Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO 
____________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution highlights the importance of women in the society. 
Women are crucial to national development. As such, there is a need to protect their 
health and wellness. One of the health issues that Filipino women face nowadays is 
the prevalence of breast cancer. 
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) revealed that 27,000 
Filipino women are affected with breast cancer yearly. Studies also show that the 
Philippines has the highest rate of cancer prevalence in Asia and ranks ninth 
worldwide. News reports also reveal that seventy (70%) of breast cancer cases are 
among indigent Filipino women. These data are alarming and the State should give a 
more focused attention in solving the breast cancer problem among Filipino women. 
One step in solving this issue is early screening for breast cancer among 
women. Studies show that early screening of breast cancer helps in its treatment. 
Another step towards freeing Filipino women from breast cancer is providing 
affordable and accessible breast cancer treatment. As such, this representation is 
proposing for the approval of the Free Filipino Women from Breast Cancer Act. The 
bill herein establishes a mechanism which will provide free breast cancer screening 
and treatment for qualified indigent Filipino women. 
 When approved, all government hospitals shall be mandated to provide free 
breast cancer screening to Filipino women. The proposed law also mandates that our 
national health insurance to have a comprehensive breast cancer treatment package. 
To make sure that Filipino women who are inflicted with breast cancer will fully 
recover, the Office of President – Office of the First Lady shall provide the additional 
financial assistance to qualified Filipinas. Mandating such task to the Office of the First 
October 9, 2023
9:35 am
9389


Lady will give a laser-focused approach in the aim of the State to free Filipino women 
from breast cancer, as other government agencies are already flooded with other 
duties and responsibilities. This approach is also symbolic as Filipino women and the 
First Lady embody the importance of being mothers. 
The time to increase the efforts of the State to solve breast cancer prevalence 
is now. Children are left without mothers, parents mourn, and families are distraught 
when breast cancer strikes. Let us work hand-in-hand and fight together to free 
Filipino women from breast cancer. 
For Filipino women, approval of the foregoing bill is earnestly being sought. 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO 
____________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENING AND 
AFFORDABLE TREATMENT OF BREAST CANCER FOR FILIPINO WOMEN, 
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 “Free Filipino Women from 
Breast Cancer Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared a policy of the State to 
promote the heath and wellness of Filipino women by giving importance to the early 
detection of breast cancer. The State shall likewise provide for accessible and 
affordable medical treatment for breast cancer. The State shall also endeavor in 
providing researching to improve screening and treatment of breast cancer of Filipino 
women. 
SECTION 3. Free Breast Cancer Screening. –  Breast cancer screening in all 
national, regional, and provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of 
charge to the following qualified indigent Filipino women: 
a) All Filipino women who are at least forty-five (45) years old.
9389


b) Indigent Filipino women under forty-five (45) years old. 
 
SECTION 4. Affordable and Accessible Breast Cancer Treatment. – Within one 
(1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation 
(PHIC), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), shall develop a 
comprehensive breast cancer treatment package for all Filipino women. The 
comprehensive breast cancer treatment package must cover all the needs for recovery 
of Filipino women affected with breast cancer. 
 
SECTION 5. Free Breast Cancer Treatment. Qualified indigent Filipino women 
shall be provided with free breast cancer treatment by the State. Notwithstanding the 
benefits provided for by other laws and provisions in this Act, qualified indigent Filipino 
women with breast cancer shall be granted Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos 
(P250,000.00) as financial assistance for their treatment and recovery. The fund for 
the financial assistance for qualified indigent Filipino women with breast cancer shall 
be managed and handled by the Office of the President – Office of the First Lady. 
 
SECTION 6. Qualified Indigent Women. – For purposes of this Act, a Filipina 
patient can be considered indigent if she has no visible means of income or her income 
is insufficient for the subsistence of her family, as assessed and certified by the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government, or medical social 
worker of the health facility. 
 
SECTION 7. Appropriation for Free Breast Cancer Screening. – Upon the 
approval of this Act, the Department of Health shall immediately appropriate the 
necessary amount to implement the provisions of this Act and it is hereby authorized 
to appropriate the same from the National Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary 
for the continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual budget 
of the Department of Health. 
 
SECTION 8. Appropriation and Funds for Free Breast Cancer Treatment. The 
Office of the President shall include in its annual budget the necessary funds for the 
financial assistance to be given to qualified Filipino indigent women with breast cancer. 
For the sole purpose of providing free breast cancer treatment for qualified indigent 
Filipino women, the Office of the First Lady may solicit and receive donations.  
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Office of the President, the Department of Health 
and Department of Social Welfare and Development shall issue rules and regulations 
implementing the provisions of this Act. 
 


SECTION 10. Separability Clause. – Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
rules and regulation or part thereof inconsistent with any provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,