REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bilt No. 76°73

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 15, Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution mandates:

"The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and
instill health consciousness among them."

‘Thousands of infants cach year are born with serious birth defects of the brain and spine, called
neural tube defects. The most common of these are spina bifida, the incomplete closure of the
spinal colunm and anencephaly, a fatal condition in which an infant is bor with a severely
underdeveloped brain and skull.

Only recently have researchers made some progress in preventing these defects. Studies show
that as many as seventy percent (70%) of neural tube birth defects could be prevented if all
women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, before conception and
during carly pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin found naturally in foods such as leafy
greenvegetables, beans, citrus fruits, and juices and in certain multivitamins capsules.
Unfortunately, a majority of women lack information about this.

Thus, this bill secks to provide a national folic acid education campaign in order to urge women
to take the simple step to prevent neural tube defects.

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

" ALEJANO
Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES .
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, 7673 _

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

ACT
TO PROVIDE FOR A NATIONAL FOLIC ACID EDUCATION PROGRAM TO
PREVENT BIRTH DEFECTS

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

SECTION I. Short Title.- This Act shall be known as the "Folic Acid Promotion and
Birth Defects Prevention Act of 2018".

SEC. 2. Promotion of the Beneficial Effects of Folic Acid in the Prevention of Birth
Defects.- The Department of Health shall carry out a program, directly or through special
arrangements with other government agencies and other promotional entities engaged in public
information activities, to provide education and training for health professionals and the general
public for purposes of explaining the effects of folic acid in preventing birth defects and to
encourage women of reproductive capacity to consume the appropriate amount of folic acid as
dietary supplement on a daily basis.

Pursuant thereto, the Secretary of Health may consult with the appropriate public or
private entities, including national nonprofit and nongovernment organizations, health
professionals and health insurance and health plan providers, to ensure the success of such
education and training program. In addition, the Secretary shall, directly or through partnership
with other sectors, provide technical assistance to public and nonprofit private organizations to
fulfill the mandate provided for in Sections 2 and 3 hereof.

SEC. 3. Continuing Research and Study on the Effects of Folic Acid.- The Department
of Health shall conduct continuing studies on the effects of folic acid to increase the
understanding of the same on the health of the citizenry, especially its contribution to the
prevention of birth defects, cleft lip and palate, and heart defects. It shall likewise conduct
research with respect to such education and training, including identifying effective strategies for
increasing the rate of consumption of folic acid by women of reproductive capacity. In addition,
it shall provide for appropriate epidemiological activities regarding folic acid, birth defects and
neural tube defects.

SEC. 4. Evaluation of Program Implementation.- The Secretary of Health shall cause
the review of the program to evaluate the extent to which the activities carried out, pursuant to
Sections 2 and 3 hereof, have been effective in fulfilling the goals of the program, including their
effect on different sectors of the population. Methods of evaluation to be undertaken pursuant
thereto may include surveys of knowledge and attitudes on the consumption of folic acid and on


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blood folate levels and the complete and timely monitoring of infants who are born with neural
tube defects.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of Health shall include. - \n the Department's program the
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act (GAA).

SEC. 6. Separability Clause.- If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected thereby shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 7. 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.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,