FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Realizing the need to ensure the health of the overseas contract workers and 
tieir dependents, Executive Order No. 195 has been issued to provide for a medical 
program for the Filipino overseas workers anchored on the policy that the State shall 
adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, to afford full 
protection to labor, local and overseas, to protect the interest and promote the well- 
being of Filipino overseas contract workers including their families and dependents 
through the provision of social and welfare services. 
This bill authorizing the creation of the OWWA Migrant Workers Hospital is 
necessitated by the fact that based on statistics, about 42% of all repatriated OCWs 
returned to the Philippines needing medical attention or hospital confinement for various 
physical or mental illnesses sustained abroad. 
The present package of services under the Medical Care Program for OCWs and 
their dependents is limited to curative medical services. This bill aims to complement 
the present package to include supplementary provisions for preventive, promotive, 
diagnostic and rehabilitative programs so that a comprehensive health care for OCWs 
and their dependents can be achieved. 
To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of quality health care to 
our migrant workers and their dependents, approval of this bill is earn 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS CONTRACT 
WORKERS (OCWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFORE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Represenfafives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the “ O W  
HOSPITAL ACT OF 2007”. 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. -- It is the policy of the State to adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to 
make essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at 
affordable cost. Further, the State shall afford full protection to labor, local and 
overseas. Towards this end, the State shall protect the interest and promote the well- 
being of Filipino overseas contract workers including their families and dependents 
through the provision of social and welfare services. 
Creation of a Special Hospiti;ll- To carry-out the above policy, a 
migrant workers’ hospital to be named as the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS 
HOSPITAL is hereby created under the supervision and control of the Overseas 
Workers Welfare Administration. 
SEC. 4. 
Objectfves, - To ensure the availability, accessibility and 
affordability of quality health care, the OFW HOSPITAL shall: 
Provide for a comprehensivehotal health care services to all migrant 
workers who are OWWA contributors and their legal dependents; 
Complement the existing package of services under the Medical Care 
Program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative 
programs; 
Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and mental capability 
of all the would-be overseas contract workers duly covered by an approved job order; 
and 
SEC. 3. 
a. 
b. 
c. 
d. 
Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients and 
to generate relevant information/data in aid of policy formulation. 
SEC. 5. 
Administration. - Upon effectivity of this Act, the OWWA 
MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall be administered by a Board of Directors 
consisting of: 
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a.) 
Chairman; 
b.) 
Officio Vice-Chairman; 
c.) 
The Secretary of the Department of Health as Ex-Officio Member; 
d.) 
The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as 
e.) 
The Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration 
f.) 
Two (2) representatives from OCWs Sector (one from land based and one 
from sea based) as Members. 
The two (2) representatives from the OCWs Sector shall be appointed by the 
President of the Republic of the Philippines from a list of nominees prepared by the Ex- 
Officio Chairman to serve for a term of three (3) years without reappointment. 
SEC. 6. 
Responsibility and Powers. -- The Board of Directors of the 
OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall have the following responsibilities and 
powers: 
To formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the OWWA 
MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL'S objectives and purposes as enunciated in Section 
4 of this Act: 
The Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment as Ex-Officio 
The Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration as Ex- 
Ex-Officio Member; 
aS Ex-Officio Member; and 
a) 
b) 
To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its 
c) 
To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and purposes of 
d) 
To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law. 
SEC. 7. 
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives; 
this Act; and 
Appropriation. - An amount necessary for the establishment, initial 
operations of the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall be taken out from the 
funds of the Medical Care Program for Overseas Contract Workers and the Overseas 
Workers Welfare Administration. Subsequently, its appropriation shall be included in the 
Annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 8. 
Repealing Clause. - Any law, Presidential Decree, Issuance, 
Executive Order, Letter of Instruction, rules or regulations inconsistent with the provision 
of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 9. 
SeparabiMfy Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SEC. IO. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) 
days following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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