Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 4287

Introduced by Representative WALFREDO “ARMAN” R. DIMAGUILA, JR.

AN ACT
AMENDING FURTHER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7170, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE “ORGAN DONATION ACT OF 1991,” TO ENCOURAGE KIDNEY
DONATION, DESIGNATE PREFERRED BENEFICIARIES, AND PROVIDE
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE DECLARED OR LEGAL BENEFICIARIES OF
DECEASED DONORS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Organ transplantation is one of the most effective medical interventions to
prolong the lives of individuals suffering from end-stage organ failure. In the
Philippines, kidney disease remains a major public health challenge, yet the number
of kidney donors fall far below the demand. While Republic Act No. 7170 established
the foundational legal framework for organ donation in the country, the current law
does not sufficiently address the pressing needs of patients with end-stage renal
disease.


This bill seeks to amend further Republic Act No. 7170 by enabling individuals
to specify preferred beneficiaries of their donated kidneys, giving priority to family
members up to the second degree of consanguinity, thereby reinforcing family-
centered medical support and donor intent.

It also seeks to establish a mechanism for beneficiary support of the deceased
kidney donors when donations are made to third-party recipients. Such support
includes, but are not limited to funeral subsidies, educational assistance for
dependents, and livelihood assistance—providing dignity and recognition to donor
families for their profound contribution to public health.

Through these amendments, this Act seeks to foster a national culture of
donation based on altruism, compassion, and shared responsibility—where saving
lives is honored, while the generosity of organ donors and their families is supported
and remembered.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO._4287__

Introduced by Representative WALFREDO “ARMAN” R. DIMAGUILA, JR.

AN ACT
AMENDING FURTHER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7170, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE “ORGAN DONATION ACT OF 1991,” TO ENCOURAGE KIDNEY
DONATION, DESIGNATE PREFERRED BENEFICIARIES, AND PROVIDE
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE DECLARED OR LEGAL BENEFICIARIES OF
DECEASED DONORS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “Kidney Donation and
Beneficiary Support Act of 2025.”

Sec. 2. Amendment of Section 2, ~ Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7170 is
hereby amended as follows:

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(kK) KIDNEY WAITLIST — A CENTRALIZED REGISTRY OF INDIVIDUALS
MEDICALLY APPROVED TO RECEIVE KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS,


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Sec. 3. Amendment of Section 4. — Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7170 is
hereby amended as follows:

RANKED BASED ON MEDICAL URGENCY, COMPATIBILITY, AND
LENGTH OF TIME ON THE LIST.

DECEASED DONOR -— AN _ INDIVIDUAL DECLARED DEAD
(CARDIOPULMONARY OR BRAIN DEATH) FROM WHOM ORGANS
ARE HARVESTED FOR TRANSPLANTATION.

LIVING DONOR — A LIVING PERSON WHO DONATES ONE OF THEIR.
KIDNEYS VOLUNTARILY AND WITHOUT MONETARY
‘COMPENSATION.

HARVEST WINDOW — THE OPTIMAL TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH
ORGANS, PARTICULARLY KIDNEYS, MUST BE RETRIEVED FROM A
DECEASED DONOR TO ENSURE VIABILITY FOR TRANSPLANTATION.

ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION (“OPO") — A DULY
AUTHORIZED AGENCY OR INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL DONORS, OBTAINING CONSENT,
AND PROCUREMENT OF ORGANS.

RAPID RETRIEVAL PROTOCOL (“RRP”) - A PROTOCOL THAT
ALLOWS FOR EXPEDITED ORGAN RETRIEVAL IN SPECIAL CASES,
SUCH AS DEATHS DUE TO VIOLENCE, WHERE EVIDENCE CAN BE
PRESERVED BY MEANS OTHER THAN PROLONGED CUSTODY OF
THE BODY.

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“Section. 4 Preferred Beneficiaries. —

(a) THE TESTATOR MAY DESIGNATE PREFERRED BENEFICIARIES
OF THEIR DONATED ORGANS BY DECLARING THEM THROUGH
THE NATIONAL CENSUS CONDUCTED BY THE PHILIPPINE
STATISTICS AUTHORITY, PRIORITIZING INDIVIDUALS WITHIN
THE SECOND DEGREE OF CONSANGUINITY, INCLUDING
SPOUSE, CHILDREN, PARENTS, — SIBLINGS, AND
GRANDPARENTS.


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(b) Any of the following, person, in the order of property stated
hereunder, in the absence of actual notice of contrary intentions
by the decedent or actual notice of opposition by a member of
the immediate family of the decedent, may donate all or any part
of the decedent's body for any purpose specified in Section 6
hereof:

(1) Spouse;

(2) Son or daughter of legal age;

(3) Either parent;

(4) Brother or sister of legal age; or

(5) Guardian over the person of the decedent at the
time of his death.

(c) IF NO SUCH DESIGNATION IS MADE, OR IF THE DESIGNATED
INDIVIDUAL IS NOT A VIABLE RECIPIENT, THE KIDNEYS SHALL
BE ALLOCATED THROUGH THE NATIONAL KIDNEY
TRANSPLANT INSTITUTE (THE “WA77’) TO QUALIFIED
RECIPIENTS AS DETERMINED BY MEDICAL NEED AND
AVAILABILITY.

(d)THE DESIGNATION SHALL BE MADE IN WRITING AND
REGISTERED WITH THE NKTI OR INDICATED IN A NOTARIZED
ORGAN DONOR CARD OR LIVING WILL.

(e) The persons authorized BY SUB-SECTION (8) of this Section may
make the donation after or immediately before death.”


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83 Sec. 4. Waiting Time and Kidney Waitlist Management. — Anew section
84 is hereby inserted as Section 12 hereof, thereby renumbering the subsequent sections
85 of RA. 7170 and shall be read as follows:

86
87 “Section 12. Establishment of a National Kidney Waitlist
88 Registry —The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with
89 accredited transplant centers, shall establish and maintain a centralized,
90 transparent, and regularly updated national kidney waitlist system. All
91 potential recipients must be enrolled in the registry upon certification of
92 end-stage renal disease and medical eligibility.

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94 Patients shall be provided their status, rank, and estimated wait
95 time on the list via secure communication methods. The registry shall be
96 monitored regularly for fair prioritization based on:

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98 a. Tissue compatibility;

99 b. Medical urgency;

100 c. Length of time on dialysis;

101 4d. Pediatric status (if applicable); and

102 e. Geographical proximity.

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104 No patient shall remain on the waitlist without being updated about

105 their status for more than 12 consecutive months. Patients on dialysis

106 for more than 5 years shall be reviewed for priority reassessment to

107 ensure fairness and prevent loss of viability.

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109 Every 18 months, transplant centers shall reassess and revalidate

110 the medical eligibility of waitlisted patients to ensure continued

111 qualification.”

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Sec. 5. Special Provision on Deceased Individuals from Violent Deaths
— Anew section is hereby inserted as Section 13 hereof and shall be read as follows:

“Section. 13. Protocol for Gunshot Wound Victims
(Postmortem Donation) — In cases of individuals who die due to
gunshot wounds or similar violent causes, and who are identified as
potential organ donors, the following shall be observed as follows:

a. Investigators and forensic personnel shall have the
authority to:
i. Take high-resolution photographs;
ii. Conduct preliminary documentation; and
ii, Record external injuries and positions before release
of the body.

b. The body may then be released immediately to the OPO
for organ retrieval within 4 hours after official
pronouncement of death, subject to:

i. Completion of forensic documentation;

ii, No explicit objection by the deceased (if a non-donor);
and

ili, Family consent when applicable.

c. Photographic and medical documentation shall be
admissible for legal and criminal proceedings, reducing the
need for prolonged possession of the body. The physical
kidneys may also be preserved for forensic testing before
transplantation if required.


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d. The OPO, in cooperation with law enforcement, shall
assign a pathologist on standby for all violent death cases
to ensure the cause of death and clearance for
transplantation.”

Sec. 6. Support to Beneficiaries of Deceased Donors. — A new section is
hereby inserted as Section 14 hereof and shall be read as follows:

“Section. 14. In cases where a deceased person's organs are
donated to third-party recipients not related to the deceased, the
deceased’s designated preferred beneficiaries in subparagraph (a) and
(b) in section 4 hereof shall be entitled to financial support from the
Department of Health, in any of the following options:

(a) The assistance shall include any or a combination of:
+ Funeral subsidy;
+ Educational assistance for dependent children;
+ Livelihood support for surviving spouse or parents.

Any of the combination availed of by the
preferred beneficiaries shall amount to not less that
Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP500,000.00); or

(b) A lump sum amount of Five Hundred Thousand Pesos
(PhP500,000.00).

The Department of Health (the “DOH’) shall establish a Kidney Donor
Beneficiary Support (the “KDBS") to implement this provision, funded
through the General Appropriations Act and private partnerships.

The amount of financial support shall be reviewed annually and
adjusted based on prevailing economic conditions.”


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Sec. 7. National Organ Donor Registry. — A new section is hereby inserted as
Section 15 hereof to be read as follows:

“Section 15. National Organ Donor Registry - The DOH shall
maintain and regularly update a National Organ Donor and Recipient
Registry, containing records of living and deceased organ donors, declared
preferred beneficiaries, and organ transplant allocations and outcomes.”

Sec. 8. Renumbering of Sections 12 to 19 of R.A. 7170. — Section 12 of
R.A. 7170 shall be renumbered to SEC. 16, while Section 13 shall be renumbered to
‘SEC. 17, and so on until the last section thereof is renumbered.

Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health
shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90)
days from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 10. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shail remain valid.

Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. ~ A\\ laws, decrees, executive orders, or rules
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Sec. 12. Fffectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general

circulation.

APPROVED.