EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
c( tljr SH'trftarp
SENATE
S. B. No. 1076
(In substitution of SBN 199)
'19 SEP 26 P4:25
RECElVtt) B\.
Prepared and submitted jointly by the Committees on Health and D em ogr^hy; 
Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development; Ways and Means; and Finance with 
Senator Go as author thereof
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING MALASAKIT CENTERS IN  ALL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
(DOH) HOSPITALS IN  THE COUNTRY AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be It enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
SECTION 1. S h o rt Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Maiasakit 
Centers Act."
SEC. 2. D eclaration o f Policies. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
improve the delivery of health care services to the people, and to ensure financial 
access to health services. Towards this end, the State shall:
(a) Adopt a multi-sectoral and streamlined approach in addressing health issues 
and affirm the inherently integrated and indivisible linkage between health 
and social services consistent with the whole-of-government, whole-of-society 
and whole-of-system framework of Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise known 
as th e " Universal Health Care (UHC) A ct]
(b) Ensure that patients experience compassion and empathy or "maiasakit", and 
receive respect and dignity in the availment of health services; and
(c) Provide medical and financial assistance through a one-stop shop.
SEC. 3. D e fin itio n  o f Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean:
(a) DOH Hospital refers to a hospital under the management and administration
1


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
of the Department of Health (DOH), including the four (4) corporate hospitals 
under the Secretary of Health, namely: Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center 
of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute and the Philippine 
Children's Medical Center;
(b) Financial Assistance refers to monetary aid, in the form of guaranty letter, 
cash or check, which covers burial, transportation, and other allied assistance 
or physical aid, such as food, clothing, general assistive devices, given by 
agencies and mandated by existing laws, rules and regulations to provide 
such assistance;
(c) Financially incapacitated patient refers to a patient who is not classified as 
indigent but who demonstrates clear inability to pay or spend for necessary 
expenditures for one's medical treatment, such as patients with catastrophic 
illness or any illness, which is life or limb-threatening and requires prolonged 
hospitalization, extremely expensive therapies or other special but essential 
care that would deplete one's financial resources, as assessed and certified by 
the medical social worker;
(d) Indigent Patient refers to patient who has no visible means of income, or 
whose income is insufficient for the subsistence of his/her family, as assessed 
by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local 
government social worker or the medical social worker of the health facility;
(e) Medical Assistance refers to assistance for out-of-pocket expense in the form 
of coupon, stub, guaranty letter, promissory note or voucher that has 
monetary value, given directly to recipients or beneficiaries to be used for the 
purchase of drugs, medicines, goods or other services prescribed by the 
physician of a health facility for in- and out-patients;
(f) One Stop Shop refers to a common site or location designated to receive and 
process requests for medical and financial assistance for indigent and 
financially incapacitated patients;
(g) Out-of-pocket expense refers to medical and surgical services arising from 
hospitalization not currently paid for or sufficiently covered by PhilHealth 
benefits, insurance coverage, discounts, or other sources of similar nature;
{h) Patient navigation refers to directing and assisting an individual to obtain


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
health care services and overcome barriers for timely, cost-effective and 
appropriate medical care.
SEC 4. M a la sakit Program . - The DOH shall establish a Malasakit Program 
that all DOH hospitals shall adopt and implement. It shall have the following 
objectives:
1) Provide a policy framework for integrated people-centered health services in 
DOH hospitals that shall: (a) ensure and promote an organizational culture 
geared towards responsiveness; (b) ensure appropriate infrastructure and 
processes; and (c) promote client engagement and empowerment; and
2) Ensure financial risk protection and alleviate the financial burden of indigent 
and financially incapacitated patients and families who avail of health services 
in public hospitals through financial and medical assistance provided by 
national 
government 
agencies, 
local 
government, 
non-government 
organizations, private corporations and individuals.
The 
DOH 
shall 
provide policy direction and 
pertinent guidelines, 
in 
consultation with DSWD, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the 
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to ensure and promote 
responsive and effective social service engagement in Malasakit Centers.
SEC. 5. M a la sa kit Program  Office. -  There shall be established a 
Malasakit Program Office in the DOH by augmenting, reclassifying and strengthening 
the existing Public Assistance Unit (PAU) of the DOH. The Malasakit Program Office 
shall oversee the operations of the Malasakit Centers.
The DOH, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM), shall ensure the creation of adequate and appropriate plantilla positions and 
staffing pattern to the Malasakit Program Office.
SEC. 6. M a la sakit Centers. -  There shall be established a Malasakit Center 
in all DOH hospitals in the country which shall:
(a) Serve as a one-stop shop for medical and financial assistance;
(b) Provide patient navigation and referral to the health care provider 
networks;
(c) Provide information with regard to membership, coverage and benefit 
packages in the National Health Insurance Program;


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
(d) Document, process, and utilize data from patient experience through a 
standardized form to shape institutional changes in the hospital; and
(e) Provide capacity building and performance evaluation that ensure good 
client interaction.
There shall be a special lane in each Malasakit Center for the exclusive use of 
senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The Malasakit Centers shall be non-partisan, convenient, free of charge, 
accessible, and shall have a standard system of availment of assistance.
Local Government Units (LGUs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), 
Department of National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG) including the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of 
Justice (DOJ) and other public hospitals may establish Malasakit Centers: Provided, 
That said hospitals meet the following standards and criteria:
(a) Guarantee the availability of funds for the operations of the Malasakit 
Center, 
including 
its 
maintenance and 
other operating 
expenses, 
personnel complement including staff training, performance assessment 
and monitoring;
(b) Ensure the adoption of the integrated people-centered health services; 
and
(c) Comply with other requirements to be prescribed by the DOH regarding 
service capacity and capability, location, among others.
SEC. 7. A d m in istra tio n  o f th e  M alasakit Center. -  The incumbent 
Medical Director, Chief of Hospital or Medical Center Chief shall be designated as the 
Malasakit Center Director, who shall oversee the proper management and efficient 
operation of the Malasakit Center. The Malasakit Center Director shall:
(a) Ensure the provision of appropriate space, furniture, equipment and 
fixtures based on the standard Malasakit Center schematic plan to be 
provided by DOH;
(b) Promote harmony, coordination and cooperation among the participating 
agencies in the Malasakit Centers and strengthen the delivery of services 
by upholding the highest performance of duties and responsibilities; and
(c) Perform 
such 
other 
functions 
as 
may 
be 
necessary 
for 
the


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
accomplishment of the objectives of the Malasakit Program.
The Malasakit Center Director shall assign the Head of the Medical Social 
Work Office as the Malasakit Center Operations Manager, who shall take charge of 
the day to day management and operations of the Malasakit Center. The Malasakit 
Center Director, and Malasakit Center Operations Manager, shall receive no extra 
compensation.
SEC 8. P ersonnel C om plem ent -  
The Malasakit Center shall be 
adequately staffed by medical social workers and support staff. 
The Medical 
Director, Chief of Hospital or Medical Center Chief shall appoint and assign such 
other personnel as may be necessary for the effective operation of the Malasakit 
Centers.
Each Malasakit Center shall consist of duly designated representatives from 
DOH, DSWD, peso and PhilHealth. The DOH, DSWD and PCSO representatives shall 
process and approve the requests for medical and financial assistance. The 
PhilHealth representative shall assist in the availment of benefits and address other 
PhilHealth related concerns of patients.
The DOH, DSWD, PCSO, and PhilHealth are hereby authorized to create the 
required plantilla and staffing pattern necessary for the implementation of this Act in 
coordination with the DBM, Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the Governance 
Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG), as the case 
may be.
The DOH and DSWD shall include in their budgetary submission to the DBM the 
required budget for the personnel services requirements of each Malasakit Center. 
Such budgetary requirement shall be included in the budgets of the respective 
agencies in the General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 9. M edical a n d  Financial Assistance. - The Malasakit Centers shall 
provide access to the following medical and financial assistance:
(a) The DOH medical assistance to indigent patients. Medical assistance to 
indigent and financially incapacitated patients shall be based on need as 
recommended by the medical social worker and the attending physician;
(b) The DSWD financial assistance, based on existing Assistance to Individuals 
in Crisis Situation (AICS) guidelines;


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
(c) The peso medical assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated 
patients under its existing programs, chargeable against its funds;
(d) Medical and financial assistance programs provided by other government 
agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, and 
private institutions and individuals.
The medical social worker shall assess the patient's eligibility and provide 
such patient with complete information of the type, form or character and degree or 
extent of welfare assistance that the patient may receive or benefit from various 
funding sources at the Malasakit Center.
In cases of patients who are admitted in LGU and other public hospitals but 
who are otherwise eligible for medical and financial assistance under this Act, they 
may be extended such medical and financial assistance through the Malasakit 
Centers.
In case of non-availability of clinically indicated drugs, medicines, tests, 
services or procedures in DOH hospital, the DOH hospital may enter into a contract 
with DOH-accredited private health facility to provide the needed drug, test, service 
or procedure to the patient, charged against the hospital, subject to the guidelines 
set by DOH.
The 
DOH, 
DSWD and 
PCSO 
shall 
issue 
guidelines for the 
proper 
implementation of medical and financial assistance to indigent and financially 
incapacitated patients, which shall include availment procedures, order of charging 
of payments, recording and reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.
In the implementation of this provision, the efficient and most streamlined 
delivery of assistance to all beneficiaries shall be the primary consideration. All rules, 
regulations, processes, and practices shall be formulated and implemented with the 
end in goal of achieving this purpose.
SEC. 10. M o n ito rin g  a n d  Evaluation. - The DOH shall conduct monitoring 
and evaluation to assess the responsiveness of Malasakit Centers, including a client 
satisfaction survey, utilizing indicators such as reduced waiting time, percentage of 
indigent and financially incapacitated patients served and percentage of complaints 
endorsed for action, among others.


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
SEC. 11. Donations from  Non-Governmental Organizations and the 
Private Sector. - The DOH may solicit and receive donations from the private 
sector for medical assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated patients. Such 
donations shall be exempt from income or donor's tax and all other taxes, fees and 
charges imposed by the government: Provided, That donations from the private 
sector for a particular hospital shall only be used for the benefit of the patients of 
the particular hospital: Provided, further. That the donations and grants shall only be 
used for the purpose specified by the donor. As such, the donor may send his or her 
representatives to the Malasakit Center for the provision of the medical assistance 
donated by the donor in the particular hospital.
Receipts from donations, whether in cash or in kind, shall be accounted for in 
the books of the DOH in accordance with accounting and auditing rules and 
regulations. The receipts from cash donations and proceeds from sale of donated 
commodities shall be deposited with the National Treasury and recorded as a special 
account in the General Fund and shall be available to the DOH through a special 
budget pursuant to Section 35, Chapter 5, Book VI of Executive Order No. 292. 
Donations with a term not exceeding one (1) year shall be treated as trust receipts.
The DOH shall submit the quarterly reports of all donations received, whether 
in cash or in kind, and expenditures or disbursements thereon with electronic 
signature to the DBM, through the Unified Reporting System, and to the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the 
House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and the 
Commission on Audit, by posting such reports on the DOH website for a period of 
three (3) years. The head of the DOH shall send written notice to the said offices 
when said reports have been posted on its website which shall be considered the 
date of submission.
SEC. 12. Pena! Provisions. -
(a) 
A public official or employee who commits the following acts shall, 
after due notice and hearing, suffer the corresponding penalties as herein 
provided:
(1) Commits an unethical and fraudulent act or abuse of authority, shall be 
suspended for three (3) months without pay for the first offense and


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
1
dismissal from service for the succeeding offense;
(2) Appropriates the funds of the Malasakit Program for personal use, or 
shall willingly or negligently consents either expressly or impliedly to the 
misappropriation of funds without objecting to the same and properly 
reporting the matter to the proper authorities, shall be liable for 
misappropriation of the funds of the Malasakit Program, and shall be 
punished with a fine equivalent to triple the amount misappropriated per 
count and suspension of three (3) months without pay.
The abovementioned administrative penalties shall be without prejudice to 
the filing of criminal charges under existing penal laws.
(b) 
Any person who commits fraud or misrepresentation as to his 
indigency or financial incapacity shall render the assistance void and shall 
make the person liable for twice the amount of assistance provided and suffer 
the penalty of imprisonment of from six (6) months to not more than two (2) 
years.
(c) 
Any person who aids or abets the commission of the offense in the 
preceding paragraph shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment for one (1) day 
to not more than six (6) months.
SEC. 13. A n n u a l Report. -  The DOH, DSWD, PCSO and PhilHealth shall 
jointly submit to the Office of the President of the Philippines, Senate Committee on 
Health and Demography, and the House of Representatives Committee on Health on 
or before the end of December of every year, or upon the request of any of the 
aforesaid offices, a report giving a detailed account of the status of the 
implementation of this Act.
A ppropriations. - The amount necessary for the establishment 
and operation of Malasakit Centers shall be included in the General Appropriations 
Act.
The amounts earmarked under Section 288-A of the National Internal 
Revenue Code, as amended, for medical assistance shall be appropriated under the 
DOH, specifically for medical assistance to indigent patients, portion of which shall 
be allotted for DOH hospitals.


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
1
12
SEC 15. Im plem enting Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the approval of this Act, the DOH, PhilHealth, DSWD and PCSO shall jointly 
issue the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that is 
declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or 
provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given 
effect in their entirety.
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other 
issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.
SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette ot in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,