FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

1721

House Bill No.,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is pathetic to note that many of our sick but indigent countrymen who
are medically attended to in public hospitals and diagnosed as suffering from
certain ailment and prescribed the needed medicines, are nonetheless
helpless in having their illness cured because of lack of means to buy
medicines as prescribed

Medical attention without the concomitant medicines being
administered to the patient is meaningless.

Again, poverty is depriving many indigent patients of the rare
opportunity of medical advancement and recent discoveries on cure of
diseases because the medicines are hardly affordable and far from the
indigent patient’s reach.

The most appropriate and quick source of funding for free medicines to

indigent patients is the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) of local government
units.

It is the purpose of the bill to set aside a certain percentage of the IRA
budget for acquisition of medicines for free distribution to indigent patients in
their respective localities.

~

Wi
RUFUS B. IGUEZ

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B, Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

1721

House Bill No.

AN ACT
REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO EARMARK A PORTION OF
THEIR INTERNAL REVENUE ALLOTMENTS FOR FREE MEDICINES TO
INDIGENT PATIENTS IN THEIR LOCALITIES, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Local Governments to Earmark a Portion of IRA for
Free Medicines. — It shall be the obligation of all local governments to set
aside and earmark a portion of their Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) for
appropriation for free medicines to be distributed to the public hospitals,
clinics, dispensaries or other outlets to indigent patients for free in their
localities,

SEC, 2. Indigent Patients, defined; How dispensed. - Indigent
patients are those who have no visible means of income or whose income is
insufficient for the subsistence of his or her family as identified by the local
social welfare department; Provided, However, that the local government shall
maintain a list confirmed by the barangay officials concerned where the
indigent patient resides and to issue an identifying document to insure that the
free medicines are properly dispensed to deserving recipients; Provided,
Further, that said hospitals, clinics or dispensaries shall, as far as practicable,
establish their own pharmacy or outlets within their premises and maintain
sufficient stock or quantity of the most common prescribed medicines in order
to immediately provide the free medicines to the indigent patients.

SEC. 3. Regular Accounting. - All pharmacies or outlets distributing
or dispensing free medicines shall render periodic accounting of such
disbursement duly posted in at least three (3) public bulletin boards specifying


the patient’s name, address, doctor prescribing the medicine and the amount
or cost of the medicine.

SEC. 4. Acts Constituting Violations of this Act; Penalty. — In
addition to the criminal liability incurred by persons for violating pertinent
provisions of the Revised Penal Code or other special laws, the following acts
shall constitute a crime under this Act

(a) Preparing a list or certification that a patient is indigent when he is
not;

(b) Submitting, preparing or altering any document to make it appear
that any legitimate acquisition, purchase, disbursement or
distribution had been made for free medicines when in fact there is
none;

(c) Diverting, concealing or using for other use or purpose, the funds
for free medicines;

(d) Dispensing or distributing the free medicines under this Act other
than to indigent patients;

(€) Selling or disposing of the free medicines; and

() Marking up or padding the purchase cost of medicines acquired
under this Act; and,

(g) Knowingly purchasing expired medicines or those expiring within
one (1) year from date of purchase.

Those found guilty of committing any of the acts above defined shall be

sentenced to an imprisonment of not less than two (2) years nor more than
seven (7) years.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. ~ If any of the sections or provisions of

this Act is held invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain
valid.

SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen

(15) days after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved.