Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Giselle Mary L. Maceda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE  
Children are the most valuable asset and the hope of the nation. In 
Philippine society, they represent the future leaders, innovators, and caretakers of 
the country. Their well-being and development directly impact the progress and 
prosperity of the nation. Recognizing their crucial role, it is imperative that the 
State prioritizes their health and welfare, particularly those from indigent families 
who are most vulnerable to health risks and deprived of adequate medical care. 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to protect and promote 
rights of children. Among the many provisions affording them protection, Article 
XIII, Section 11 mandates that “the State shall 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. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, 
elderly, disabled, women and children." 
Despite this constitutional mandate, many indigent children across the 
country still suffer from preventable and treatable illnesses due to lack of access to 
basic medical and dental care. This gap in healthcare access undermines not only 
their physical development but also their ability to live productive and dignified 
lives. 
In order to breathe life into this constitutional provision, this bill seeks to 
require all government and private hospitals, medical centers, clinics, infirmaries, 
and puericulture centers to provide free medical and dental services to indigent 
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4:35 pm
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children. By doing so, this bill aims to institutionalize the delivery of essential 
healthcare services to the most vulnerable children, thus promoting their right to 
health and ensuring that no child is left behind due to poverty or lack of access to 
proper care. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
  REP. GISELLE MARY L. MACEDA 
 4th District, Manila City 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Giselle Mary L. Maceda 
AN ACT  
REQUIRING ALL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS, MEDICAL 
CENTERS, CLINICS, INFIRMARIES AND PUERICULTURE CENTERS TO 
PROVIDE FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES TO INDIGENT 
CHILDREN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the FREE MEDICAL AND 
DENTAL SERVICES FOR INDIGENT CHILDREN ACT. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is hereby declared 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 the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the 
underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women and children.  
Towards this end, the State shall ensure that all indigent children are granted 
access to free medical and dental services in all government and private health 
institutions to promote child health, reduce child mortality, and support families 
in extreme poverty.  
SECTION 3. Indigent Children. – For purposes of this Act, “indigent children” shall 
refer to persons below eighteen (18) years of age whose families have no visible 
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means of income or whose income is insufficient to meet basic needs as determined 
by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  
 
 
SECTION 4. Free Medical and Dental Services; Issuance of Certification – All 
government and private hospitals, medical centers, clinics, infirmaries and 
puericulture centers duly licensed to operate as such, are hereby required to 
provide free medical and dental services to indigent children, regardless of 
whether or not they are suffering from a life-threatening condition and/or may 
have suffered physical injuries requiring immediate medical attention.  
 
To ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act, all indigent children treated 
by private hospitals, medical centers, clinics, infirmaries or puericulture centers 
shall be provided with a certificate issued by the social worker assigned to the 
hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center, which contain the 
following information:  
 
1. Name of patient;  
2. That the patient is indigent, stating the supporting proof thereof;  
3. Service/s rendered to the patient;  
4. Cost of such service/s based on the existing price list of the hospital, 
medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture center at the time of 
treatment; and  
5. Attestation from the social worker that all information contained therein 
are true and correct to his/her knowledge.  
 
 
SECTION 5. Incentives for Private Hospitals. – The expenses and losses of earnings 
incurred by a private hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture 
center, or by an individual physician or dentist, for medicine, facilities and services 
extended to the care and treatment of indigent children as required herein, in the 
amount not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php500,000.00) per year, 
shall be considered deductible expenses and losses for income tax purposes, which 
may be carried over for the next three (3) consecutive taxable years immediately 
following the year of such expense.  
 
 
SECTION 6. Penal Clause. – Any hospital director, administrator, officer-in-charge, 
physician, or dentist in a hospital, medical center, clinic, infirmary or puericulture 
center who shall refuse or fail without good cause to render the appropriate 
medical and dental services under this Act, after the child has been brought to their 
attention; or any nurse, midwife, medical or dental attendant who shall refuse to 
extend the appropriate assistance, subject to existing rules, or neglects to notify or 


 
call the attention of a physician or dentist in attendance, shall be penalized as 
follows:  
 
1. On the first offense, a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00);  
 
2. On the second offense, a fine of One Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(Php100,000.00) and suspension of license for up to six (6) months;  
 
 
3. On the third offense, a fine of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos 
(Php150,000.00) and revocation of license.  
 
 
SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Social 
Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH) shall 
issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 
Act within sixty (60) days from its effectivity.  
 
For this purpose, the DSWD shall promulgate the necessary guidelines to 
determine if a child in need of medical and/or dental service may be considered 
indigent, taking into account the age of the child, the financial condition of the 
family, and other similar factors.  
 
The DOH, on the other hand, shall coordinate and establish the necessary 
mechanisms and regulations to govern both government and private hospitals, 
medical centers, clinics, infirmaries and puericulture centers in the implementation 
of this Act.   
 
 
SECTION 8. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be sourced from the budgets of the DSWD and DOH under the 
current General Appropriations Act (GAA). Thereafter, such sums necessary for 
the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in their annual GAA.  
 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected 
thereby shall remain in force and effect.  
 
 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations and other issuances, or any part thereof, inconsistent with 
this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.  
 


 
 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,