NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 40.*^
ol thi -
•22 JUL 12 P2 :04
RKCEiVcD BV;___
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR TEACHERS AND THEIR 
DEPENDENTS, CONVERTING THE EAST AVENUE MEDICAL CENTER IN 
DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY INTO THE NATIONAL TEACHERS MEDICAL 
CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Teachers play a vital role in the education of our youth and the progress of 
our nation. They perfornn multiple tasks inside and outside of classrooms. During 
school days, they exercise special parental authority and responsibility over minor 
children - guiding and teaching them good manners and right conduct as well as 
increasing their knowledge of various subject matters at hand. They prepare their 
lesson plans every night despite a tiring day just to make sure that their pupils and 
students will learn new things on the following day. Thus, they are considered one 
of the most influential and powerful forces of quality education.
During school break, teachers perform election-related duties or data 
gathering activities for the Philippine Statistics Authority and assist in various extra­
curricular and civic activities upon the request of local and national officials.
As a result of their work, teachers are susceptible to some ailments that are 
clearly work-related such as pharyngitis, hypertension, anemia and hyperacidity.
{


among others. Those who are seriously afflicted by illnesses opted to resign or 
voluntarily give up their profession. Aside from the benefits that they may avail from 
the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, they become the sole responsibility of 
their respective families during their hospitalization. Most of the time, the 
compensation that they received are insufficient to support their complete 
rehabilitation.
It is high time to recognize the contributions of teachers to the nation and 
assure them that their well-being is the primordial concern of the government in 
consonance with the provisions of Article XIV, Section 5, paragraph 5, of the 
Constitution, which states in part: "The State shall ... ensure that teaching will 
attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate 
remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment." Hence, there is a 
need for the State to provide health facilities for these unsung heroes which shall 
specifically cater to their needs including their dependents.
This bill, therefore, seeks to establish a special hospital to be known as the 
National Teachers Medical Center in the National Capital Region in order to provide a 
medical facility for the hospitalization and medical needs of teachers and their 
dependents. Likewise, it requires regional hospitals to set up special wards, with an 
initial capacity of at least fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of 
the teachers and their dependents residing therein. This bill specifically proposes 
that the East Avenue Medical Center be converted as the National Teachers Medical 
Center.
In honor of our Filipino teachers, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
TOL" N. TOLENTINO


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 403
of tlic ^vr-ehiKy
72 JUL12 P2:04
RECEIV'D CV.
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
1 
AN ACT
2 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR TEACHERS AND THEIR
3 
DEPENDENTS, CONVERTING THE EAST AVENUE MEDICAL CENTER IN
4 
DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, INTO THE NATIONAL TEACHERS MEDICAL
5 
CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
6 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Teachers
7 
Medical Center Act."
8 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
9 
State to recognize the role of Filipino teachers in national progress and development,
10 
protect their interests and well-being, and provide them and their dependents
11 
access to affordable health care and development through an integrated and
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comprehensive approach. Towards this end, the State shall create a national
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medical center which will cater to the health and medical needs of teachers, whether
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in the active duty or retired, and their dependents.
15 
Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall apply to the following:
16
(a) Teacher who is a Filipino citizen and who may be:


1 
i. Any person who teaches any subject, including practical and vocational
2 
arts, at the day-care, pre-school, elementary, secondary, senior high
3 
school, college, and post-graduate courses in all public schools;
4 
ii. Any person who provides guidance and counseling in all public schools;
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Hi. Any person who provides instructional supervision in all public schools;
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iv. Any person employed as school administrative support employee;
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V. Physicians, dentists, and nurses employed exclusively by the public schools;
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vi. Officials and employees of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the
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Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and
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vii. Retired teachers and other public school employees who have rendered a
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minimum of ten years of continuous service prior to their retirement.
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(b) Teacher's Dependents limited to the following persons:
13 
i. 
Legitimate spouse dependent upon the teacher for support;
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ii. Legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated or legally adopted children, not more
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than eighteen (18) years of age, or is incapable of self-support because of
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mental or physical defect, regardless of age;
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iii. The parent or parents living with and dependent upon the teacher for
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support.
19 
Sec. 4. Creation of a National Teachers Medical Center and Special
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Wards in Regional Hospitals. - To carry out the above policy, the East Avenue
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Medical Center in Quirino District, Quezon City shall be converted into a special
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hospital for teachers and shall be named as the National Teachers Medical Center
23 
(NTMC). 
It shall be the primary medical facility for the hospitalization and medical
24 
care of teachers and their dependents.


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Regional hospitals located outside the NCR shall put up special wards with an
2 
initial capacity of at least fifty (50) beds to address the immediate medical needs of
3 
teachers and their dependents residing therein.
4 
Sec. 5. Free Hospitalization and Medical care. - The NTMC and Regional
5 
Hospitals with special wards shall not charge any hospitalization, confinement,
6 
medical treatment, and medical care services rendered for teachers and their
7 
dependents.
8 
Sec. 6. Objectives. - To ensure the availability, accessibility and
9 
affordability of quality health care, the NTMC and regional hospitals shall:
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12
13
14
15
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(a) Provide for a comprehensive or total health care services to all teachers 
and their dependents;
(b) Complement the existing package of services under the National Health 
Insurance Program to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and 
rehabilitative programs;
(c) Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability 
of all teacher applicants; and
(d) Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and 
to generate information/data in aid of policy formulation.
19 
Sec. 7. Governing Board. - The NTMC shall be governed by the Board of
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Directors composed of the following:
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(a) The Secretary of Education, as ex c>/57c/c> Chairperson;
(b) The Secretary of Health, as ex officio V\ce Chairperson;
(c) The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as ex 
officio Member;
25
(d) The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as ex officio Member;


(e) Four (4) representatives from the teachers sector: one (1) from the 
National Capital Region, one (1) from Luzon, one (1) from Visayas, and one 
(1) from Mindanao, as Members, who shall be appointed by the President of 
the Philippines from a list of nominees recommended by the Chairperson in 
consultation with the Party-List group representing the teacher's sector and 
shall serve for a term of three (3) years without reappointment.
7 
Sec. 8. Powers and Responsibilities of the Board - The Board of
8 
Directors of NTMC shall have the following powers and responsibilities:
9 
(a) To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the
10 
objectives and purposes as enunciated in Section 4 of this Act;
11 
(b) To organize the structure of NTMC in accordance with the staffing pattern
12 
prepared by it in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and Civil
13 
Service Commission (CSC), and approved by the Department of Budget and
14 
Management (DBM);
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(c) To prescribe the duties and fix the compensation subject to the provisions
16 
of Republic Act No. 6758, as amended, or the "Compensation and Position
17 
Classification Act of 1989";
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(d) To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its
19 
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives;
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(e) To receive donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies or financial aid;
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(f) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of
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this Act; and
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(g) To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law.
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Sec. 9. Meetings and Quorum. - The Board shall meet at least once a
25 
month or as often as may be necessary at the office of the NTMC. Special meetings
26 
may be convened at the call of the Chairman or by a majority of the members of the
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Board. Presence of majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.


1 
Sec. 10. Allowances and per diems, - The members of the Board shall
2 
receive a per diem for every meeting actually attended subject to the pertinent
3 
budgetary law and rules and regulations on compensation, honoraria, and
4 
allowances.
5 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The Board shall
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promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within
7 
ninety (90) days from the date of its effectivity.
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Sec. 12. Appropriations, - The amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos
9 
(P500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the establishment and initial operations
10 
of the NTMC. Subsequently, appropriations for the operations shall be included in
11 
the Annual General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Tax Exemption. - All donations, contributions, bequests, subsidies,
13 
or financial aid to the NTMC shall be exempt from payment of taxes under the
14 
National Internal Revenue Code and the Local Government Code.
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Sec. 14. Annual Report. - The NTMC shall render to the President of the
16 
Republic of the Philippines and to each House of Congress an annual operational and
17 
financial report within thirty (30) days from the first day of regular session of
18 
Congress.
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Sec. 15. Separability Clause, - If any provision of this Act is declared
20 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall
21 
remain in full force and effect.
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Sec. 16. Repealing Clause, - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
23 
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby a
24 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
26 
after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
27 
circulation.
Approved,