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. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State, as provided in the 1987 Constitution, shall adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health, development which shall endeavor to make 
essential goods, health, and other social services available to all at an affordable 
cost.  
This proposed measure include proposes to establish a newborn screening program. 
This is to conduct a set of special tests, done to infants before they leave the hospital 
and check for any serious health disorders that do not show signs at birth. 
The preventive measures and health related procedures is crucial for the 
development of the health of the child and is important to orient their respective 
families on how to productively deal with a condition, if any. 
In view thereof, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 15, 2023
9:00 am
8103


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. 
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 newborn 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 Newborn and the provision of 
referral, early intervention, counseling and other support services for Newborn 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 newborn have access to hearing loss screening;
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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 new born 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 new born 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; 
 
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 be 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 Test. – 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 DOH-1, 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. 
Disseminates 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 interagency coordination and the cooperation of private sector and 
professional 
associations 
in 
policy 
development, 
technology 
development, 
enforcement monitoring, data banking 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 shall 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 out 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,