Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Bill No,_1450

Introduced by Honorable Cristal L. Bagatsing

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article ll. Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution mandates that:

“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them."

Also, the Social Justice provision particularly Section Il., Article XIll, provides that:

“The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development
which shall endeavour to make essential x x x health x x x services available to all the
people at affordable cost. x xx"

A news item entitled "Free Maintenance meds at DOH's Hypertension and Diabetes Club"
mentions that "Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes are the top killers in the Philippines
according to World Health Organization." “To combat non-communicable diseases (NCOs) in the
Philippines the health department has established the Hypertension and Diabetes Club where
patients can avail themselves of free maintenance medicines.” (Rappler)

The problem right now with the program is that it is so limited that very few of our citizens know
the Department of Health (DOH) project. This bill, therefore, seeks to institutionalize the program to
enable every Filipino, whether they be farmers, fishermen, labourers, office workers from the urban to
the rural areas to benefit from the said program. Further, this bill seeks to include all maintenance
medicines not only for hypertension and diabetes; provided, the amount does not exceed P500.00 per
month of generic maintenance medicine.

This is a refilled bill of House Bill No. 4185 entitled “An Act Mandating the Department of Health
(DOH) to Provide Free Maintenance Medicines and Providing Funds Therefor”, authored by
Representative Cristal L. Bagatsing during the 17" Congress.

The early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

hen [- BAGATSING,

Representative
5* District, Manila


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House-Bill No. 1450

Introduced by Honorable Cristal L. Bagatsing

AN ACT
MANDATING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH)
TO PROVIDE FREE MAINTENANCE MEDICINES AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as "FREE MAINTENANCE MEDICINES ACT"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - it is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health and well-being of every Filipino and to adopt a system implementing the
delivery of free maintenance medicines for those who have been found to be in need

SEC.3. Establishment of the Program - There shall be established Free Maintenance
Medicines Program to be administered by the Department of Health (DOH), that will provide free
maintenance medicines for, but not limited to High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Diabetes, to be
implemented by all DOH government district hospitals, health centers, and barangay centers.

SEC.4. Eligibility of Beneficiaries - Any person to be eligible under this program shall undergo
the blood examinations for free to be undertaken in any government district hospital, health center
and barangay center. The only basis for eligibility of beneficiary shall be the result of the patient's
blood examination. The attending government doctor, after reading the results of the blood
examination, shall recommend to the person in charge of the program that the patient be included
in the alpha list of beneficiaries. The result of the blood examination shall be released within the day,
but in no ‘case, shall it be more than three (3) days.

SEC. 5. Limitations for Eligibility of Beneficiaries - In every district there shall be ten thousand
(10,000) qualified beneficiaries who shall receive their free generic maintenance medicines equivalent
to one (1) month supply, but in no case, shall be more than the equivalent of Five hundred pesos (Php
500.00).

SEC. 6. Appropriations - There is hereby appropriated the sum of Ten Billion Pesos (Php
10,000,000,000.00) to be charged against the sin taxes.


A portion of the funds generated by Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and
Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in the amount of Four billion pesos (Php
4,000,000,000.00) each or a total of eight billion pesos (Php 8,000,000,000.00) is hereby constituted
‘as a special account in the general fund of the DOH for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations - Within three (3) months from the approval of
this Act, the DOH shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause - All laws, Presidential Decrees, Executive Orders, and rules and
regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or

modified accordingly.

Sec. 9. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.