Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article II, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution provides that: “The State shall promote a just 
and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation 
and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for 
all.”  
Section 11 of the same article further provides that: “The State values the dignity of every 
human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.” 
Despite these state policies that are made to protect human dignity and ensure equal 
respect for all, persons confined in institutions providing skilled nursing, intermediate or 
long-term care, or custodial or residential care, must be accorded adequate social 
services and respect for their dignity just like any other person outside an institution. 
However, reality tells us that some of the significant problems that institutionalized 
people face such as abuse and neglect in nursing homes and juvenile facilities, sexual 
victimization of women prisoners, inadequate education in facilities serving children and 
adolescents, unmet mental health needs of inmates and pre-trial detainees, are hard 
proofs that our country lacks legislative initiatives that may give attention to these issues. 
This bill seeks to protect the basic and civil rights of institutionalized persons from 
neglect and abuse by authorities. It is high time that Congress must shed light on the 
situation of our institutionalized persons. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
November 10, 2022
2:54 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
DEFINING WHO ARE INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS 
AND PENALIZING THEIR MALTREATMENT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act may be cited as the “Institutionalized Persons 
Protection Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is the policy of the State to provide adequate 
social services to institutionalized persons and to respect their dignity by ensuring that 
the persons in charge of their care and maintenance treat them properly. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the term: 
(A)
“Institution” means any facility or institution which is owned, operated, or managed 
by, or provides services on behalf of the government or its political subdivision and 
which function is to provide skilled nursing, intermediate or long-term care, or 
custodial or residential care.
(B)
“Institutionalized persons” refers to persons kept in an institution as defined in this 
Act who are:
(1)
Mentally ill, disabled, or retarded, or chronically ill or handicapped;
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(2) 
In jail, either by final sentence or under detention; 
(3) 
Juveniles - 
(a) 
held awaiting trial; 
(b) 
residing in such facility or institution for purposes of receiving care or 
treatment; or 
(c) 
residing for any government purpose in such facility or institution other 
than a residential facility providing only elementary or secondary 
education that is not an institution in which reside juveniles who are 
adjudicated delinquent, in need of supervision, neglected, placed in 
government custody, mentally ill or disabled, mentally retarded, or 
chronically ill or handicapped. 
 
SECTION 4. Prohibited Acts. – It shall be unlawful for any official, employee, or agent 
of the government, or other person acting in behalf of the government charged with the 
care of an institutionalized person to: 
(A)   Subject persons residing in or confined to an institution to egregious or flagrant 
conditions causing such person to suffer physical injuries; 
(B)   Withhold from such institutionalized persons services, resources, and facilities 
necessary for their maintenance and well-being; and 
(C)   Inflict, intentionally or through negligence, upon said persons psychological or 
physical harm. 
  
SECTION 5. Penal Liability. – Any of the persons referred to in Section 4 of this Act, 
who are guilty of the commission of the prohibited acts enumerated therein shall be 
penalized with not less than six (6) months imprisonment and not more than one (1) year 
imprisonment. This is without prejudice to any administrative case which may be filed 
against the official. 
 
SECTION 6. Civil Liability. – A responsible official found guilty of violating this Act shall 
also be civilly liable for any damage that may be suffered by the institutionalized person 
as a result of the violation of this Act. 


 
 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or 
inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,