FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
}' 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
All children are entitled the rights guaranteed by the laws of our country, 
without distinction and discrimination. 
Article XV, Section 3 (2) of the 
Constitution states that: 
"The State shall defend the right of the children to 
assistance including proper care and nutrition and special 
protection from all forms of neglect and abuse, cruelty, 
exploitation, other conditions prejudicial to their development. 
This is magnified by the provisions of PD 603 or the Child and Youth 
Welfare Code, as amended, on the Rights of the Child, providing that: 
"Every child has the right to a balanced diet, adequate 
clothing, sufficient shelter, proper medical attention, and all 
basic physical requirements of a healthy and vigorous life." 
(Art. 3(4). 
It is a major cause of concern that despite all these safeguards, the 
rampant practice of certain hospital's refusal to attend to the medical and dental 
needs of street children despite the immediacy and the urgency of such need 
due to the street children's inability to provide "deposits" is still practiced; 
We should put an end to such practice by providing for a law that would 
require both private and public hospitals and clinics to render free medical and 
dental s'ervices to indigent children, and penalizing those who will violate such 
requirement. This bill requires all medical institutions to extend health services to 
indigent children, which includes but is not necessarily limited to street children. 
Only through a concrete legislative measure can we fully realize the principles 
and policies sought to be effected by the various laws protecting the rights of the 
child. 
In line with the State's evolving agenda on defending the rights of the child 
the immediate passage of this bill is profoundly sought. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
4'7 I 
) 
) 
) 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE THE GIVING OF FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICE TO 
INDIGENT CHILDREN 
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 "Indigent 
Children Free Medical and Dental Service Act." 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. 
Children are the future of Philippine 
society. Upon this premise, it is hereby declared the policy of the state to provide 
all the possible assistance it could provide to children especially those who are 
unfortunate to have no means of support or no one to support them. 
SEC. 3. Indigent Children Definition. Indigent children are those below 
18 years old of age who no visible means of support or whose parents or 
guardians have no means of providing for their immediate medical and dental 
needs. 
SEC. 4. Free Medical Service. All hospitals, medical centers, clinics and 
other institutions that provide frontline medical services throughout the 
Philippines are hereby mandated under this Act to provide free medical treatment 
to indigent children. 
SEC. 5. Free Dental Service. All dental clinics, medical centers and 
other institutions that provide frontline dental healthcare throughout the country 
are mandated under this Act to provide free dental healthcare to indigent 
children. 
SEC. 6. DSWD and DOH Function. The Department of Social Welfare 
and Development in coordination with the Department of Health shall be the lead 
agencies in the implementation of this Act. The DSWD shall determine if the 
child is indeed an indigent while the Department of Health shall coordinate with 
the implementation of the free medical and dental services to indigent children. 
SEC. 7. 
Appropriations. 
The amount necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the 
year following its enactment into law and thereafter. 


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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. If any portion or provision of this Act were 
to be declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not 
affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen days from the date 
of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of 
general circulations. 
Approved,