4 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
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SENATE 
S. No, 
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Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Realizing the need to ensure the health of the overseas contract workers 
and their 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 so as to include supplementary 
provisions for preventive, promotive, diagnostic and rehabilitative programs so 
that a comprehensive/total health care for OCWs and their dependents can be 
had. 
To ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of quality health 
care to our migrant workers and their dependents, approval of this bill is 
earnestly sought. 


Y 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
- 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL 
FOR OVERSEAS CONTRACT WORKERS (OCWS) AND THEIR 
DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION I= nt/e, - This Act shall be known as the OWWA MIGRANT 
WORKERS HOSPITAL ACT OF 2004. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Pdicy, - 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. 
SECTION 3. 
Creation of a Specia/ ffospif-al. - 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. 
SECTION 4. Objectives, - To ensure the availability, accessibility and 
affordability of quality health care, the OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL 
Provide for comprehensive/total 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; 
Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition of patients 
and to generate relevant information/data in aid of policy formulation. 


SECTION 5. Administration. - Upon effectivity of this Act, the OWWA 
MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall be administered by a Board of Directors 
consisting of: 
a> 
b) 
c) 
The Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment as 
Ex-Officio Chairman 
The 
Administrator 
of 
the 
Overseas 
Workers 
Welfare 
Administration as Ex-Officio Vice-chairman 
The Secretary of the Department of Health as Ex-Officio 
Member 
The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development as Ex-Officio Member 
The Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment 
Administration as Ex-Officio Member 
Two (2) representatives from OCWs Sector (one (1) from land 
based; one (1) 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 
reap poi n tmen t . 
SECTION 6. Responsibi/ity and Powers, - The Board of Directors of the 
OWWA MIGRANT WORKERS HOSPITAL shall have the following responsibilities 
and powers: 
a) 
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; 
To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its 
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives; 
To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and 
purposes of this Act; 
To perform such other duties and functions as may be provided 
by law. 
b) 
c> 
d) 
SECTION 7. 
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. 
SECTION 8. 
Separabilty 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. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen 
(15) days following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
. 
Approved,