Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO EARMARK A PORTION OF 
THEIR NATIONAL TAX ALLOTMENTS FOR FREE MEDICINES TO INDIGENT 
PATIENTS IN THEIR LOCALITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Sec. 15, Art. II of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.” 
Sec. 11, Art. XIII of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall 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 at affordable 
cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, 
women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.” 
With the high cost of commodities today, the price of medicines was not spared. 
This is the reason why I filed this bill. This bill aims to help cut the expenses of indigents 
for medicine. If this bill becomes law, there would be free medicines for indigent patients 
in their localities.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
November 21, 2022
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO EARMARK A PORTION OF 
THEIR NATIONAL TAX 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 Government 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 National Tax Allotments (NTA) 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 
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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; 
e. Selling or disposing of the free medicines; and 
f. 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