NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 1 4 1 G
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•22 OCT 26 A 9 SO
RECEIVED BY;'O
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH OF FILIPINO MOTHERS AT THE TIME OF 
THEIR CHILDBIRTH, PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to implement reasonable, comprehensive, and effective health 
care liability reforms designed to improve the availability of health care services 
before, during and after mothers give birth to her child. Given the high cost of 
medical accommodation and health insurance, there is not enough obstetrical 
service most especially in public hospitals. Women, most especially in far-flung 
provinces, have difficulty in finding available doctors and have to wait longer to 
secure appointments. In addition, they have less access to maternal-fetal medicine 
specialists, physicians with the most experience and training in the care of women 
with high-risk pregnancies, and have less access to well-equipped hospitals, lying-in 
and clinics attending to pregnant women during giving of birth.
Based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), direct 
obstetric deaths posted the highest growth rate among the causes of maternal death 
in the first semester of this year. Accordingly, some 468 Filipinos were killed by 
"other direct obstetric deaths" representing a 10.1-percent increase from the 425 
posted in the same period last year.
Once this bill is enacted into law, the following measures will be implemented:
1. The local government units are mandated to upgrade and improve 
devolved health services and medical facilities to provide quality EMOC.
2. The LGUs shall encourage facility-based delivery among all women and 
shall retain health workers, e.g., medical doctors, nurses, and 
midwives, who deliver these health services. For the purpose, the local 
health clinics and health offices as well as the satellite offices of the 
Department of Health are hereby mandated to be of 24-hour 
assistance to Filipino mothers.


3. The local government units are empowered to provide and formuiate 
programs that will promote the increase in salaries and incentives of 
heaith workers.
For this purpose, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
MARK A. VILLAR


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No.
Senate
of V)t *K c ct.^rr
*22 OCT 26 A9 50
RECEIVED 
_____
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH OF FILIPINO MOTHERS AT THE TIME OF 
THEIR CHILDBIRTH, PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Consistent with the State poiicy that shaii protect the State and
2 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
3 
them and the constitutional declaration that the State shall enhance the welfare and
4 
safety of women, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to provide
5 
maximum safeguarding of Filipino mothers at the time of their childbirths.
6 
Sec. 2. No maternal hospital, clinic, health center, lying-in, midwifery facilities
7 
or similar center, public or private, shall deny or refuse to assist, admit, or entry of a
8 
mother at the time of childbirth. They shall ensure the highest safety mechanism to
9 
prevent child switching, child trafficking or the commission of any crime that may
10 
lead to the endangering of the lives of both mother and child.
11 
Sec. 3. The respective local government units (LGUs) in cooperation with the
12 
Department of Health (DOH) are mandated to upgrade and improve devolved health
13 
services and medical facilities to provide quality emergency obstetric care (EMOC).
14 
Sec. 4. The LGUs shall encourage facility-based delivery among all women
15 
and shall retain health workers, e.g., medical, doctors, nurses, and widwives, who
16 
deliver these health services.


1 
The local health clinics and health offices as well as the satellite offices of the
2 
DOH are hereby encouraged to be of 24-hour assistance to Filipino mothers.
3 
The LGUs are empowered to provide and formulate programs that will
4 
promote the increase in salaries and incentives of health workers.
5 
Sec. 5. To complement the provisions of this Act, the DOH in coordination
6 
with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the relevant organization of
7 
midwives shall professionalize further the practice of midwifery in the country and
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empower them to be the key health care professional in providing care to mothers
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and newborns and redwing maternal mortality and newborn mortality rates.
10 
Sec. 6. The DOH shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement
11 
the provisions of this Act.
12 
Sec. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
13 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspaper of general circulation,
14 
whichever comes earlier.
Approved,