NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
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C<' f 
‘
of tnp ■!'7'
•22 JUL 12 All :02
S.B, No.
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay
AN ACT REQUIRING ALL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS, 
MEDICAL CENTERS, CLINICS, INFIRMARIES AND PUERICULTURE 
CENTERS TO GIVE FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 
INDIGENT CHILDREN
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to provide free medical and dental assistance to indigent children 
in consonance with the State's recognition of the need to promote the physical well­
being of children, including promoting their right to health, and making health services 
adequate to ail. In order to achieve this end, all government and private hospitals, 
medical centers, clinics, infirmaries and puericulture centers are required to render 
medical and dental services to indigent children and at the same time provide tax 
incentives to these covered institutions.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
%
—
MARIA LOURDE^AMCY S. BINAY


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
.'7‘1 
^'C IK'
•22 JUL 12 All :02
SENAT!
llECEiVl D 3' ____
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay
AN ACT REQUIRING ALL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS, 
MEDICAL CENTERS, CLINICS, INFIRMARIES AND PUERICULTURE 
CENTERS TO GIVE FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 
INDIGENT CHILDREN
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
SECTION 1. Tide. - This Act shall be known as "The Indigent Chiidren Free 
Medicai and Dental Service Act"
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - In consonance with the State's recognition of 
the need to promote the physical well-being of children, including promoting their 
right to health, and making health services adequate to all, it is hereby declared the 
policy of the State to provide for ail possible assistance it could provide to children 
especially those who are unfortunate to have no means of support or have no one to 
support them.
SEC. 3. Indigent Children. - For purposes of this Act, an indigent child shall 
refer to an unemancipated child below eighteen (18) years of age who have no visible 
means of support or whose parents or guardians have no means of providing for their 
immediate medical and dental needs.
SEC. 4. Duty of the DSWD and DOH. - The Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD) and the Department of Flealth (DOH) shall be tasked with the 
primary responsibility of implementing the provisions of this Act.
For this purpose, the DSWD shall promulgate the necessary guidelines in order 
to determine if a child in need of medical and/or dental service may be considered 
indigent, taking into account the following factors:
1. 
Age of the child;
2. 
Financial condition of the family;


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3. 
Degree of deprivation of parentai care and support; and
4. 
Inability of his parents to exercise parental authority.
The DOH, on the other hand, shall coordinate and establish the necessary 
mechanisms and regulations to govern both government and private hospitals, 
medical centers, clinics, infirmaries and puericulture centers in the implementation of 
this Act. The DSWD and DOH shall have the authority to promulgate the necessary 
rules and regulations for the purpose of carry into effect the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 5. Free Medical and Dental Services. - All government and private 
hospitals, medical centers, clinics. Infirmaries and puericulture centers duly licensed 
to operate as such, are hereby required to render medical and dental services to 
indigent children, regardless of whether or not they are in danger of dying and/or may 
have suffered physical injuries requiring immediate medical attention.
SEC. 6. Incentives for Private Hospital,. Medical Center, Clinic, Infirmary and/or 
Puericulture Centers. - The expenses and losses of earnings incurred by a private 
hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center, or by an individual 
physician or dentists, for medicine, facilities and services extended to the care and 
treatment of an indigent child as required herein, in the amount not exceeding Five 
hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) per year, shall be considered deductible 
expenses and losses for income tax purposes, which may be carried over for a period 
of five (5) years.
To ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act, all indigent children 
treated by private hospitals, medical centers, clinics, infirmaries or puericulture centers 
shall secure a certification from the social worker assigned to the hospital, medical 
center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center.
The Certification shall contain the following information:
1. 
Name of patient;
2. 
That the patient is indigent and supporting proof thereof;
3. 
Service/s rendered to the patient;
4. 
Cost of such service/s based on the existing price list of the hospital, 
medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center at the time of 
treatment; and
5. 
Attestation from the social worker that all information contained therein 
are true and correct to his/her knowledge.
SEC. 7. Pena! Clause. - Any hospital director, administrator, officer-in-charge, 
physician or dentist in a hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center 
who shall refuse or fail without good cause to render the appropriate medical and


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dental services pursuant to this Act, after the child has been brought to his/her 
attention; or any nurse, midwife, miedical or dental attendant who shall refuse to 
extend the appropriate assistance, subject to existing rules, or neglects to notify or 
call the attention of a physician or dentist in attendance, shall be punished with 
imprisonment of at least one (1) year or a fine of not more than One hundred fifty 
thousand pesos (P150,000.00), or both fine and imprisonment, at the sound discretion 
of the court. The penalty herein imposed shall not prejudice any administrative 
sanctions that may be imposed by law.
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
void and unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be 
affected by such declaration.
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, 
other issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,