Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

First Regular Session
Seventeenth Congress

House Bill No. 5515
Introduced by Representative Estrellita B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to institutionalize the Essential Health Care Program for public school

Poor hygiene and deficient access to safe water and sanitation are the major
contributors to the prevalent diseases among public school children in the Philippines. The
most common of these diseases are diarrhea, respiratory infections, skin diseases, worm
infections and non-communicable diseases like dental caries. These diseases hinder and
have a strong impact on the school children’s academic learning. With poor health, children
are more likely to be absent and have inferior academic performance.

As schools have been identified as places where poor and disadvantaged children
may easily be reached not just for vaccinations but for some of the essential health
interventions, several health programs benefitting school children were spearheaded by the
Department of Education in coordination with the Department of Health and local government
units. For instance, the Essential Health Care Program (EHCP) was initiated in a limited
number of pilot areas in 2003. The program was formally adopted by the Department of
Education in 2009, but stil in a limited number of public schools. The EHCP is a health
program that instills in public school children the importance of basic health and sanitation
activities like the daily handwashing with soap, tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste and bi-
annual deworming. With EHCP’s impressive statistical results and impact on the health status
and school attendance of children, the program was recognized for “Innovation in Global
Health” by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the World Health
Organization.

Notwithstanding the impressive feedback on the EHCP, the program was dragged to
a halt after years of fragmented implementation due to insufficient financial resources.

Thus, to restore a successful and effective health program that will benefit school
children nationwide, this bill seeks to institutionalize the EHCP and appropriate adequate
funds for its full implementation.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

TRELLITA B. SUANSING


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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

First Regular Session
Seventeenth Congress

House Bill No. _5515
Introduced by Representative Estrellita B. Suansing

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOL CHILDREN AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Essential Health
Care Program Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. —  |t is the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right to health of the people and adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make
essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people. The State
also recognizes the interrelationship of education and health. The health of school
children highly influences their academic absorption and performance. Toward this
end, the State shall institutionalize a health program that will improve the health of the
‘school children to enable them to develop their full potential towards becoming the
country’s future leaders and to address the high incidence of drop outs and poor school
performances due to health problems.

SEC. 3. Essential Health Care Program. — The Department of
Education, in coordination with the Department of Health, shall implement an Essential
Health Care Program (EHCP) in all public schools to improve the health of the children.

Under this program, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste with fluoride and deworming


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medicines shall be provided for the conduct of daily handwashing, daily tooth brushing
and bi-annual deworming of school children from age six to twelve.

SEC. 4. Role of the School Division Superintendent. — The school
division superintendent who supervises a number of schools in their respective
jurisdiction shall:

a) Issue a memorandum for all school principals under the division to
implement the EHCP;

b) Oversee the overall implementation of the EHCP and ensure monitoring
of the program in all schools under the division at least once a year;

c) Ensure the distribution of soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and
deworming medicines according to the distribution system of the Department of
Education;

d) Include in the performance ranking system for teachers and principals
the compliance with school health programs like the EHCP; and

e) Promote the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) by using
the EHCP as the focal point in strengthening its linkage with the local government units
(LGUs).

SEC. 5. Role of the Schoo! Principal. — The schoo! principal of a public
‘school shall

a) Cail for parent-teacher assemblies for the proper information of parents
and teachers about the EHCP:

b) Ensure that handwashing and tooth brushing are included in the daily
activities of each class in the school;

°) Instruct all teachers in the school to ensure strict compliance with the

EHCP guidelines;


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d) Link with LGUs and other stakeholders to create and strengthen a
supportive environment;

e) Ensure availability and proper distribution of soap, toothpaste,
toothbrushes and deworming medicines within the school;

f) Ensure monitoring and communication of the results of the EHCP
implementation to the teachers, parents and the community at least once a year, and

9) Recognize the achievements of teachers and school health personnel
through performance ranking.

SEC. 6. Role of the School Health Personnel. — To assist the teachers
in the implementation of the EHCP, the school health personnel shall:

a) Conduct a basic orientation on EHCP for teachers, school
administrators, parent-teacher association officials and members and barangay health
workers during an assembly called for the purpose;

b) Monitor and give feedback to parents, teachers and the principal on the
status of implementation of the program at least twice a year;

©) Provide teachers and parents with needed information to address
questions, concerns and misconceptions on deworming:

d) Provide technical support to teachers and oversee deworming activities
in their areas of responsibility; and

e) Seek the assistance of barangay health workers during the mass
deworming activity.

SEC. 7. Role of Teachers. — The teachers who are directly supervising
the school children shall:

a) Ensure the availability of water, the distribution of toothbrush,

toothpaste, soap and deworming tablet for the school children;


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b) Supervise the school children during the daily toothbrushing and hand
washing especially during critical moments, which are, after using the toilet, before
eating and after eating:

°) Supervise the administration of the deworming medicine;

d) Organize the regular cleaning of handwashing facilities;

©) Document the activities in a record book and forward the detailed
records to the school health personne! for reference and statistical purposes; and

f) Facilitate participatory lectures with regard to lessons and observations
learned during the health interventions.

SEC. 8 Role of Parents. — Recognizing the natural role of parents in
rearing their children, the parents shall continue the EHCP activities at home and shall:

a) Participate in the annual monitoring of the EHCP;

b) Participate in parent-teacher assemblies to convey issues or concerns
to the school health personnel; and

c) ‘Signify consent for the deworming of their children under the EHCP.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of
Education shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing and
monitoring body of the EHCP.

The Secretary of Education shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Health,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. — The initial amount of Six hundred million pesos
(P600,000,000.00) necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the current appropriations for the Department of Education and the
Department of Health. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continued


implementation of the EHCP shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,