SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
!iellatl' 
(~ffl;r of !h. ~rrr.br. 
·13 
AUG 15 P3 :16 
, I'l,',,'\'n'r.-I) BY: +-'~ 
_____________________________ 
"'_,'-',"'>,'--±.,-"",'-",-',~. "', 
''''',~, 
i, • 
, ~,' 
S, No. 
1315 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 11 provides that: 
SECTION 11. The State shall adopt and integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health development which shall ,endeavor to make essential goods, 
health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
There shall be a priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, 
disabled, women and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical 
care to paupers. 
Health care has always been last among the priorities of many Filipino families. In many 
cases, a lot of our countrymen seek medical attention only if their condition is already at an 
advanced stage, which can no longer be controlled nor hidden. This is attributable to several 
factors. First, the cost of prevention and treatment is prohibitive, Second, poverty has forced 
many families to choose between health care and basic necessities. Finally, many Filipinos are 
not health literate. It is often in these situations that many of our constituents approach the 
politicians for doles to address their health care expenses, which, in many instances, lead to 
patronage politics. 
Health literacy means an individual's ability to obtain, process, and understand basic 
. ,  
. 
. 
health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions. This means 
Imowing how to make use of available resources to pay for a person's medical expenses, such as 
government benefits and health benefits available to employees. This knowledge goes a long 
way into assisting our citizens on making sound and timely decision concerning the protection of 
their health. If we are able to do this, we" will be able to encourage our citizens to avail of 
preventive medicine instead of curative. Preventive medicine is less costly and gives the family 
less burden than curative. 
1 


This bill seeks to establish within the Department of Health a Health Literacy 
Implementation Center to enhance efforts to help eliminate the problem oflow health literacy by 
improving measurements, research, development, and information dissemination.' 
~'- 4~.4~J~ 
. MIRIAM DEF~NSOR SANTI,oO 
oJ!' 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress. Second Regular' Session. 
2 


'sPI1!1tr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
(Off.;" of tlJ.~'''''tllr¥ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
AUG 15 p>.:1,() 
SENATE 
S. No. 1315 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT' 
2 
TO ENSURE THAT ALL FILIPINOS HAVE BASIC HEALTH LITERACY SKILLS TO 
3 
FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AS PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE CONSUMERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
4 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Health Literacy 
5 
Act." 
6 
SECTION 2. Definitions. - For the purposes of this Act, the term-
7 
A. 
HEALTH LITERACY - means an individual's ability to obtain, process, and 
8 
understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care 
9 
decisions; 
10 
B. 
CENTER - means the Health Literacy Implementation Center established under 
11 
Section 3; and 
12 
C. 
SECRETARY - means the Secretary of Health. 
13 
SECTION 3. Health Literacy Implementation Center. - The Secretary shall establish 
14 
within the Department of Health a Health Literacy Implementation Center, to be headed by a 
IS 
Director to be appointed by the Secretary, to enhance efforts to help eliminate the problem of 
16 
low health literacy by improving measurements, research, development, and information 
17 
dissemination. 
18 
SECTION 4. Duties. - The Center shall-
I 
------- ----


1 
A. 
gather health literacy resources from public and private sources and make such 
2 
resources available to researchers, health care providers, and the general public; 
3 
B. 
sponsor demonstration and evaluation projects to establish the feasibility and 
4 
utility of health literacy interventions and tools in various settings; 
5 
C. 
develop the next generation of health literacy interventions and tools, including 
6 
curricula, measures, and health information decision support, with specific attention placed on 
7 
elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities, and adult and vocational education' 
8 
programs and language barriers and cultural differences that contribute to low health literacy 
9 
rates; 
10 
D. 
identify and fill research gaps relating to health literacy that have direct 
11 
applicability to quality improvement; 
12 
E. 
assist appropriate government agencies III establishing specific objectives and 
13 
strategies for carrying out the purpose of the Center and in monitoring the programs of such 
14 
agencies; 
15 
F. 
enter into implementation partnerships with organizations and agencies to 
16 
promote the adoption of interventions and tools developed under this section; and 
17 
G. 
enter into an interagency agreement with the Secretary of Education to facilitate 
18 
the coordination of health literacy activities within the Department of Health and the Department 
19 
of Education. 
1
'.~'1'1i 
II Ii 
,,~ , 
20 
SECTION 5. Public Meetings. 
Il'il'll[ 
"'1 
- T*e Center shall convene at least one annual public 
21 
meeting to help raise awareness about the problem of health literacy and government efforts to 
22 
address the issue. The Center shall invite representatives from the Department of Health and the 
23 
Department of Education, local government officials, private sector groups, and other interested 
24 
parties involved in health literacy activities. 
25 
SECTION 6. Report, - The Center shall annually submit to Congress a report that 
26 
includes-
2 


1 
A. 
a comprehensive and detailed description of the operations, activities, financial 
2 
condition, and accomplishments of the Center in the field of health literacy; and 
3 
B. 
a description of how plans for the operation of the Center for the succeeding fiscal 
4 
year will facilitate achievement of the goals of the Center. 
5 
SECTION 7. Health Literacy Resource Centers. - The Director of the Center shall award 
6 
grants to local government units (LGUs) to provide for the establishment of a network of local 
7 
health literacy resource centers to facilitate efforts to eliminate low health literacy. 
8 
SECTION 8. Eligibility for Grants. - To be eligible for a grant under Section 7, the LGU 
9 
shall submit to the Director of the Center an application at such time, in such manner, and 
10 
containing such information as the Director may require, including a description of how the LGU 
, 
'I ,., d ~I" I" 
11 
will structure and provide services through the resource center established under the grant. 
12 
SECTION 9. Functions of the Health Literacy Resource Centers. --: The, Health Literacy _ 
13 
Resource Centers shall -
14 
A. 
support efforts to better understand the nature and scope of low health literacy 
15 
among the LGU's population; 
16 
B. 
assist public and private efforts in the LGU in coordinating and delivering health 
17 
literacy services; 
18 
C. 
encourage LGU and local government and industry partnerships to coordinate 
19 
efforts to address low health literacy; 
20 
D. 
provide technical and policy assistance to LGU and local governments and 
21 
service providers; and 
22 
E. 
monitor and evaluate programs conducted under this grant. 
23 
SECTION 10. Meetings. - An LGU health literacy resource center shall meet at least 
24 
once each year to share models of best practices. A summary report with respect to such meeting 
3 


1 
shall be made available to the public to facilitate the dissemination of effective LGU-based 
2 
practices 
3 
SECTION 11. Report by Health Literacy Resource Center:s. - Not later than September 
4 
30, or each fiscal year for which a grant is received by a LGU under this Act, the LGU shall 
5 
submit to the Director of the Center a report that shall describe the programs supported by the 
6 
grant and the results of monitoring and evaluation ofthose programs. 
7 
SECTION 12. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the initial implementation of 
8 
this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the Department of Education under the 
9 
current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its full 
10 
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act as a distinct and 
•• 1"1' 
11 
separate item. 
12 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
13 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
14 
valid and subsisting. 
15 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
16 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
17 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
18 
SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
19 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
4