Senate Bill No: 
~ 
~ 
~ 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
All children are entitled the rights guaranteed by the laws of our country, 
without distinction and discrimination. Article XV Section 3 (2) of the Constitution 
states that: 
“The State shall defend the right of the children to assistance 
including proper care and nutrition and special protection from all 
forms of neglect and abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other 
conditions prejudicial to their development.” 
This is magnified by the provisions of Presidential Decree 603 or the Child 
and Youth Welfare Code, as amended, on the Rights of the Child, providing that: 
“Every child has the right to a balanced diet, adequate 
clothing, sufficient shelter, proper medical attention, and all basic 
physical requirements of a healthy and vigorous life.” (Art. 3 (4)) 
It is a major cause of concern that despite all these safeguards, the 
rampant practice of certain hospital in refusing to attend to the medical and 
dental needs of street children, despite the urgency of such need, continues 
unabated. 
We should put an end to such practice by providing for a law that would 
require both private and public hospitals and clinics to render free medical and 
dental services to indigent children, and penalizing those who will violate such 
requirement. This bill requires all medical institutions to extend health services to 
indigent children, which includes but is not necessarily limited to street children. 
Only through a concrete legislative measure can we fully realize the principles 
and policies sought to be effected by the various laws protecting the rights of the 
child. 
In line with the State’s evolving agenda on defending the rights of the 
child, the immediate passage of this bill is profoundly sought. 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
-7 
.!i,\. -7 
fl!fi:[>-% 
:$or'+\/!:\:) 
RY :I" 
I .  
S E N A T E  
~ . .  
Senate Bill No. 329 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 329 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE THE GIVING OF &E MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICE TO 
INDIGENT CHILDREN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I, Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "lndigent 
Children Free Medical and Dental Service AcP'. 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. 
Children are the future of Philippine 
society. Upon this premise, it is hereby declared the policy of the state to provide 
all the possible assistance it could provide to children especially those who are 
unfortunate to have no means of support or no one to support them. 
SEC 3. lndigent Children Definition. lndigent children are those below 18 
years old of age who no visible means of support or whose parents or guardians 
have no means of providing for their immediate medical and dental needs. 
SEC 4. Free Medical Service. All hospitals, medical centers, clinics and 
other institutions that provide frontline medical services throughout the 
Philippines are hereby mandated under this Act to provide free medical treatment 
to indigent children. 
SEC 5. Free Dental Service. All dental clinics, medical centers and other 
institutions that provide frontline dental healthcare throughout the country are 
mandated under this Act to provide free dental healthcare to indigent children. 
SEC 6. DSWD and DOH Function. The Department of Social Welfare and 
Development in coordination with the Department of Health shall be the lead 
agencies in the implementation of this Act. The DSWD shall determine if the 
child is indeed an indigent while the Department of Health shall coordinate with 
the implementation of the free medical and dental services to indigent children. 


SEC 7. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year 
following its enactment into law and thereafter. 
SEC 8. Separability Clause. If any portion or provision of this Act were to 
be declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not 
affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC 9. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC IO. Effectivify. This Act shall take effect fifteen days from the date of 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of 
general circulations. 
Approved,