NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
)
SENATE 
s. No. *^23
icnatc
of tlie aetflQ’
72 JllL 18 P3'40
RECEIVED BY.
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN THE 
"UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
On February 20, 2019, then President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Universal 
Health Care Act into law. Such a piece of legislation was considered a new dawn1 for 
Philippine healthcare. The aim was to grant Filipinos the full range of healthcare 
services, regardless of their respective status in life.
Article XIII, Section 11 of the Philippine Constitution provides that it is the duty 
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 the people at affordable cost. It may be seen, then, that the 
passage into law of the UHC was precisely the State's way of fulfilling this duty.
However, it is also Incumbent upon legislators to ensure that existing laws are 
able to properly respond to the needs of the times. As the COVID-19 pandemic has 
made evident, there are Filipinos whose circumstances are less convenient than 
others, especially In the face of a global emergency such as a health crisis. Among 
those Filipinos are our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and our self-earning 
individuals.
Under Section 10 of the Universal Health Care law, all the premium contribution 
rates are base3d on percentages depending on the income bracket to which one
1 “UHC Act in the Philippines: a new dawn for health care,” 14 March 2019. Retrieved from: 
https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/uhc-act-in-the-philippines-a-new-dawn-for-health-
care, retrieved on February 24, 2021.


belongs. Under this proposed amendment to Section 10, the premium contribution 
rates and scheduies of our migrant workers and self-earning individuals to PhilHeaith 
shall now be based on the income floor. This will then result to a lower contribution 
rate for them. Also, upon their entry back to the country, our OFWs will not be charged 
for their unpaid contributions. At the same time, should they fail to pay their PhilHeaith 
contribution, regardless of the reason, such will not be used against them as grounds 
for non-issuance of their overseas employment certificate.
Further, under this bill, the President is authorized to suspend or defer the 
contribution Increases stated in Section 10 of the UHC Act in the event of a nationally 
declared state of emergency or calamity. This amendment is proof of that we have 
learned one of the more difficult lessons from the pandemic - what used to work 
under normal times must not be assumed to work in emergencies. We cannot charge 
our people with the same fees, with the same rates, if we are no longer enjoying the 
same circumstances.
Hence, I earnestly seek the swift passage of this bill into law.
RONALD
DELA ROSA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 723
Jennie
of tlje fef:rdai7>
'22 JUL18 ?3'4Q
RECEIVED BV
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11223 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN THE 
"UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE ACT"
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines, in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223 is hereby amended to read
2 
as follows:
3 
SEC. 10. Premium Contributions. - For direct contributors,
4 
premium rates shall be in accordance with the following schedule, and
5 
monthly income floor and celling:
Year
2024
2022
2023
2024
2023
Premium
Rate
2.75%
3r00%
3t50%
4t00%
4:30%
3t00%
c nn%
vi/U/O
-lacome Floor
P-10,000.00
P10,000.00
010,000.00
P10-,000:00
010,000.00
0-10,000.00
0-10,000.00
Income Ceiling
050,000.00
060,000.00
080,000.00
090,000.00
0100-,000.-00
0100,000.00]


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22
23
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25
YEAR
PREMIUM
RATE
INCOME
FLOOR
INCOME
CEILING
2022
3%
P10,000.00
P40,000.00
2023
3.5%
P10,000.00
P40,000.00
2024
4%
P10,000.00
P40,000.00
2025
4.5%
P10,000.00
P45,000.00
2026
5%
P10,000.00
P50,000.00
PROVIDED, THAT PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS OF MIGRANT 
WORKERS AND SELF-EARNING INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE BASED 
ON THE INCOME FLOOR: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT UNPAID 
PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS OF DISTRESSED OR REPATRIATED 
MIGRANT WORKERS SHALL NOT BE COLLECTED UPON THEIR 
ARRIVAL IN THE COUNTRY: PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT 
FAILURE TO PAY PHILHEALTH CONTRIBUTION SHALL NOT BE A 
GROUND FOR NON-ISSUANCE OF OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT 
CERTIFICATE OF A MIGRANT WORKER.
[Pfovided, That f]For indirect contributors, premium subsidy shall 
be gradually adjusted and included annually in the General 
Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, [-further,] That the funds shall be 
released to Philhealth: Provided, furthet[-mere\: That the DOH, in 
coordination with Philhealth, may request Congress to appropriate 
supplemental funding to meet targeted milestones of this Act: Provided, 
finaiiy. That for every increase in the rate of contribution of direct 
contributors and premium subsidy of indirect contributors, Philhealth 
shall provide for a corresponding increase In benefits.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES SHALL HAVE THE 
POWER TO SUSPEND OR DEFER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
INCREASES IN PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION RATES IN THIS 
SECTION BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER ISSUED SOLELY IN TIMES


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OF A DECLARED STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY OR STATE OF 
CALAMITY FOR A PERIOD NOT EXCEEDING SIX MONTHS WHICH 
MAY BE EXTENDED TO ANOTHER SIX MONTHS UPON 
DETERMINATION BY THE PRESIDENT THAT FURTHER 
EXTENSION OF THE SUSPENSION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF 
INCREASES IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT PUBLIC INTEREST AND 
WELFARE: PROVIDED, THAT THIS POWER SHALL BE SUBJECT 
TO CONSULTATION WITH THE PHILHEALTH AND AFFECTED 
MEMBERS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
Section 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended or modified accordingiy.
Section 3. Effectivity. - This act shaii take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the official gazette or ai least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,