J 1HE
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
)
)
E-FILt
[ui rail Tis? Aug 19 2020
[<p tjme;, 9:00 a-m-
SENATE 
S. No. 1777
BY
iH&EX.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HEALTHCARE WORKERS, 
FRONTLINERS, AND PERSONS SUSPECTED OR INFECTED OF COVID-19, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "the State shall protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them."
On the 11th of March 2020, the Director General of the World Health Organization 
(WHO) declared COVID-19 as pandemic. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo R. Duterte 
signed Proclamation No. 922 and Proclamation No. 929 which declare the Philippines 
under the state of public health emergency and state of calamity, respectively, due to 
COVID-19. There has already been a total of more than one hundred sixty-one thousand 
(161,000) confirmed cases and around two thousand six hundred sixty-five (2,665) 
deaths as of the 17th of August 2020. Looking at the statistics from the Department of 
Health regarding the cases in the country for the past few months, it shows a pattern of 
exponential increase. Despite all the measures of enhanced quarantine and social 
distancing protocols, there is no sign of "flattening the curve" anytime soon.


unfominately, in the past weeks, there have been increasingly frequent reports of
—r “mmitted a9ainst heaithcare and other front,ine workers' puM'='
UIS, COVID-positive suspects. Some have been evicted from their homes, while 
othere were prevented from returning to their communities. Others were allegedly doused 
wth water or bleaching solutions or refused service in eateries or public trans^rtfecilities 
ue to feam of infecdon. Similarly, heaithcare workers have been somedmes shunned by 
ocal stores, boarding houses and even their own barangay and townmates.
merti fr0?-"9 to an artlCle by ASia Times1' "A m0untin9 culture of fear fs also targedng 
ical frondme workers, who are now seen by many agitated locals as potendal virus
earners, which m certain instances has led to violence.” Unfortunately situadons like this
n only happen in Metro Manila but in different provinces as well. As stated In the
ardcte for example. On the 27* of March 2020, a nurse in Sultan Kudarat province on the
southern ,sland of Mindanao became one of the first reported viedms of pandemic-related
fcl harassment when he was attacked by five men who thought he was a Covid-19
As an act of compassion, some local government units have enacted ordinances 
n or er to immediately address the discriminadon experienced by healthcare and other 
frondme workers, PUM's, PUI's, and other COVID-posIdve suspects.
In view of the foregoing, the urgent approval of this bill is earnesdy sought to
penalize those who are found to have committed acts that discriminate, shame, humiliate,
sbgmatize healthcare and other frontline workers, and other viedms due to their 
medical condition.
JR.
1i3ltps://asiatimes.cnm/pn7n/na/^.,..jf1 -|0 
, 
...... .


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
)
)
SENATE 
S. No. 1777
2 Mr 
^ of
r[§& E-FEl 
Im BA Tg;_Aug 19 2020
1 
TIME:^:00a-m-
I NONE
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILU, JR.
FRONTLINERS, ANDCPERSON™SUSPECTEDSOR ll^ALTHCARE WORKERS,
providing PENAmESETS0rAPN1^^^^^
angrZaZiXf 
H°USe of'^^Presentative of the PhUippmes In the
2 CCOVID 191 n- • Sh0rt ™e ThlS ACt Shal1 te kn0Wn as the Anti-Coronavinjs2019 
2 (COVID-19) Discrimination Act."
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
follows; Definit'on of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall be as 
(a} Heath workers refer to those who deliver care and sendees to the sick and ailing,
al Cl- e? 0r indireCt,y'indUdin9 bUt n0t "mited t0' d0Ct0re' nurees'
and clinic aides, and laboratory technicians.
This also include those engaged as temporary Human Resources for Health in 
acc.dance with Republic Act No. 1M69, also known as the Bayanlhan to Heal 
Act, such as medical and allied medical staff to complement or supplement
esL'lTd hrh WOrkf0rce 0r to man 016 temp0ra^ medical facite to be
established under the aforementioned law.


2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(a) Persons infected. Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) are those persons 2 
suspected of contracting, have probably contracted COVID-19, or are
confirmed to 3 have contracted COWD-19, in accordance with the guidelines 
issued by the Department of Health (DOH).
(b) 
refe,S to the 0fficers and members of the Philippine National Police 
PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Coast Guard
(PCG), and instrumentalities of the government rendering emergency frontline 
services, border control and other criUcal services. Also included are workers 
-n private establishments providing essential services and necessides and such 
achvib'es relate to food and medicine pioducUon, such as public markets 
supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, 
pharmacies and drug stores, food, preparation and delivery services, water- 
refilling stabons, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products 
arid medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, 
telecommunicabons and water supplies and other related facilities.
SEC. 3. Prohibited Acts. - It shall be unlawful for any person, natural or Juridical
" 
«s»., 
a.™,
STH 
w
19, a health worker, or a frontliner, as defined under this Act.
oive a Pr0Medtf,at'any PUblic offlcer wh0 or fails, Without Justifiable reason, to
give assistance to a person suspected or infected of COVID-ig, a health worker or a
rontlmer that intends to return to his place of residence or domicile, after obteining
arance o t e COWD-19 Infection from the proper health officials, shall be equally
liable under Section 4 of this Act. 
«| oe equally
nenahv5?' 
’ Any pe'50n in vfote«on of Secfion 3 hereof shall suffer the
penalty of rmprisonment not exceeding six (6) months or a fine of fifty thousand pesos


.X
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22 
23
(P 50,000.00), or both, at the discrebon of the court. If the offender is a public officer 
the max,mum penalty herein shall be imposed. In cases where the offender is a' 
corporabon, assoaabon, partnership or any other juridical person, the penalty shall be 
imposed upon the president, directors, manager, managing partner, as the case l
' tlTTT in the “0n 0f the 0ffe- - Have knowing;
permitted or felled to prevent the commission of the same.
presaiLTdWhe; ^ 0ffender ^ an a'fen'he Sha"'3Mti0n t01116 Penalti“ Herein 
prescribed, be deported without need of further proceedings.
SEC. 5. Separability Oause. - If for any reason any provision of this Act is declared
Zl“or invalid'such pa,b or port'ons not affected
SEC. 6. Repealing Cause. - All laws, execuHve orders, piesidenbal decrees 
™al prodamations, letters of instruction, rules and regulations or parts the S
:z::y.“with the provisions °f this -hereby—--
. 
]' EffeCtMty- - ™s Act aHall take effect fifteen (15) days following
mplebon of its publicabon in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulaflon.
Approved,