€
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. No.
•19 JUL25 P4 53
------------------------------------------------------------------------- RTurT—r r -
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A PHILIPPINE NATIONAL AUTISM CARE PLAN FOR THE 
SUPPORT OF PERSONS WITH AUTISM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder 
with an unknown etiology that affects an individual to communicate and interact with 
others. It is a lifelong development condition that affects how a person communicates 
and relates to other people.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in every 160 children has an 
ASD worldwide. In the Philippines, experts and advocates have estimated that there 
are close to 1,000,000 people with autism.1 The Autism Society of the Philippines 
estimates that only 10% of Filipinos with autism are diagnosed and only 5% are 
receiving appropriate interventions. Studies have also shown that the average annual 
cost of the interventions designed for a school-aged child is around P180,000.2
The 67th World Health Assembly adopted resolution calling for the strengthening 
of capacities of national governments to address ASD and other developmental 
disorders within the context of a broader framework of mental health and disabilities.
This measure proposes actions to strengthen government capacities towards 
addressing the needs of individuals with ASD and their families. Interventions that 
focus on protecting the rights and ensuring the well-being of people with ASD, raising 
public awareness, training and capacity building of public service providers will be 
undertaken by different government agencies through the Philippine Council for Mental 
Health established by the Mental Health Law.
https://www.phiJstar.com/headlines/2014/04/ 0/13 10840/nuniber-peoplc-autism-increasing#6rsOBlEJr7cMAPYv.99 
! Magno Veluz, M et al. Primer on Autism in the Philippines, Autism Society of the Philippines


Thus, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought
RISA HONTIVEROS 
i T
RISA HONTIVEROS 
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. No. 
7 9 1
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o( Il)i fe r r c ia v p
*19 
JUL25 P4 53
RECtiVcD i>/,
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A PHILIPPINE NATIONAL AUTISM CARE PLAN FOR 
THE SUPPORT OF PERSONS WITH AUTISM AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. 
Short Title. 
-  This Act shall be known as the "National
2 
Autism Care Plan Act".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the
4 
State to protect and promote the rights of all persons to full, healthy, and
5 
holistic development. As such, the State shall promote an environment
6 
conducive to the development of persons with autism (PWAs) to become
7 
independent, self-reliant, productive and socially-accepted members of an
8 
inclusive society. Towards this end, the State commits itself to the
9 
establishment of institutional and social mechanisms to support PWAs
10 
throughout their lifetime, responsive to their needs, empowering and
11 
providing them quality of life.
12 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. -  As used in this Act, the following terms
13 
shall mean:
14 
a) "Autism" or Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a neurological
15 
condition 
characterized 
by challenges with 
social 
skills,
16 
repetitive behaviors, communication, as well as by unique
17 
strengths, as defined in the latest version of the Diagnostic
18 
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
19 
b) "Diagnosis" refers to necessary assessments, including but not
20 
limited to neuro-psychological evaluations, genetic testing,
21 
MRIs, hearing tests, psychometric tests to diagnose or
1


1 
discount autism and/or developmental disabilities in
2 
individuals.
3 
c) "Intervention" refers to interceding action undertaken to help
4 
improve the autism prognosis. Intervention in autism may take
5 
the form of medical, pharmacologic, therapeutic, educational,
6 
and non-traditional habilitative care.
7 
d) "Epidemiology" refers to the study and analysis of the
8 
distribution and determinants of health conditions, like autism,
9 
in define populations.
10 
Sec. 4. Treatment as Persons with Disability —  All PWAs shall be treated
11 
as persons with disability, as defined under Republic Act No. 7277, as
12 
amended. They shall be entitled to all the rights, privileges, and benefits
13 
provided for persons with disabilities under existing laws.
14 
Sec. 5. Continuing Education and Training on Autism for Public Service
15 
Providers. — All officers and staff in charge of providing services to the public,
16 
including but not limited to the Department of Health (DOH), Department of
17 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd),
18 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Justice (DOJ),
19 
Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Interior and Local
20 
Government (DILG), the Department of National Defense (DND), Department
21 
of Science and Technology (DOS T), Commission on Higher Education (CHED),
22 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National
23 
Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), Persons with Disabilities Affairs offices
24 
(PDAOs) at the Local Government Units (LGUs), Public Safety Units (military,
25 
police, firemen and other first responders), shall 
undergo mandatory
26 
continuing education to sensitize and empower service providers to become
27 
effective front liners in the delivery of services to PWAs and their families
28 
Sec. 6. Epidemiological Surveillance Programs. 
—  The Department of
29 
Health, 
in coordination with different academic institutions and 
non-
30 
governmental organizations is hereby mandated to conduct an epidemiological
31 
survey to determine the prevalence of autism in the country annually to
32 
provide data to government agencies and the private sector, to make
33 
necessary services available to PWAs and their families.
34 
Sec. 7. Evidence-based Research. —  The DOH, the Philippine Council
35 
for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and the National Institute of
36 
Health (NIH) are mandated, in coordination with local and international
2


1 
Sec. 8. Early Detection and Intervention o f Autism. 
—  The DOH, in
2 
coordination with the DepEd, is hereby mandated to establish a program for early
3 
screening and detection of autism, to provide the appropriate services to children
4 
and toddlers with developmental delays associated with autism, and to ensure the
5 
central PWD registry are updated accordingly.
6 
Sec. 9. Mandatory PhUHeaith Coverage. —  All persons with autism shall be
7 
covered by the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance
8 
Corporation (PHIC). Funds necessary to ensure the enrolment of PWAs, who are
9 
currently covered under any existing category, shall be sourced from the National
10 
Health Insurance Fund of PHIC, earmarked from the proceeds of sin tax collections,
11 
as provided for in Republic Act No. 10351. It shall likewise include the cost of early
12 
screening and detection programs, as one of the available benefits of its members.
13 
Sec. 10. Protection Against Discrimination in Schools, Colleges, Universities
14 
and Training Institutions. — The DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall formulate or update
15 
policies and protocols to ensure that all educational institutions shall be inclusive to
16 
learners with autism, in matters including, but not limited to, acceptance to academic
17 
or training programs, instructional supports, and behavior management.
18 
Sec. 11. Provision for Equal Opportunities for Employment —  The DOLE and
19 
the Civil Service Commission shall formulate policies and programs to ensure that
20 
adult PWAs are provided equal opportunities for gainful employment in the private
21 
and public sector.
22 
Sec. 12. Protection against Discrimination in Insurance Coverage. 
—  The
23 
Department of Finance shall formulate or update policies and protocols to ensure
24 
that all insurance providers shall provide PWAs access to life insurance instruments
25 
and shall include allied medical procedures (like occupational and speech therapies)
26 
in health insurance benefits of policy holders.
27 
Sec. 13. Protection in cases o f Disasters and Emergencies. —  The DILG and
28 
the DND shall formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure the military,
29 
public safety professionals, local government units, and first responders shall provide
30 
the necessary life-saving support to PWAs with behavioral and communication
31 
challenges.
32 
Sec. 14. Access to Transportation. —  The DOTr shall formulate the necessary
33 
policies and protocols to ensure PWAs with behavioral and communication challenges
34 
and their families are given reasonable accommodation in accessing all forms of
35 
transportation by service providers over land, sea and air.


1 
Sec. 15. Reasonable Accommodation in cases o f Legal Action. —  The DOJ shall
2 
formulate the necessary policies and protocols to ensure criminal justice agencies
3 
and professionals shall provide the necessary accommodations and protections to
4 
PWAs in behavioral and communication challenges, who may be the accused of,
5 
victims of or witnesses to crimes.
6 
Sec. 16. The Philippine Council for Mental Health —  The Philippine Council for
7 
Mental Health (PCMH), a multi-sector body established by the Mental Health Act to
8 
provide for a coherent, rational and unified response to mental health in the country,
9 
shall spearhead and coordinate the government actions to address the need of
10 
Filipinos with autism and their families.
11 
Sec. 17. The National Autism Care Plan —  The PCMH, in coordination with
12 
other government agencies and stakeholders, shall develop, regularly update, and
13 
monitor the implementation of the National Autism Care Plan (NACP), a holistic
14 
medium-term plan to respond to the needs of PWAs and their families for the
15 
guidance of the stakeholders in public and private sector. The PCMH shall likewise
16 
coordinate the development and implementation of necessary policies and programs
17 
to operationalize the NACP and to ensure the needs of PWAs are served.
18 
Sec. 18. Appropriation. —  The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
19 
this Act shall be included and incorporated in the annual general appropriations of
20 
the DOH
21 
Sec. 19. Separability Clause. —  If any provision of this Act is declared invalid
22 
or unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full
23 
force and effect.
24 
Sec. 20. Repealing Clause. —  All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
25 
presidential proclamations, letter of instruction, rules and regulations or parts thereof
26 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
27 
accordingly.
28 
Sec. 6. 
Effectivity. 
-  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
29 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,