NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 1990
^cnatr
of I IIP ^Tf rpf.'u-j’
23 HAR 13 P3:18 
\
RliCEIVi-.D Bv:___^ ___
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
TERTIARY HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A 
DIALYSIS WARD OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE 
FREE DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the 
blood when the kidneys stop working properly.1 It often Involves diverting blood to a 
machine to be cleaned. Patients undergoing dialysis suffers from End Stage Renal 
Disease (ESRD), largely caused by chronic hypertension and diabetes.
In the Philippines, one Filipino dies from kidney failure every hour2. There are 
only 92 dialysis centers3 providing service to close to 35,000 Filipinos who are 
undergoing dialysis and treatment for kidney disease In the country. Over the past 
decade, the number of new cases has increased by about 15% every year; and with 
uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension as risk factors for kidney disease that could 
end up requiring a kidney transplant, dialysis Is a temporizing measure.4
1 National Health Service - United Kingdom | https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dialysis/
2 Dr. Romina Danguilan, 2020 | Dialysis and COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities
3 Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN)
4 University of the Philippines 1 https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-takes-on-the-challenges-of-kidney-disease-and- 
dialysis-in-a-time-of-covid/


The COVID-19 epidemic shut down free-standing hemodialysis facilities. 
Because to COVID-19 infections among patients and employees, many dialysis clinics 
had to close. Several hospital-based dialysis centers began accepting fewer patients 
as well. The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTl) became the only location 
to go for hundreds of patients who were unable to receive dialysis, and it quickly 
became overcrowded with patients who required dialysis but had nowhere else to go.
In 2021, the NKTl opened a new hemodialysis center that is exclusive to kidney 
disease patients with COVID-19 to prevent virus transmission in the hospital. With 
twenty (20) machines, however, the new center could serve only 60 patients per day 
because a dialysis session often takes four hours and machines need to be 
decontaminated after every session.5
The price of dialysis in the Philippines can range from Php 2,000 to Php 7,000 
and above per treatment.6 This means that a kidney patient has to spend at least 
around Six Thousand Pesos (Php6,000.00) to Twenty-One Thousand (Php 21,000.00) 
per week just to survive.
While the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is set to increase 
this year its coverage for outpatient hemodialysis to 156 sessions from the current 90 
sessions.7 because many, if not all, patients still have to pay for the treatment sessions 
outside of the 90 days.
Government hospitals often provide lower fees but can only handle a limited 
number of patients at any one moment. Given the enormous number of patients who 
require dialysis treatment on a regular basis, dialysis treatment facilities should not 
only be accessible to these patients, but also economical.
DahH alam natin ang hirap na pinagdadaanan ng ating mga kakabayang 
kinakailangang sumailalim sa serye ng dialysis, ating ipinapanukaia ang batas na 
ibibigay nang iibre ang naturang serbisyo sa ating pinakamahihirap na kababayang 
waiang kakayahang magbayad para dito. Ito ay inaasahang magbibigay ng maiaking
5 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1545692/covid-narrows-door-to-dialysis-options-for-kidney-disease-patients
6 https://medicaipinas.com/dialysis-centers-philippines/
7 https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/15/philhealth-to-expand-hemodialysis-coverage-from-90-to-156-sessions/
2


kaginhawaan sa kanilang mga pamilya nagsasakripisyo kasama ang pasyente. 
Gayundin, sHa ay nakakasigurong madudugtungan ang buhay matagal pang 
makakasama ang mga mahalsa buhay dahilsa Hbreng dialysis treatment service hatid 
ng panukaiang batas na ito.
This measure recognizes the long ordeal our dialysis patients have to endure 
and the financial hardships being experienced by their families. It seeks to require all 
national, regional, and provincial government tertiary hospitals to establish, operate, 
and maintain a dialysis ward or unit in their respective hospitals and to provide free 
dialysis treatment service to Indigent patients.
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
EL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
s. No. 1990
Vi]i' daii?
23 MAR 13 P3 :18
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
REQUIRING ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
3 
TERTIARY HOSPITALS TO ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A
4 
DIALYSIS WARD OR UNIT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE
5 
FREE DIALYSIS TREATMENT TO INDIGENT PATIENTS
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
6 
SECTION 1. Tide. — This act shall be known as the "Free Dialysis for Indigent
1 Patients Act"
8 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State to
9 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and Improve the delivery of
10 
health services to the people and to ensure hospital facilities are available, affordable
11 
and accessible to the people.
12 
Towards this end, the State shall ensure that patients suffering from diseases
13 
are accorded timely and appropriate treatment with the provision of accessible dialysis
14 
clinics and free dialysis treatments.
15 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms
16 
shall mean:
17 
a. Dialysis Center -refers an independent or hospital-based unit which is legally
18 
authorized and licensed by the relevant government authority and provides
19 
outpatient dialysis services (maintenance dialysis services, home dialysis


1 
training and support services or both) for the treatment of end stage renal
2 
disease (ESRD) patients.
3 
b. National Government Hospital - refers hospital operated and maintained either
4 
partially or wholly by the national government or by any department, division,
5 
board or other agency thereof;
6 
c. Regional Government Hospital - refers to a hospital operated and maintained
7 
either partially or wholly by the national government or by any department,
8 
division, board or other agency thereof;
9 
d. Provincial Government Hospital - refers to a hospital operated and maintained
10 
either partially or wholly by the provincial government or other political
11 
subdivision, or by any department division, board or other agency thereof; and
12 
e. Indigent Patient - refers to patient who has no visible means of income,
13 
compensation, financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her
14 
basic needs or whose Income is Insufficient for the subsistence of their family,
15 
as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);
16 
SECTION 4. Establishment, Operation and Maintenance of a Dialysis Ward or
17 
Unit — Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all national, regional, and
18 
provincial government tertiary hospitals are hereby required to establish, operate and
19 
maintain a dialysis ward or unit In their hospital. The dialysis ward or unit shall be
20 
equipped with complete dialysis machines, equipment and supplies.
21 
SECTION 5. Free Dialysis Treatment to Indigent Patients. - Department of
22 
Health (DOH), in coordination with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
23 
(PHILHEALTH), shall ensure that dialysis treatment in all national, regional and
24 
provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of charge to indigent patients
25 
as defined In Section 3 (d) hereof.
26 
SECTION 6. Eligibility for Free Dialysis Service Treatment - The patient is
27 
required to submit the following documents to be eligible for free dialysis service
28 
treatment:


a. Affidavit of Indigency; and
2 
b. Certificate of Indigency from the DSWD, or the City or Municipal Social Welfare
3 
and Development Office having jurisdiction over the residence of the patient;
4 
or
5 
c. Certificate of Indigency and/or No Income from the Office of the Punong
6 
Barangay/Barangay Chairperson having 
jurisdiction over the residence of the
7 
applicant.
8 
SECTION 7. Authority to Receive Donations and Exemption from Donor's Taxes,
9 
Customs and Tariff Duties. The DOH shall have the authority to receive donations,
10 
gifts and bequests in order to augment the funding for the establishment of the dialysis
11 
clinics created in accordance with this Act. All donations, contributions or endowments
12 
which may be made by persons or entities to the dialysis clinics In national, regional
13 
and provincial hospitals. The importation of medical equipment and machineries, spare
14 
parts and other medical equipment used solely and exclusively by the dialysis clinics
15 
shall be exempt from income or donor's taxes, any other direct or indirect taxes,
16 
wharfage fees and other charges and restrictions.
17 
SECTION 8. Penaity. — Any hospital chief, administrator or officer-in-charge
18 
who through malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance falls to comply with this Act
19 
shall be punished with a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) but
20 
not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) or dismissal from their
21 
office and forfeiture of all privileges and benefits which may accrue to them, or both
22 
at the discretion of the court.
23 
SECTION 9. Impiementing Ruies 
and Reguiations. 
— The Department of
24 
Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Department of Social Welfare and
25 
Development, and the Department of Interior and Local Government in consultation
26 
with the Department of Budget and Management and other concerned government
27 
agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate and issue the implementing rules and
28 
regulations within ninety (90) days upon approval of this Act.


1 
SECTION 10. Appropriations, — Such amount as may be necessary to
2 
implement the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the
3 
National Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous
4 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the government hospital's annual
5 
appropriations.
6 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — In the event that any part, section or
7 
provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or Invalid by a competent court,
8 
the remaining provisions thereby shall remain valid and in full force and effect as if
9 
the sections or provisions so annulled or voided had never been Incorporated herein.
10 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
11 
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of
12 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified and/or superseded as case may be by this
13 
Act accordingly.
14 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
15 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
16 
circulation, whichever comes earlier.
17
Approved,