NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people, 
including the rights of children to survival, full and healthy development as individuals and a 
better quality of life. The prevention, early detection and diagnosis of congenital hearing loss 
and interventions thereto should be based on applied research and the recognition that 
newborns and children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have unique language, learning and 
communication needs, and should be the result of consultation with the sectors concerned. 
 The purpose of this Act is to establish a Universal Newborn Hearing Screening 
Program (UNHSP) to institutionalize measures for the prevention and early diagnosis of 
congenital hearing loss among newborns and the provision of referral, early intervention, 
counseling and other support services for newborns with hearing loss, and their families to 
afford them all the opportunities to be productive members of the community. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
April 12, 2023
6:30 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A UNIVERSAL NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING PROGRAM FOR THE 
PREVENTION, EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION OF HEARING LOSS AMONG 
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 "Universal Newborn Hearing 
Screening and Intervention Act". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to 
health of the people, including the rights of children to survival, full and healthy development 
as individuals, and a better quality of life. The prevention, early detection and diagnosis of 
congenital hearing loss and interventions thereto should be based on applied research and 
the recognition that newborns and children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have unique 
language, learning and communication needs, and should be the result of consultation with 
the sectors concerned. 
SEC. 3. Purpose. -The purpose of this Act is to establish a Universal Newborn Hearing 
Screening Program (UNHSP) to institutionalize measures for the prevention and early 
diagnosis of congenital hearing loss among newborns and the provision of referral, early 
intervention, counseling and other support services for newborns with hearing loss, and their 
families, to afford them all the opportunities to be productive members of the community. The 
objectives of the UNHSP are: 
a. To ensure that all newborns have access to hearing loss screening;
b. To institute a system of newborn hearing loss screening, follow-up, referral and
recall for purpose of providing access to information and services on prevention of hearing 
loss, early diagnosis and intervention, including consultations, to newborns and their families; 
c. To establish a network among pertinent government and private sector stakeholders
for the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and policy development to further universal 
newborn hearing screening program in the country; 
d. To provide continuing capacity building of stakeholders including training to
practitioners, conduct of applied research, and other such activities to aid in the effective 
implementation of a universal newborn hearing screening program; and 
e. To establish and maintain a newborn hearing screening database.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. -Under this Act, the following terms shall mean the following: 
a. ”Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program” or “UNHSP” shall refer to the
program developed for carrying out hearing screening for all babies born in the Philippines 
and for providing adequate interventions for babies with congenital hearing loss; 
b. “Congenital hearing loss” shall refer to hearing loss present at birth;
c. ”Newborn hearing screening database” shall refer to an organized body of
information related to newborn hearing screening; 
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d. “Newborn” shall refer to a child from the time of complete delivery to thirty (30) days 
old; 
e. ”Follow-up” shall refer to the monitoring of a newborn with possible hearing loss for 
purpose of ensuring that the newborn patient receives additional diagnostic services and 
intervention or treatment; 
f. “Recall” shall refer to a procedure for locating a newborn with a possible hearing loss 
for purposes of providing diagnostic services to confirm hearing condition and, as appropriate, 
provide intervention or treatment; 
g. ”Newborn Screening Reference Center” shall refer to the central facility at the 
National Institutes of Health that defines testing and follow-up protocols, maintains an external 
laboratory proficiency testing program, oversees the national testing database and case 
registries, assists in training activities in all aspects of the program, oversees content of 
educational materials and acts as the Secretariat of the Advisory Committee on Universal 
Newborn Hearing Screening Program; 
h. “Newborn Hearing Screening Center” shall refer to a facility equipped with a 
newborn hearing loss screening and audiologic diagnostic evaluation laboratory that complies 
with the standards established by the NIH and provides all required laboratory tests and recall 
and follow-up programs for newborns with hearing loss; 
i. ”NIH’ shall refer to the, National Institutes of Health; 
j. “Health Institutions” shall refer to hospitals, health infirmaries, health centers, lying in 
centers or puericulture centers with obstetrical and pediatric services, whether public or 
private; 
k. ”Newborn hearing loss screening” shall refer to an objective, physiological procedure 
completed in a child thirty (30) days old or below to determine the likelihood of hearing loss; 
l. “Audiologic diagnostic evaluation” shall refer to a service related to diagnosis of 
hearing loss as provided by professionals or centers certified by the NIH, through the DOH; 
m. “Advisory Committee” shall refer to the Advisory Committee on Newborn Hearing 
Screening established under Section 11 of this Act; 
n. “DOH shall refer to the Department of Health; 
o. “Intervention” shall refer, to any act to render service for a child diagnosed with 
hearing loss ranging from counseling, diagnosis, hearing aid or any medical procedure for 
correction of hearing loss; and 
p. “Referral” shall refer to an act of sending a patient to another service provider within 
the network for continuation of care. 
 
SEC. 5. Obligation to Inform. -Any health practitioner who delivers, or assists in the delivery, 
of a newborn in the Philippines shall, prior to delivery, inform the parents or legal guardian of 
the newborn of the availability, nature and benefits of hearing loss screening among newborns 
or children three months old and below. 
Parents or legal guardians of newborns who, after undergoing newborn hearing loss 
screening, have been found to have congenital hearing loss shall be informed of the 
availability, nature and benefits of diagnostic audiologic evaluation, intervention and treatment 
options, and counseling regarding hearing loss. 
The DOH shall coordinate with the Advisory Committee to ensure the preparation and 
production of informational and educational materials for these purposes and ensure the 
distribution of the same in coordination with public and private health facilities, hospitals and 
local government units. 
 
SEC. 6. Obligation to perform Newborn Hearing Loss Screening and Audiologic 
Diagnostic Evaluation. - Upon consent of parents or legal guardians, all babies born in 
hospitals in the Philippines shall be made to undergo newborn hearing loss screening before 
discharge, unless the parents or legal guardians of the newborn object to the screening subject 
to Section 7 of this Act. Babies who are not born in hospitals should he screened within the 
first three (3) months of life. 


In the event of a positive newborn hearing loss screening result, the newborn shall 
undergo audiologic diagnostic evaluation in a timely manner to allow appropriate follow-up, 
recall and referral for intervention before the age of six (6) months; Provided That, audiologic 
diagnostic evaluation shall be performed by Newborn Hearing Screening Centers duly certified 
by the NIH. 
It shall be the joint responsibility of the parents or legal guardian, and the practitioner 
or other person delivering the newborn to ensure that hearing screening is performed. An 
appropriate informational brochure for parents to assist in fulfilling this responsibility shall be 
made available by the DOIH, through the Advisory Committee, and shall be distributed to all 
health institutions and made available to any health practitioner requesting it for appropriate 
distribution. 
 
SEC. 7. Refusal to be Tested. -A parent or legal guardian may refuse hearing loss screening 
on the grounds of religious beliefs but shall acknowledge in writing that they have been 
informed of their responsibility to perform said screening and their understanding that refusal 
for testing places their newborn at risk for undiagnosed congenital hearing loss. A copy of this 
waiver shall be made part of the newborn’s medical record and refusal shall be indicated in 
the national newborn hearing screening database. 
 
SEC. 8. Continuing Education, Re-education and Training Health Personnel. - The DOI-
I, with the assistance of the National Institute for Health and other concerned government 
agencies, professional associations and civil society organizations, shall: 
a. conduct continuing information, education, re-education and training programs for 
health personnel on the rationale, benefits, and procedures of hearing loss screening; and 
b. disseminate information materials on newborn screening at least annually to all 
health personnel involved in material and pediatric care. 
 
SEC. 9. Licensing. -To ensure the timely provision of hearing loss screening to newborns, 
the DOH shall require health institutions to provide hearing loss screening services as a 
condition for licensure. The Advisory Committee shall recommend to the DOH Secretary the 
acceptable standards and technologies of such services. 
 
SEC. 10. Lead Agency. - The DOH shall be the lead agency in implementing this Act. It shall 
coordinate with all stakeholders from every stage of human development and at all levels of 
society in order to achieve the objectives of this Act. 
For purposes of achieving the objectives of this Act, the DOH shall: 
1. Establish an Advisory Committee on Newborn Hearing Screening in the Department 
of Health; 
2. Coordinate with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and 
the local government units for implementation of the provisions of this Act; and 
3. Coordinate with the Advisory Committee and the NIIH Newborn Screening 
Reference Center for the certification of Newborn Hearing Screening Centers and 
preparation of defined testing protocols and quality assurance programs. 
 
SEC. 11. The Advisory Committee. - To ensure the effective implementation of this Act, the 
Advisory Committee on Newborn Hearing Screening is hereby created to facilitate inter-
agency coordination and the cooperation of private sector and professional associations in 
policy development, technology development, enforcement monitoring, databanking and 
training. The Advisory Committee shall be made an integral part of the Office of the Secretary 
of the DOH. It shall be composed of the Secretary of the DOH as Chairperson; Director of the 
Philippine National Ear Institute as Vice-Chairperson and the following as members: 
 
a. Philippine Medical Association; 
b. Philippine Pediatric Society; 
c. Philippine Society of Otorhinolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgery; 


d. Philippines Obstetrics Gynecologic Society; 
e. Philippine Hospitals Association; 
f. Department of Education; 
g. Department of Interior and Local Government; 
h. Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines; 
i. A duly organized association of audiologists in the Philippines; 
j. A duly organized association of midwives in the Philippines; and 
k. Two representatives from civil society organizations. 
  
Sec. 12. Responsibilities of the Advisory Committee. -The Advisory Committee shall provide 
technical assistance in the formulation of operational policies, plans and programs: 
a. To develop the State’s capacity to support newborn hearing loss screening, early diagnosis 
and intervention; 
b. To monitor the extent to which hearing loss screening and audiologic diagnostic evaluation 
are conducted in health institutions, and assist in the development of universal newborn 
hearing loss screening programs for hospitals and non-hospital sites; 
c. To collect data on early detection, diagnosis and intervention that can be used for applied 
research and policy development; 
d. To develop models which ensure effective screening, referral and linkage with appropriate 
diagnostic, medical and qualified early intervention services providers and programs within the 
community; and 
e. To periodically review and recommend the newborn hearing loss screening fees to be 
charged by Newborn Screening Centers and to review the report of the Newborn Screening 
Reference Center on the quality assurance of the hearing loss screening and recommend 
corrective measures as deemed necessary. 
 
SEC. 13. Establishment of Newborn Hearing Screening Center. –Newborn Hearing Screening 
Centers shall be established to provide newborn hearing loss screening, audiologic diagnostic 
evaluation and recall, follow-up and referral programs to babies with hearing loss; Provided, 
That, such centers shall be established through a certification by the NIH based on standards 
formulated in collaboration with the 
Advisory Committee and the DOH. 
Newborn Screening Centers (NSC) established pursuant to Section 12, of Republic 
Act No. 9288, shall adopt and implement a program to develop its capacity to become 
Newborn Hearing Screening Centers. The DOH and the Advisory Committee shall develop 
incentives to encourage the establishment of Newborn Hearing Screening Centers other than 
those under the Newborn Screening Centers. 
 
SEC. 14. Data Management and Applied Research. - All hospitals and Newborn Screening 
Centers shall periodically submit copies of the, results of the screening tests to the NIH 
Newborn Screening Reference' Center for consolidation of patient databases. The NIH 
Newborn Screening Reference Center shall maintain a national database of children tested 
and a separate registry for those found positive for hearing loss. It shall submit reports annually 
to the Advisory Committee and to the DOH on the status of and relevant health information 
derived from the database. 
A plan for long-term outcome evaluation of hearing loss screening utilizing the case 
registries shall be developed within one (1) year of passage of this Act by the NIH in 
consultation with the Advisory Committee. Implementation of this plan shall become a 
responsibility of the Advisory Committee. 
 
SEC. 15. Newborn Screening Fees. -The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) shall 
include the cost of hearing loss screening in its newborn package. The screening fee shall be 
applied to, among others, testing costs, education, registry, follow-up and reasonable 
overhead expenses. For this purpose, the PHIC shall develop a program for the gradual 


coverage of hearing loss screening, audiologic diagnostic evaluation, and intervention 
services subject to actuarial and feasibility studies. 
 
SEC. 16. Authorization of Appropriations. - 
a. Nationwide Newborn Hearing Loss Screening, Diagnosis and Intervention Networks. –For 
the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the 
DOH Fifteen Million Pesos (P15,000,000) for the current fiscal year, Thirty Million Pesos 
(P30,000,000) for the next fiscal year, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
succeeding fiscal years. 
b. Technical Assistance, Data Management and Applied Research. -For the purpose of 
carrying our this Act, there are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the National Institutes 
of Health-Philippine National Ear Institute Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000) for the current fiscal 
year and Seven Million Pesos (P7,000,000) for the next fiscal year. 
 
SEC. 17. Implementing Rules. - Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH, 
in collaboration with relevant government agencies and professional associations, shall 
develop the implementing rules and regulations necessary to effectively implement the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. -All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and 
administrative regulations, or any parts thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 19. Separability. -If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
other provisions hereof shall remain valid and continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 20. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,