Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF DISORDERS INCLUDED IN THE 
NEWBORN SCREENING PROGRAM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15, provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
In 2004, Republic Act No. 9288, otherwise known as the Newborn 
Screening Act was enacted into law. This important law includes a procedure 
to detect a genetic and metabolic disorder in newborns that may lead to 
mental retardation and even death if left untreated.  
Newborn screening refers to a set of special tests, including blood, 
hearing, and heart screening, done to one- to two-day-old infants, usually 
before they leave the hospital. This procedure is to assess the newborn infants 
for any serious health disorders that do not show signs at birth. 
In many countries, newborn screening has been integrated to pediatric 
health systems as a mechanism that protects babies from health risks. In the 
Philippines, the rules and regulations implementing the Newborn Screening 
Act recommended the conditions to be included in the newborn screening 
panel of disorders. 
According to the Philippine Pediatrics Society, the advancement of 
newborn screening has succeeded in reducing morbidity and mortality 
associated with certain congenital disorders as it allows timely medical 
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intervention for diagnosed patients. Affected children identified through 
newborn screening can lead normal lives with the help of prompt and 
appropriate medical management. 
 
This bill seeks to expand the number of disorders for which newborn 
infants in the country are required to be tested by law to further protect 
newborn Filipinos from health risks. Specifically, this bill provides for the 
expansion of the prescribed list of disorders for which testing is required 
under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 9288. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS  
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF DISORDERS INCLUDED IN THE 
NEWBORN SCREENING PROGRAM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Expanded 
Newborn Screening Program Act". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State that in the interests of public health, every effort should be made to 
detect in newborn infants, hypothyroidism, galactosemia, phenylketonuria, 
and other biochemical disorders which may cause mental retardation or other 
permanent disabilities and to treat the affected individuals.  
SECTION 3. Newborn Screening Panel of Disorders. - All infants born in 
the country shall, pursuant to the Newborn Screening (NBS) Act, be tested for 
the hereditary disorders such as, but not limited to, the following:  
a)
congenital hypothyroidism;
b)
galactosemia;
c)
phenylketonuria;
d)
cystic fibrosis;
e)
congenital adrenal hyperplasia;
f)
maple syrup urine disease;
g)
homocystinuria;
h)
biotinidase deficiency;
i)
medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency;
j)
HIV seropositivity;
k)
sickle cell disease; and
l)
other blood abnormalities as determined by the Department of Health.
The Secretary of the Department of Health hereinafter referred to as the 
Secretary, shall issue regulations to assure that newborns are tested in a 
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manner approved by the same Department. The Secretary shall also ensure 
that treatment services are available to all identified individuals. The 
provisions of this Act shall not apply if the parents of a newborn infant object 
to the testing on the grounds that it would conflict with their religious tenets 
or practices.  
 
SECTION 4. Tasks of the Department of Health. – The Department of 
Health (DOH) shall perform the following tasks:  
a) 
may charge a reasonable fee for the tests performed pursuant to this 
Act, and determine the procedures for collecting such;  
b) 
shall apply all revenues collected from the fees to the testing and 
treatment procedures performed pursuant to this Act;  
c) 
may also require testing of newborn infants for other preventable 
biochemical disorders if reliable and efficient testing techniques are 
available;  
d) 
shall provide a program of reviewing and following up on positive cases 
in order that measures may be taken to prevent mental retardation or 
other permanent disabilities; and 
e) 
shall conduct an intensive educational and training program among 
physicians, hospitals, public health nurses and the public concerning 
biochemical disorders.  
 
SECTION 5. Information Related to Disorders in the NBS. - Information 
on newborn infants and their families compiled pursuant to this Act may be 
used by the DOH and agencies designated by the Secretary for the purposes 
of carrying out this Act; otherwise, the information shall be confidential and 
not divulged or made public so as to disclose the identity of any person to 
which it relates, except as provided by law. The program indicated in Section 
3 shall include information concerning the nature of the disorders, testing for 
the detection of these disorders and treatment modalities for these disorders.  
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty days 
(30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health, in 
consultation with other concerned stakeholders, shall issue the rules and 
regulations necessary to effectively implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall at any 
time be found to be unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not 
affected by such declaration shall remain in full force and effect.  
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules or regulations 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.  
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,