FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
s.'No.l3S 
Introduced by SENATOR PIA S. CAYETANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Worldwide, infant and maternal mortality rates are still alarmingly high, 
particularly in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization and 
the United Nations Children's Fund, more than half a million women lose their lives 
as a result of complications due to pregnancy or childbirth. Around 99 percent of all 
maternal deaths occur in developing countries, with some 84 percent concentrated in 
sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. 
To address this appalling global problem, member-states of the United 
Nations, together with more than 23 international organizations, agreed to adopt the 
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which intend to eradicate poverty and 
improve the social and economic conditions in the world's poorest countries by the 
year 2015. The Philippines is one of the signatories. 
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the agency tasked to 
monitor compliance with the MDG, reports that the Philippines is on track with most 
of the eight (8) goals. However, it admits that there is great likelihood that the 
Philippines will fail to achieve at least two of these goals: (1) universal primary 
education and (2) improvement in maternal and neonatal health. 
As of 2006, maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the Philippines stands at 162 per 
100,000. The target MMR under MDG is 52 per 100,000 population by 2015. 
Health workers play a vital role in lowering the MMR in the country. 
Unfortunately, there is lack of access to professional health care practitioners all over 
the country. Healthcare professionals are sorely lacking and unequally distributed in 
rural and urban areas. Most of our healthcare professionals, especially doctors and 
nurses, have left the country in search for greener pastures abroad. Given this 
problem, health experts recommend that the gap on the delivery of maternal and 
infant healthcare services be covered by the appointment of midwives who are 
trained to provide healthcare services, especially maternal and infant healthcare. 
There is a need to act now. We cannot wait in the sideline while mothers are 
dying. 
Midwives comprise one of the largest occupational groups in the public and 
private health system in the Philippines. Records show that there are 150,722 
registered midwives as of June 2007. Midwives work in the private or public sector in 
hospitals, birthing clinics, barangay health stations, or rural health units. They 
comprise 65% of the public health workforce. In the rural areas, they are the first 
point of contact for patients coming into the health system. In fact, midwives are 
currently implementing public health programmes in these areas. With the great 
potential and significant contribution of midwives in augmenting the presence of 


professional healthcare practitioners in rural areas, the increased community 
presence of midwives is necessary. 
This bill thus mandates to provide one midwife in each barangay. In 2005, 
there were 16,967 government midwives in the country, delivering frontline services 
in 15,436 barangay health stations and 2266 rural health units. Although the 
recommended ratio is one midwife for every 5,000, most midwives currently cater to 
the needs of 10,000-30,000 individuals in their catchment area. Recognizing the 
importance of primary healthcare and the presence of midwives in the country, 
especially in the rural areas, the bill further seeks to increase the number of 
midwives in a barangay where there is a population of more than 5,000. This will 
enable the midwives to provide quality and efficient health care services. 
Indeed, midwives playa key role in delivering patient-focused services that 
are accessible, affordable and appropriate to the needs of patients, as individuals, 
and their families. The midwifery profession is central to the delivery of an effective 
health service, particularly in the rural areas. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
s. CAYETANO 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
} 
OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
First Regular Session 
} 
SENATE 
S.·No. 139 
Introduced by Senator Pia S. Cayetano 
AN ACT 
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MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE MIDWIFE FOR EACH BARANGAY, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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 "Midwife to the 
Barangay Act of 2010." 
Section 2. Statement of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people. The State shall provide appropriate 
programs and measures to provide access to affordable and quality health and 
social services, especially in rural areas. 
The services of midwives, as front liners in the country's health care delivery 
system, are essential in achieving the State's health policy, especially with regard to 
pre-natal and post natal maternal, and newborn, care. Toward this end, this Act shall 
mandate the appointment of midwives for each barangay to increase access to 
health care services for the people, especially the underprivileged. 
Section 3. Ratio of Midwives to the Barangay. - All barangays shall be 
equipped with one (1) midwife; Provided, That if the population of a barangay 
exceeds five thousand (5,000), the number of midwives shall be increased, as 
determined by the Department of Health (DOH). 
Section 4. Role of Midwives to the Barangay. - All Midwives to the Barangay 
are mandated to ensure that mothers and infants, in their respective jurisdictions, are 
given quality and essential health care services, including, but not limited to, pre-
natal and post natal care, breastfeeding support, providing information on the 
importance of immunization and ensuring that infants are given the proper vaccines 
as provided in the DOH Expanded Program on Immunization, and proper care and 
nutrition of both the mothers and the infants. 
Section 5. Appointment of Midwives to the Barangay. - The DOH, through its 
Center for Health Development, is mandated to appoint the Midwife to the Barangay. 
It shall immediately determine which areas are in need of midwives. Priority in 
apPointments shall be given to remote areas where there are no existing healthcare 
professionals providing for the healthcare services of the population and areas which 
have high maternal mortality rate. 
Section 6. Qualifications of Midwives to the Barangay. - The DOH shall 
provide for the qualifications of the Midwife to the Barangay, who shall, as much as 


possible, come from the same barangay or municipality where he or she will be 
appointed. 
Section 7. Basic Emergency Obstetric Care - The DOH shall ensure that the 
midwives are equipped with Basic Emergency Obstetric Care. It shall also 
determine, subject to guidelines that it may issue, the need to further provide these 
midwives with training on Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care. 
Section 8. Compensation and Benefits. - All Midwives to the Barangay shall 
be appropriately compensated by the DOH and shall be entitled to all the benefits 
provided in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna Carta of Public 
Health Workers." 
Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulation. - The DOH, in cooperation 
with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Civil Service 
Commission, and other concerned government agencies and non-government 
organizations, shall formulate and promulgate, within ninety days (90) from its 
effectivity, the rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act. 
Section 10. Appropriations. - For a period of five (5) years from the passage 
of this Act, the amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act shall be 
charged against the appropriations of the DOH. Thereafter, such funds as may be 
necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the 
appropriations of the respective Local Government Units. 
Section 11. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected 
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
Section 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and 
other presidential issuances which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
Section 13. Effectivity. - This Act takes effect immediately after its publication 
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved.