Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR., 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, 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 bifida, 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, beginning 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.  
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE  
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
July 22, 2022
4:34 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR., 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
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 Representatives 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. Program Regarding Effects of Folic Acid in Prevention of Birth 
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. 
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(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 
birth defects, including epidemiological activities regarding neural tube 
defects. 
 
(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 of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,