmed that "access to 
palliative care...contributes to the realization of the right to the enjoyment of the 
highest attainable standard of health and well-being."
By laying down the overall policy for the integration of Palliative and Hospice 
Care into the Philippine Health Care System, the foregoing measure seeks to 
guarantee the right of every Filipino to quality health care, where their full well-being 
is promoted throughout their entire life cycle. Its swift passage is earnestly sought.
SONNY ANGARA
1 WHA 67.19


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S E N A T E
S. B. No. 700
of ibf g n 'frft/rrp
’19 
JUL 23 P5 «9
R£l .:ivcl>d ;
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA 1 1
AN ACT
INTEGRATING PALLIATIVE AND HOSPICE CARE INTO THE PHILIPPINE 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Palliative and Hospice Care
2 
Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  The State guarantees the right of the people
4 
to qualify health care; ensuring that the health status of the people is to be made as
5 
good as possible over the entire life cycle. As the Constitution mandates, an
6 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development shall endeavor to
7 
make essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at
8 
affordable cost even to patients suffering from life threatening illnesses.
9 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. -  As used in this Act, Palliative and hospice care
10 
refers to an approach that improves the quality of life of patients with life
11 
threatening, complex and chronic illnesses or those experiencing progressively
12 
debilitating diseases beyond any benefit from curative or definitive treatment,
13 
regardless of life expectancy. The approach covers the prevention and relief of
14 
suffering by means of early identification, assessment and management of pain and
15 
symptoms.
16 
Sec. 4. Accreditation. -  Hospitals, private hospice institutions, medical
17 
practitioners, health workers, and social workers for palliative and hospice care shall
18 
be accredited by the Department of Health (DOH). The DOH, in partnership with the


1 
National Palliative and Hospice Care Council of the Philippines (Hospice Philippines,
2 
Inc.) shall formulate the rules and guidelines for accreditation to ensure a standard
3 
qualify of palliative care services.
4 
Sec. 5. Quality Assurance. -  Key elements necessary to ensure quality
5 
palliative care services in accredited hospitals and hospices include the following:
6 
a. 
Adequate number of multi-specialty personnel;
7 
b. 
Assured financing for health and custodial services;
8 
c. 
Clear and practical standards for facilities and services;
9 
d. 
Appropriately designed and equipped facilities; and
10 
e. 
Regular and systematic supervision and reporting to the DOH.
11 
Sec. 6. Mandatory Palliative and Hospice Services. -  All government and
12 
private hospitals shall provide palliative and hospice care services to patients with
13 
life-threatening illnesses.
14 
Hospitals are required to link with a referral and aftercare network that is
15 
organized and made functional by all provincial, city and municipal governments
16 
under the guidance and monitoring of the DOH.
17 
Rural health units, health centers and health offices are required to develop
18 
home-based or near home palliative care program in coordination with government-
19 
owned and privately-owned hospices in the local government units.
20 
Sec. 7. Leave Benefits. -  Immediate family members or relatives who are
21 
employed, whether in the public or private sectors, and are assigned by the family to
22 
provide palliative and hospice care to a critically-ill relative shall be allowed to use all
23 
existing leave benefits granted by their employers subject to the guidelines on the
24 
use of said leave benefits.
25 
The DOH, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, the Social
26 
Security System, the Government Service Insurance System, and the Department of
27 
Labor and Employment, shall be tasked to formulate the necessary guidelines in the
28 
implementation of Section 7 of this Act.
29 
Sec. 8. Education and Training o f Health Care Professionals and Volunteers. -
30 
The DOH, in partnership with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Council of the
31 
Philippines and other accredited members, shall develop the education and training
32 
modules for health care professionals and workers.


1 
The Commission on Higher Education shall integrate courses on the principles
2 
and practice of Palliative Care and Hospice Care into the curriculum of Medicine and
3 
Nursing, as well as in all paramedical and allied health courses.
4 
Sec. 9. Continuing Research. -  The DOH, in coordination with the Philippine
5 
Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and
6 
Technology, shall ensure a continuing research and collection of data on palliative
7 
and hospice care and availability of funds for this purpose.
8 
Sec. 10. Implementing Agency. -  The DOH-Office for Technical Services, in
9 
coordination with other offices of the Department, is hereby mandated to perform
10 
the following functions:
11 
a. 
Promote palliative care in the Philippines through advocacy and social
12 
marketing;
13 
b. 
Formulate policies and develop standards on quality palliative and hospice
14 
care;
15 
c. 
Monitor the enforcement of standards and implementation of the program on
16 
palliative and hospice care;
17 
d. 
Mobilize and generate resources for sustainability of operation;
18 
e. 
Network with international hospice associations;
19 
f. 
Coordinate research undertakings with other institutions and agencies;
20 
g. 
Serve as repository of database for policy-making and maintenance of
21 
palliative care registry;
22 
h. 
Organize and develop continuing training programs for physicians, nurses,
23 
physical therapists, and other professional health workers and volunteers
24 
workers in the field of palliative care;
25 
i. 
Serve as the coordinating center of a national palliative care network located
26 
in the different regions of the country; and
27 
j. 
Establish a Code of Ethics and standards in the practice of palliative health
28 
care.
29 
Sec. 11. PhilHealth Benefit 
Package. -  Pursuant to this Act, the Philhealth
30 
shall increase its present benefit package to include inpatient palliative services,
31 
outpatient hospice care and home-based palliative care.


1 
Sec. 12. Funding Support. -  All non-profit, DOH accredited palliative and
2 
hospice care institutions which are serving indigent patients shall qualify as
3 
institutional beneficiaries under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes 
Office (PCSO)
4 
Institutional 
Financial Assistance Program: 
Provided, That the hospice care
5 
institutions comply with the documentary and other requirements of the said
6 
Program.
7 
Sec. 13. Tax Exemptions. -  Any donation or bequest made to the DOFI that is
8 
intended for palliative and hospice care shall be exempt from the donor's tax and the
9 
same shall be considered as allowable deduction from the gross income of the
10 
donor, in accordance with the provision of the National Internal Revenue Code of
11 
1997, as amended: Provided, That such donations shall be disposed of, transferred
12 
or sold.
13 
Sec. 14. Appropriations. -  The initial amount necessary to implement the
14 
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriation of the
15 
Department of Flealth. Thereafter, such sums as maybe necessary for the continued
16 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations
17 
Act.
18 
Sec. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within sixty (60) days from
19 
the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Flealth, after consultation with the National
20 
Palliative and Flospice Care Council of the Philippines (Flospice Philippines, Inc.),
21 
shall promulgate the rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.
22 
Sec. 16. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is
23 
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are
24 
not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
25 
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. -  All other laws, acts, presidential decrees,
26 
executive orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or
27 
parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this
28 
Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
29 
Sec. 18. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
30 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,