FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PrirLrPpINEs ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
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U T  .- a- 
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 
6 8 .  
JEN o 2 2008 
Submitted jointly by the Committees on Labor, Employment and Human 
Resources Develo ment, Health and Demography, Ways and Means and 
Finance on 
RE 
SB No. 
‘ 2 3 6 2 prepared by the Committees. 
Recommending its approval in substitution of S. B. Nos. 421, 938, 1000 and 
1861. 
Sponsor 
: 
Senator Ejercito Estrada 
MR. PRESIDENT: 
The Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources 
Development jointly with the Committees on Health and Demography, Ways and 
Means and Finance to which were referred Senate Bill No. 421, introduced by 
Senator Ejercito Estrada, entitled: 
“AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO 
WORKERS (OFWS) 
AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.” 
Senate Bill No. 938, introduced by Senator Legarda, entitled: 
&IAN ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
A 
SPECIAL 
HOSPITAL 
FOR 
OVERSEAS 
CONTRACT WORKERS (OCWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES. ” 
Senate Bill No. 1000, introduced by Senator Villar, entitled: 
“AN ACT 
CREATING 
THE 
OVERSEAS 
FILIPINO 
WORKERS 
(OFW) 
MEDICAL CENTER DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES,” and 
Senate Bill No. 1867, introduced by Senator Lapid, entitled. 
“AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
A 
SPECIAL 
HOSPITAL 
FOR 
OVERSEAS 
CONTRlZCT WORKERS (OCW) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES, ’’ 


have considered the same and have the honor to report them back to the Senate wlth 
the recommendation that the attached SB No. 
2362 , prepared by the 
Committees, entitled: 
“AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO 
WORKERS (OFWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.” 
be approved in substitution of S. B. Nos. 421, 938, 1000 and 1867 with Senators 
Ejercito Estrada, Legarda, Villar, Lapid, P. Cayetano, Escudero and Enrile as authors 
thereof. 
Respectfully submitted: 
Y EJERCXTO ESTRADA 
Pro-Tempore 
Chairperson 
Committee on Labor, Employment and Human 
Resources Development 
JUAN PONCE ENRILE 
Chairpersod 
Chairperson 
Committee on Health and Demography Committee on Finance 
Member, Committees on Labor, 
Member: Committee on Ways 
Employment and Human Resources 
Development and Finance 
and Means 
FRANCIS Whiz” G. ESCUDERO 
Chairperson 
Committee on Ways and Means 
Member: Committee on Labor, Employment 
and Human Resources Development, Health and 
Demography and Finance 


Vice-Chairperson 
Vice-Chairperson 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Labor, Employment 
Committee on Health and 
Member: Committees on Ways and 
and Human Resources Development 
Demography 
Means and Finance 
EDG 
</P 
DO .ANGARA 
L 2 - P  
Vice-Chairperson 
Committee on Health and 
Demography 
Committee on Finance 
Member: Committee on Ways 
and Means 
JOKER P. ARROYO 
Vice- Chairperson 
Committee on Finance 
Member: Committee on Ways 
and Means 
Vice-Chairperson 
Committee on Health and Demography 
Member: Committees on Labor, Employment 
and Human Resources Development, and 
Finance 
ALAN PETER WOMPA#ERO” S. CAYETANO 
GREG 
“CRZNGO” B. HONASAN 
Committees on Labor, Employment 
Labor, Employment 
Development, 
Development, Health 
Ways and 
and Human Resources 
and Demography and Ways 
Means and Finance 
and Means 


RAMON   BONG" REVILLA, JR. 
Committees on Labor, Employment 
Committees on Labor, Employment 
and Human Resources Development, 
Health and Demography, Ways and 
Means and Finance 
and Human Resources Development, 
Health and Demography, Ways and 
Means and Finance 
abor, Employment 
and Finance 
ources Development, 
Ways and Means and Finance 
A 
BENIGNO~~GNO c. AQUINO 
Committees 
Employment 
and Human Resources 
M. A. MADRIGAL 
Committees on Labor, Employment 
and Human Resources Development, 
Health and Demography, Ways 
and Means and Finance 
PAN &I- 
L 
LIPIN 39 M. LACSON 
s on Labor, Employment 
Resources Development 
Ways and Means and Finance 
4 
MAR A. 
Committees on Heal$ and 
Demography, Ways and Means 
and Finance 
ANTONIO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES 
Committees on Ways and Means 
Means and Finance 
EX- OETI%IO MEMBERS: 


h 
AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR. 
Minority Floor Leader 
MANNY VILLAR 
Senate President 
Pasay City 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
8 JUN -2 P5:13 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
**..-. 
1 . I Y O .  
Prepared by the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources 
Development jointly with the Committees on Health and Demography, 
Ways and Means and Finance in substitution of S. B. Nos. 
421,938,1000,and 1862 
"AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO 
WORKERS (OFWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES". 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OfRepresentatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Migrant 
Workers Hospital Act of 2008". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - It is the policy of the State to adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall 
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available 
to all people at affordable cost. Further, the State shall protect the interest 
and promote the well-being of Filipino overseas workers including their 
families and dependents through the provision of social and welfare services. 
SEC. 3. Creation of Special Hospital. - To carry out the above policy, 
there is hereby created a special hospital to be known as the Migrant 
Workers Hospital which shall be under the supervision and control of the 
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). 
SEC. 4. 
Objectives. - To ensure the availability, accessibility and 
affordability of quality health care, Migrant Workers Hospital shall: 


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a) 
Provide for a comprehensive/total health care services to 
all migrant workers who are O W A  contributors 
including their dependents; 
Complement the existing package of services under the 
Health Care Program so as to include preventive, 
promotive, 
diagnostic, 
curative 
and 
rehabilitative 
programs; 
Conduct medical examination to ensure the physical and 
mental capability of all the would-be overseas Filipino 
workers duly covered by an approved job order; 
Set-up a system that will effectively monitor the condition 
of patients and to generate relevant information and data 
in aid of policy formulation. 
b) 
c) 
a 
SEC. 5 .  Administration and Composition of Board Members. - Upon 
the effectivity of this Act, the powers and the administration of the Migrant 
Workers Hospital shall be vested in a Board, which is composed of the 
following members: 
a) 
The Secretary of 
the Department 
of 
Labor 
and 
Employment as Ex-Officio Chairman; 
b) 
The Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare 
Administration as Ex-Officio Vice Chairman; 
c) 
The Secretary of the Department of Health as Ex-Officio 
Member; 
The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development as Ex-Officio Member; 
The Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment 
Administration as Ex-Officio Member: 
d) 
e) 


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r) 
Two (2) representatives from OFWs sector (one from 
landbased and another from sea-based) as Members. 
The two representatives from the OFWs sector shall be appointed by 
the President of the Republic of the Philippines from a list of nominees 
submitted by the Ex-Officio Chairman. The representatives appointed 
shall serve for a term of three (3) years without re-appointment. 
SEC. 6. Responsibilities and Powers. - The Board of Directors of the 
Migrant Workers Hospital shall have the following responsibilities and 
powers: 
a) 
To formulate and implement measures and programs to 
attain the Migrant Workers Hospital’s objectives and purposes as 
enunciated in Section 4 of this Act; 
b) To enter into agreements and contracts in connection with its 
establishment, maintenance, operations and objectives; 
c) To issue rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and 
purposes of this Act; 
d) To perform such other duties and functions as may be 
provided by law. 
SEC. 1. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Board shall 
adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within sixty 
(60) days from the date of its approval. 
SEC. 8. Appropriation. - In addition to the seed money held in trust by 
the OWWA, the National Government shall contribute the amount necessary 
for the establishment and initial operation of the Migrant Workers Hospital 
which shall be taken from the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. 
Subsequently, its appropriation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act (GAA). 


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SEC. 9. Assistance from Government Offices, etc. - The Migrant 
Workers Hospital may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or 
instrumentality of the Government, including government owned or 
controlled corporations, for such assistance as it may need in the pursuit of its 
purposes and objectives. 
SEC. 10. Exemption from Donor’s Taxes, Customs and Tariff Duties. 
-All donations, contributions or endowments which may be made by persons 
or entities to the hospital and the importation of medical equipment and 
machineries, spare parts and other medical equipment not hereto mentioned 
used solely and exclusively for the Migrant Workers Hospital shall be exempt 
from income, gift, direct and indirect taxes, wharfage fees and other charges 
and restrictions. 
SEC. 11. Annual Report. - The Migrant Workers Hospital shall render 
to the President of the Philippines, to the Senate and to the House of 
Representatives an annual report of its activities and recommendations. 
SEC. 12. Congressional Oversight Committee. - A Congressional 
Oversight Committee, herein after referred to as the “Committee”, is hereby 
constituted in accordance with the provisions of this Act. The Committee shall 
be composed of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, 
Employment and Human Resources Development and the Chairman of the 
House of Representatives Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs and four 
(4) additional members from each House to be designated by the President of 
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively. The 
committee shall, among others in aid of legislation: 
1) Monitor and ensure the proper implementation of this Act; 
2) Review the performance of the hospital: and 
3) Review the proper implementation of the programs of the Hospital 
and the use of its fund. 


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In furtherance of the herein above cited objectives, the Committee is 
empowered to require the hospital to submit all pertinent information 
including but not limited to its performance data and its annual audited 
financial statement certified by the Commission on Audit. 
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause - All laws,decrees, executive orders, rules 
and regulations or part thereof deemed inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 14. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) 
days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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