1 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2969 
Introduced by Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Yedda 
Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre 
AN ACT 
CONVERTING THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-MACAPAGAL NATIONAL 
CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH UNDER THE JOSE R. REYES 
MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER AS THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-
MACAPAGAL NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH AND 
RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Based on the latest Census of Population and Housing conducted in 2020 by 
the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were 9,222,672 out of 108,667,043 or 8.5% 
Filipinos aged 60 and above. With this, it has been projected that the demographic 
landscape of the Philippines is undergoing a significant shift wherein the share of 
the population 60 years old and over will experience a sustained increase, reaching 
the 10% mark by 2030.1 
This bill seeks to implement the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
right to health of senior citizens all over the country by ensuring that a 
1 Cruz, G.T. (2025), ‘The Shifting Demographics of the Philippines: Towards and Ageing Society', in Cruz, 
G.T., C.J.P. Cruz, and Y.Saito (eds.), Ageing and Health in the Philippines: Wave 2. Jakarta, Indonesia:
Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, pp. 1-13.
August 4, 2025
5:00 pm


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comprehensive set of health services is available and accessible to them through the 
establishment of a specialized hospital and research facility.  
To fulfill this mandate and address the specialized health care needs and 
requirements of the elderly, the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for 
Geriatric Health (DEMMNCGH) under the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center 
shall be converted to a national specialty center to be known as the Dr. Eva 
Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute 
(DEMM-NCGHRI). The DEMM-NCGHRI shall be a teaching, research, and 
training hospital that shall specialize in geriatric care and serve as an apex hospital 
or end-referral facility for senior citizens in the country.  It is hoped that through the 
conversion of the DEMMNCGH to the DEMM-NCGHRI, hospital-based services, 
medical facilities and equipment specialized for senior citizens needing acute and 
sub-acute care, geriatric palliative care, transitional, and outpatient care services are 
made accessible to the public.  
Through this proposed legislation, technical assistance and capacity building 
may also be made in the establishment and maintenance of nursing homes and 
residential care facilities and senior citizens’ wards in government hospitals pursuant 
to Republic Act No. 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act 
of 2010.”  
Finally, this bill aims to enrich education programs in geriatrics and 
gerontology subjects in undergraduate health and allied professions, including 
training of students, as well as postgraduate medical education of physicians, nurses, 
allied professionals, pharmacists, dentists, and social workers. 
During the 19th Congress, this bill was filed and referred primarily to the 
Committee on Health and was subsequently approved on Third Reading by the 
House of Representatives. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ 


3 
ANDREW JULIAN K. ROMUALDEZ 
JUDE A. ACIDRE 


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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2969 
Introduced by Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Yedda 
Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre 
AN ACT 
CONVERTING THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-MACAPAGAL NATIONAL 
CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH UNDER THE JOSE R. REYES 
MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER AS THE DR. EVA MACARAEG-
MACAPAGAL NATIONAL CENTER FOR GERIATRIC HEALTH AND 
RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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 “Geriatric Health Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make 
essential goods, health and other social services available to all senior citizens at 


 
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affordable cost. Priority shall be given to underprivileged sick and disabled senior 
citizens. 
 
To this end, the State shall protect and promote the right to health of senior citizens 
by ensuring holistic health services through the establishment of a geriatric specialty 
hospital and research institute. 
 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
 
(a) Acute care refers to a specialized program that addresses the needs of 
hospitalized senior citizens through a multidisciplinary team approach to 
prevent functional and cognitive decline; 
 
(b) Apex or end-referral hospital refers to a hospital that offers specialized 
services as determined by the Department of Health (DOH) which is 
contracted as a stand-alone facility by the Philippine Health Insurance 
Corporation; 
 
(c) Geriatric health services refer to the medical services or interventions 
provided by a multidisciplinary team to senior citizen patients; 
 
(d) Geriatric medicine or Geriatrics refers to the sub-specialty of internal and 
family medicine that promotes the health of senior citizens, and assesses, 
diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions, diseases, disabilities, and 
complexities that affect people as they age; 
 


 
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(e) Geriatric palliative care refers to a specialized medical care that focuses on 
providing senior citizens relief from pain and other symptoms of a serious 
illness, regardless of diagnosis or stage of disease provided alongside 
curative and other forms of treatment. It is a field of inter-specialty 
collaboration that responds to the socio-demographic changes and 
challenges of senior citizens with severe and life-limiting conditions; 
 
(f) Geriatric specialty center refers to a unit or department in a DOH hospital 
that offers specialized care to senior citizens, addressing their particular 
conditions and providing specific procedures and management of cases 
requiring specialized training and equipment; 
 
(g) Geriatrician refers to a medical doctor who has passed the necessary 
training and specialty licensure examination for the practice of Geriatric 
Medicine;  
      
(h) Gerontology refers to the study of the biological, psychological, spiritual, 
social, economic, and demographic aspects of the aging process;  
 
(i) Multidisciplinary team refers to a team composed of health professionals 
headed by a geriatrician and comprised of surgeons, organ-system 
specialists, 
nurses, 
clinical 
pharmacists, 
rehabilitation 
therapists, 
nutritionists, dentists, social workers, caregivers, family members and 
patients;  
 
(j) People-centered service refers to a holistic and humane approach to 
geriatric care that adopts the perspectives of individuals, families, and 


 
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communities, and regards them as participants and beneficiaries of health 
systems and services; 
 
(k) Senior citizen refers to an elderly Filipino who is at least sixty (60) years 
old; 
 
(l) Sub-acute care refers to care for patients who no longer require 
hospitalization, but still need skilled medical care through rehabilitative 
medicine; and 
 
(m) Transitional care refers to a form of health care in geriatric medicine 
designed to ensure coordination and continuity of care for the safe and 
effective management of both chronic and acute illness in senior citizens as 
they 
are 
transferred 
to 
different 
locations 
or 
levels  
of care. 
 
SECTION 4. Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health 
and Research Institute. – The Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for 
Geriatric Health (DEMMNCGH) under the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center 
is hereby converted as a national specialty center to be known as the Dr. Eva 
Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute 
(DEMM-NCGHRI), and shall be under the direct control and supervision of the 
DOH.  
 
The conversion of the DEMMNCGH shall be fully realized within a period of five 
(5) years from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the DOH shall ensure that 
services shall not be disrupted during the transitory period. 


 
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SECTION 5. Scope of Services. – The DEMM-NCGHRI shall provide the 
following services: 
 
(a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and 
equipment for senior citizens needing acute and sub-acute care, geriatric 
palliative care, outpatient care and transitional care services; 
 
(b) Specialized clinical, public health, and operations research and training 
programs with a multidisciplinary or multi-center approach;  
 
(c) Technical assistance and capacity building in the establishment of geriatric 
specialty centers in accordance with Republic Act No. 11959, otherwise 
known as the “Regional Specialty Centers Act,” and in geriatric health 
services in all government primary health facilities and hospitals under the 
management of local government units (LGUs); and 
 
(d) Programs and services for the special needs of senior citizens with 
disabilities. 
 
SECTION 6. Powers and Functions. – To carry out the provisions of this Act, the 
DEMM-NCGHRI shall have the following powers and functions: 
 
(a) Serve as an apex hospital or end-referral facility which shall specialize in 
geriatric health services; 
 


 
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(b) Increase the bed capacity, service capabilities, healthcare facilities, and 
human resource requirements of the DEMM-NCGHRI based on its hospital 
and human resource development plan subject to the approval of the DOH; 
 
(c) Provide and maintain people-centered service through an efficient health 
service delivery system for senior citizens;  
 
(d) Extend medical services to senior citizens in accordance with the National 
Health Insurance Program pursuant to Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise 
known as the “Universal Health Care Act”; 
 
(e) Provide an integrated and effective approach in the delivery of geriatric 
health service in collaboration with concerned government agencies and 
stakeholders, and LGUs; 
 
(f) Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in local and international conventions, 
conferences, congresses, seminars, workshops, and training programs on 
geriatric health or related fields;  
 
(g) Establish a standardized referral system for all geriatric health service; 
 
(h) Provide higher and up-to-date geriatric training for professionals, 
postgraduates, academics, and allied healthcare providers especially from 
the geriatric specialty centers; 
 


 
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(i) Conduct cutting edge research studies on diseases related to old age for the 
development of policies, protocols, standards, and solutions for specialized 
health care;  
 
(j) Publish research studies that shall serve as information resource for the 
medical and research community in coordination with concerned 
government offices and relevant professional organizations;  
 
(k) Conduct and participate in local and international gerontological research 
activities; 
 
(l) Conduct capacity and capability assessment of the services provided by the 
DEMM-NCGHRI; 
 
(m) 
Provide consultancy service and technical assistance in the setting of 
standards for  geriatric wards in every tertiary level hospital, nursing home, 
and residential center catering to the health needs of senior citizens, in 
consultation with the Philippine Council for Health Research and 
Development of the Department of Science and Technology, the Institute 
on Aging – National Institutes of Health (IA-NIH) under the University of 
the Philippines, and other relevant institutions as may be determined by the 
DEMM-NCGHRI; 
 
(n) Provide fellowship training in geriatric medicine; 
 
(o) Develop and maintain a core information hub on geriatrics and 
gerontological studies in coordination with the concerned offices of the 


 
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DOH and its attached agencies, the IA-NIH, and other relevant institutions 
as may be determined by the DEMM-NCGHRI; 
 
(p) Identify and recommend to the DOH possible sites for the relocation of the 
DEMM-NCGHRI; and 
 
(q) Study and recommend, in coordination with the Governance Commission 
for  Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations, the appropriate 
steps for the formal establishment and incorporation of the DEMM-
NCGHRI in accordance with Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known as 
the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011”: Provided, That the DEMM-
NCGHRI shall remain under the full control and supervision of the DOH, 
unless Congress shall provide otherwise.  
 
SECTION 7. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. – The Secretary of 
the DOH shall determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the 
DEMM-NCGHRI subject to the evaluation and approval of the Department of 
Budget and Management (DBM) and in compliance with the civil service and other 
pertinent laws, rules and regulations. 
 
SECTION 8. Categorization of Patients. – The DEMM-NCGHRI shall enforce a 
categorization of paying and non-paying patients and shall ensure the allocation of 
beds for indigent patients in accordance with existing laws and guidelines.  
 
SECTION 9. Coordination with and Assistance from Other Government 
Agencies. – The DEMM-NCGHRI shall coordinate with the National Commission 
of Senior Citizens (NCSC) in the development of its programs and services. It may 


 
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likewise call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the 
government such as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine 
Amusement and Gaming Corporation, for assistance in the pursuit of the purposes 
and objectives of this Act. 
 
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall, in coordination 
with the DOH and DEMM-NCGHRI, provide technical assistance and capacity 
building in the establishment and maintenance of nursing homes and residential care 
facilities and senior citizens’ wards in government hospitals pursuant to Republic 
Act No. 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.” 
 
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall, in coordination with the DOH 
and DEMM-NCGHRI, provide education programs and scholarships to pursue 
excellence and the highest level of quality in the practice of the specialized field of 
geriatrics and other related fields, including postgraduate training and short-term 
courses for medical doctors and other allied medical health professions, in 
coordination with public or private training institutes such as the IA-NIH. The 
CHED shall also provide education programs in geriatrics, and gerontology subjects 
in undergraduate health and allied professions, including training of students, as well 
as postgraduate medical education of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, 
social workers, and allied professionals. 
 
SECTION 10. Use of Income. – All income generated from the operations of the 
DEMM-NCGHRI shall be deposited in an authorized government depository bank 
and shall be used to augment the funds for its maintenance, other operating expenses, 
and capital outlay requirements, subject to the guidelines set by the DOH and the 
DBM.   


 
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SECTION 11. Tax Exemptions. – All donations, endowments, contributions, 
grants and bequests used actually, directly and exclusively for and in accordance 
with the purposes and functions of the DEMM-NCGHRI shall be exempt from 
donor’s tax, and the same shall be considered as allowable deductions from gross 
income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donors, in accordance 
with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. 
 
The DEMM-NCGHRI shall be exempt from income tax and customs duty levied by 
the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities subject 
to the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended and 
Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the “Customs Modernization and 
Tariff Act.” 
 
The DEMM-NCGHRI shall avail of the tax expenditure subsidy administered by 
the Fiscal Incentives Review Board, subject to the provisions of Title XIII (Tax 
Incentives) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, Executive 
Order No. 93, as amended, and the General Appropriations Act.   
 
SECTION 12. Annual Report. – The DEMM-NCGHRI shall submit an annual 
report to the President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and 
Demography, and the House of Representatives Committee on Health, on its 
activities, accomplishments, and recommendations. 
 
SECTION 13. Transitory Provisions. – To ensure the smooth transition towards 
the full implementation of this Act, the following provisions shall apply: 
 


 
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(a) The buildings and equipment, fixtures and furnishings, other assets and 
liabilities of the DEMMNCGH may be absorbed by the DEMM-NCGHRI; 
 
(b) The current appropriations of the DEMMNCGH may be absorbed by the 
DEMM-NCGHRI subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission 
on Audit; 
 
(c) The existing officials and employees of DEMMNCGH shall continue to 
assume the duties of their positions until new appointments are issued. They 
shall be placed in the new staffing pattern of the DEMM-NCGHRI in 
accordance with Republic Act No. 6656, entitled “An Act to Protect the 
Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers and Employees in the 
Implementation of Government Reorganization” and the rules and 
regulations governing reorganization. Officials and employees, including 
casual and temporary employees, who may not be absorbed in the new 
staffing pattern due to redundancy shall avail of the applicable retirement 
benefits and separation incentives as provided under existing laws: 
Provided, That officials and employees holding permanent appointment 
shall also be given the option to be transferred to other units or offices 
within the DOH without reduction in rank, status, pay and benefits; 
 
(d) Research grants acquired by the DEMM-NCGHRI during the transition 
shall be utilized solely for their intended purposes; and 
 
(e) Existing contracts and agreements entered into with third parties prior to 
the enactment of this Act shall remain valid. 
 


 
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SECTION 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall, in consultation with the DSWD, 
CHED, and the NCSC, and other concerned agencies, promulgate the rules and 
regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.   
 
SECTION 15. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the DOH. 
Thereafter, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 16. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and 
regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are contrary to or 
inconsistent 
with 
this 
Act 
are 
hereby 
repealed, 
amended,  
or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,