SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ne.no,__2834

Introduced by HON. EUFRANIO “FRANNY” C. ERIGUEL, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish the National Center for Geriatric Health which will provide
‘a full range of health care services, including primary care, wellness services, and behavioral
health care to the senior citizens and older members of our population.

Section 11, Article Xill of the 1987 Constitution provides, in part, that “The State shall
adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall
endeavour 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.”

The State is mandated to protect and promote the right to health of every Filipino by
making quality and adequate health care available and accessible to everyone, especially to
the underprivileged senior citizens and older persons.

Consistent with this mandate, the National Center for Geriatric Health will focus on
the medical needs of senior citizens and older persons, and shall be the first of its kind in the
Philippines. This will ensure the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging
members of the population, as well as improve research and studies on the diseases of
older persons. The facility will enable senior citizens and older persons who are most
vulnerable to diseases to avail of much needed specialized health care.


This bill likewise encourages the active involvement of the private sector, and other
members of the public sector, to help in the fulfilment of this mission. As a tribute to our
country's senior citizens and older persons having served and contributed to the society in
the prime of their lives, it is only fitting to establish a Center which will primarily provide

geriatric health services.

In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. EUFRANIO NNY” C. ERIGUEL, M.D.
2™ Dist., La unior


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

2834
H.B, NO.

Introduced by HON. EUFRANIO “FRANNY” C. ERIGUEL, M.D.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH, DEFINING
ITS OBJECTIVES, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SEC. 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as “An Act Establishing the National
Center for Geriatric Health.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State
to protect and promote the right to health of older persons by ensuring that health
services are available and accessible to them through the establishment of a
specialized hospital that will cater to their medical nee

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this act

(a) Senior Citizens or Older Persons shall refer to Filipino citizens who are at
least sixty (60) years old;

(b) Geriatrics refes to the sub-specialty of Internal Medicine and Family
Medicine that aims to promote health and prevent and treat disabilities of
older adults;


(©) Geriatric health services shall refer to the medical services or intervention
provided by a multi-disciplinary team usually headed by a Geriatrician;

(d) Geriatrician shall refer to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary
training and examination, and specializes in the field of geriatrics;

(e) Gerontology shall refer to the study of the biological, psychological,
spiritual, social, economic, demographic aspects of the aging process;

( Integrated delivery of geriatric health services shall refer to hospital and
community-based medical and psycho-social services provided to senior
citizens by a multi-disciplinary team; and

(g) Multi-Disciplinary Team shall refer to a team composed oh health
professionals headed by the Geriatrician and includes surgeons, organ-
system specialists, nurses, clinical pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists,
nutritionists, dentists, social workers, caregivers, family members and
patients themselves.

SEC. 4. The National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH). — The National
Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH), a government —owned and controlled
corporation, is hereby established for the primary benefit of senior citizens or older
persons. The NCGH shall be located in San Miguel, Manila, and shall have a bed
capacity of at least fifty (50).

SEC. 5. Purposes and Objectives. — The NCGH shall have the following
purposes and objectives:

(a) Equip, maintain, administer and operate an integrated medical institution
which shall specialize in geriatric health services;

(b) Promote medical and scientific research relative to the prevention,
diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and relief of disease of older persons;

(c) Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions,
conferences, seminars, work shops, and training programs on geriatric health
services or related fields in the Philippines or abroad;


(a) Encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, nurses,
health officers, social workers and other medical and technical personnel in the
practical and scientific implementation of health services to older persons; and

(e) Coordinate the various efforts and activities of other government agencies
and local government units for the purpose of achieving a more effective approach to
the delivery of geriatric health services.

SEC. 8. Scope of Services. — Consistent with its purposes and objectives,
the NCGH shall provide the following services:

(a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and
equipment necessary to provide long-term and palliative services with its wards
divided into the following: dementia, long-term care, palliative care, respite care, and
other units as may be deemed necessary;

(b) Community-based services to develop and implement community-based
programs in partnership with local government units, conduct research and external
resource outsourcing to implement community-based integrated geriatric health
services, and conduct training necessary for the social functioning of senior citizens
and their families, utilizing the multi-disciplinary team approaches;

(c) Education programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of practice
in the specialized field of geriatrics and other related fields, conduct post-graduate
training and short-term courses for medical doctors and allied medical professionals;

(e) Program development and research to develop cutting-edge research and
programs to combat diseases of old age in promoting active and health care,
providing necessary consultancy advice, technical assistance and standard setting to
geriatric ward in every tertiary level hospital, nursing homes and residential center
catering to the health and functioning needs of senior citizens.

SEC. 6. Board of Trustees. — The NCGH shall be administered by a Board of
Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be comprised of the following:

(a) Secretary of Health, as Chairperson;

(b) Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as Vice-chairperson;


(c) Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography;
(d) Chairperson of the House Committee on Health;

(e) President of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines:

(One representative from the Philippine Medical Association with expertise in the field of Geriatrics
or Gerontology:

(g) Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital

The terms of office, manner of appointment of the trustees and other mattes
pertaining to the governance of each corporate hospital shall be determined in
accordance with the pertinent provision of Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known
as the "GOCC Governance Act of 2011.”

All members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without compensation other
than actual and necessary expenses, in accordance with the existing laws, policies,
and rules and regulations on the matter, incurred either for attendance in meetings of
the Board, or upon official business authorized by a resolution of the Board.

SEC. 7. Powers and Functions. - The Board of Trustees shall have the
following powers and functions in additions to its general powers of administration:

(a) Formulate and adopt the by-laws, rules and regulations, policies,
guidelines and procedures consistent with law and the provision of this Act to govern
the administration and operations of the NCGH;

(b) Formulate and develop programs for the enhancement of health care
services for older persons, including the training of NCGH personnel and resident
doctors;

(c) Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical
institutions, domestic or foreign, as may be necessary in attaining the purposes and
objectives of the NCGH;

(d) Receive, in trust, legacies, gifts, donations or real and personal property of
all kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the NCGH, in accordance with
the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default, thereof, in such manner
as the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, determine;


(e) Receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law such sums as may
be provided by law for the support of the NCGH, and

() Perform all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary for or
incidental to the accomplishment of the objectives of the NCGH,

SEC. 8. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. — The Board shall
determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the NCGH subject to
the evaluation by the Civil Service Commission and of the Organization Position
Classification and Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and
Management, The Board may reorganize said structure, modify the staffing pattern
and create or abolish divisions, sections or units in the NCGH

SEC. 9, Appointment by the Board. — The Board shall have the authority to
appoint, promote, transfer, remove, suspend, or otherwise discipline the officers and
employees of the NCGH upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer,
subject to Civil Service laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. 10. Chief Executive Officer. - The NCGH shall be headed by a Chief
Executive Officer who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health.

The Chief Executive Officer shall exercise the following powers and functions:

(a) Execute the policies, guidelines and programs approved by the Board, and
be responsible for the efficient discharge of management and operational functions;

(b) Submit for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed measures,
policies, guidelines and programs as may be deemed necessary or proper for the
effective implementation of the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(©) Direct and supervise the management, operation and administration of the
NCGH, and may delegate this power and any or some of his administrative
responsibilities and duties to the other officers of the NCGH;

(d) Execute, on behalf of the Board, all contracts and agreements which the
latter may enter into, and to execute, accomplish and deliver any and all documents
relative to such contracts and agreements;

(e) Represent the NCGH in all dealings with other offices, agencies and


instrumentalities of the government, and all other persons or entities, whether
domestic or foreign, and whether government or private;

(f) Recommend to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal
and suspension of the officer and employees of the NCGH; and

(g) Exercise such other powers and perform such duties as may be vested or
reposed by the Board.

SEC. 11. Program for Indigents. - The Board shall ensure that the NCGH
shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for
indigent patients shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of
hospital beds

SEC. 12, Tax Exemptions and Other Privileges. — The provisions of any
general or specific law to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grant
contributions, gifts or endowments received by the NCGH pursuant hereto, shall be
exempt from income, gift and all other kinds of taxes, and shall be further considered
as allowable deductions from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the
provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

The NCGH is hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal
revenue taxes, tariff and customs duties and all other kings of taxes, fees, charges,
and assessments levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies
and instrumentalities.

The NCGH may request and receive assistance from the different agencies,
bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming
Corporation, in pursuit of its purposes and objectives.

SEC. 13. Annual Report. — The NCGH shall submit an annual report to the
President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and
the House Committee on Health, through its Board of Trustees, on its activities,
accomplishments and recommendations to better improve the delivery of geriatric
health services.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Health, in


coordination with the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, and the
Secretary of Budget and Management, shall promulgate such rules and regulations
necessary for the effective implementation of this Act

SEC. 15. Appropriations. - The amount of Two Hundred Fifty Million Pesos
(PhP250,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation and
maintenance of the NCGH. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the
continued operation of the NCGH shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, rules
and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 17. Separability Clause. — lf any separable provision of this Act will be
declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall continue to be in force

SEC. 18. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,