FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
- r j  
8 JIJL 2‘3 j ,  
Second Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
One of the most important indicators of development is the survival of children beyond 
the years that they are most likely to succumb to disease and illness. Proper interventions 
introduced by the government, if implemented well, may reduce a large fraction of 
childhood deaths. 
The Philippines has achieved modest gains in reducing infant mortality. In 2005, it was 
recorded that 25 deaths occurred per 1,000 live births in the country. Currently, it was 
reduced to 21.45 per 1,000 live births.’ Although the country was able to reduce infant 
mortality, it was able to do so at a very slow pace. 
This bill seeks to rapidly decrease the incidence of infant mortality in the country by 
requiring DOH, the local government, state universities and colleges, and civil society to 
work together in determining certain criteria in fighting infant mortality. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
A N ~ O ~ I O  
‘SONNY” F. TRILLANES w 
Senator 
’ Data retrieved &om Iittos:/lwww.cia.~ov/librarv/oublications/the-world- 
factbooMrankorder/2091rank.htmI on July 15,2008 data was last updated 011 19 June 2008 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHlllPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH AN INFANT MORTALITY RESEARCH PROGRAM TO 
REDUCE THE RATE OF INFANT MORTALITY IN THE COUNTRY 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled. 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Infant Mortality 
Research Initiative Act of 2008” 
Sec. 2. Declaration ofPolicy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right of health of the people, including the rights of children to survival, and to 
develop healthy and fully as individuals. 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this section, the term - 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
“Coalition” means a national or local health coalition or consortium; 
“Department” means the Department of Health; 
“FIMR” means a fetal and infant mortality review committee; 
“Infant mortality” means the death of a live-born infant within 364 days 
after the infant’s birth; 
(5) 
“Infant mortality rate” means the number of infant deaths per 1,000 annual 
live births. 
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Sec. 4. Objectives of this Act. - The objectives of this Act include: 
(1) 
Determining the significant social, economic, cultural, safety, and health 
system factors that exist in communities all over the country related to 
infant mortality through a practice collaborative approach using perinatal; 
Developing a series of interventions and policies that address these factors 
to improve the service systems and community resources; 
Participating in the implementation of community-based interventions and 
policies that address problems in infant mortality rates; 
Assessing the progress of interventions. 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
Sec. 5. Adnrinistration of the fnfnt Mortality Znitiatlve. - The Infant Mortality 
Initiative shall be administered through a collaboration among the Department of Health, 
which shall act as the lead agency in implementing this Act, the Dept. of Interior and 
Local Government, Local Government Units and their respective local health coalitions, 
and public universities or colleges having expertise in public health. A local community 
shall develop an interdisciplinary team to serve as part of a local-wide practice 
collaborative. Both perinatal periods of risk and fetal infant mortality reviews may be 
used. A case review shall be conducted by each participating coalition using professional 
in-house staff or through contracts with an outside professional. Public universities or 
colleges having expertise in public health shall provide technical assistance in developing 
a standard research methodology based on the fetal and infant mortality review method. 
Public universities or colleges having expertise in public health shall assist each 
participating coalition in determining the selection of comparison groups, identifying data 
collection and housing issues, and presenting findings and recommendations. A single 
methodology for the reviews conducted through the initiative shall be used by each 
participating coalition. The department shall distribute funding to each coalition that 
participates in the initiative through annual grants that are subject to specific 
appropriations by the Legislature. 
Sec. 6. Funcflons of the Infanf MorfaZiW Inltiafivcz - Each participating coalition 
shall: 
(1) 
Develop an interdisciplinary team to oversee the process in its local 
Community. 
(2) 
Use perinatal periods of risk methodology when appropriate to examine 
infant deaths in its community. 
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(3) 
Use a modified FIMR approach to examine infant deaths in its community 
by: 
(a) 
Creating a case review FIMR team that may include obstetricians, 
neonatologists, perinatalogists, pathologists, registered nurses, social 
workers, hospital and clinic administrators, social service agencies, 
researchers, citizens and consumers, and other experts considered 
necessary to conduct a standardized review of infant mortality. 
Hiring or contracting with professional staff that may include licensed 
nurses and social workers to abstract and present individual case reviews 
that omit identifying information regarding infant deaths compared to 
live births to the case review team. 
Developing abstracts of sample infant mortalities and comparative live 
births that omit identifying information and that identify social, 
economic, cultural, safety, and health system factors that are associated 
with infant mortality rates in each community. The number of abstracted 
cases that must be conducted by each participating coalition shall be 
determined by a standard research methodology developed in 
conjunction with a public university or college having expertise in 
public health. 
Presenting abstracts that omit identifying information to its case review 
team at least quarterly for their review and discussion. 
(4) 
Develop findings and recommendations for interventions and policy 
changes to reduce racial disparities in infant mortality. 
See. 7. Grant Awards. - The department shall award annual grants, subject to 
specific appropriations by the Legislature. The department shall award at least one grant 
to a coalition representing urban communities and at least one grant to a coalition 
representing rural communities. Grant awards shall be given to those coalitions 
representing communities with the least infant mortality rates. 
See. 8. Evaluation and Reports. - The department shall conduct an annual 
evaluation of the implementation of the initiative describing which areas are participating 
in the initiative, the number of reviews conducted by each participating coalition, grant 
balances, and recommendations for modifying the initiative. All participating coalitions 
shall produce a report on their collective findings and recommendations by January 1, 
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2010, to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the 
Secretary of Health. 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules. - The Department of Health shall develop the 
implementing rules and regulations necessary to effectively implement the provisions of 
this Act, in collaboration with other concerned agencies of the government, thirty (30) 
days after the effectivity of this Act. 
Sec. 10. Authorization of Appropriation. - For the purposes of this Act, the sum 
of Twenty Million Pesos (P20,000,000) for the current fiscal year shall be allotted to the 
Department of Health for the proper carrying out of this Act, and such other sums as may 
be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year. 
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision o f  this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not affected thereby shall continue to be 
in full force and effect. 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
other issuance or parts thereof inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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