Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City
TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 3222
Introduced by REP. EMILIO BERNARDINO L. YULO
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution affirms the essential role that uniformed personnel fulfill in
protecting national security and upholding peace and order across the nation.
Recognizing the significant sacrifices these individuals make in the line of duty, the
government has consistently upheld its commitment to offering comprehensive medical
coverage and health benefits. This commitment is founded on the principle that those
who risk their lives for the safety and well-being of the public should receive not only
adequate medical care but also ongoing support for their overall health and well-being,
ensuring their readiness to serve at all times.
This proposed legislation seeks to provide free health and medical benefits for all
uniformed personnel in the Philippines, recognizing their critical role in maintaining
national peace,
security,
and
public
order.
The
State,
under
the Constitution,
acknowledges the immense contributions of these individuals, and the government has
consistently aimed to provide for them with adequate benefits. However, it is essential to
go beyond the remuneration by ensuring access to adequate healthcare without financial
burden, especially for those who face daily risk in their line of duty.
Several Asian countries have already institutionalized similar healthcare systems
for their uniformed personnel. South Korea, for instance, provides comprehensive
August 6, 2025
1:01 pm


healthcare, fully funded by the Ministry of National Defense, ensuring that soldiers
stationed in high-risk areas receive timely medical services. Singapore also offers free
medical benefits through its Armed Forces medical centers, providing continuous support
even post-service. In India, the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)
operates alongside government hospitals to ensure that both active and retired uniformed
personnel and their families receive healthcare.
Given these examples, it is but imperative that health and medical benefits should
be accorded to them by the State. This system, covering Philippine National Police (PNP),
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency (PDEA) in active service, will guarantee a more sustainable approach to their
healthcare needs while preserving the benefits they currently receive.
This legislation thus reinforces the State's duty to provide for its protectors while
addressing the long-term sustainability of uniformed personnel benefits. By integrating a
comprehensive healthcare system, we ensure that those tasked with defending the country
are provided with consistent quality medical care.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is urgently sought.
REP. EMILIO BERNARDINO L. YULO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City
TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 3222
Introduced by REP. EMILIO BERNARDINO L. YULO
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR FREE HEALTH AND MEDICAL BENEFITS
FOR ALL UNIFORMED PERSONNEL OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
POLICE (PNP), ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES (AFP), BUREAU OF
FIRE
PROTECTION
(BFP),
BUREAU
OF
JAIL
MANAGEMENT
AND
PENOLOGY
(BJMP),
PHILIPPINE
COAST
GUARD
(PCG),
NATIONAL
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (NBI), BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS (BuCor),
AND
PHILIPPINE
DRUG
ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY
(PDEA)
IN
ALL
GOVERNMENT
HEALTH
FACILITIES,
AND
APPROPRIATING
FUNDS
THEREOF
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Uniformed Personnel
Health and Medical Benefits Act".
SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. The State recognizes the vital role of
uniformed personnel in maintaining peace, order, and national security of the country.
The State also recognizes the extraordinary hazards, risks, perils, and dangers that
military and uniformed personnel encounter in the performance of their duties. In
recognition of their indispensable service, it is imperative upon the State to ensure the
well-being of all uniformed personnel by providing them with free health and medical
benefits in all government health facilities, especially after being physically injured,
afflicted by medical illness, or rendered incapacitated in legitimate actions or operations
sanctioned by the government and the State.


SEC. 3. Scope. This Act shall cover all uniformed personnel of the Philippine
National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG),
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in active service, who are physically injured or
incapacitated in legitimate actions or operations sanctioned by the government and the
State.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. For the purposes of this Act, the following terms
are defined as follows:
(a) Active Service - refers to uniformed personnel from the day of oath-taking
excluding those on absence without official leave (AWOL), automatic leave of absence
without pay due to detention and those who are suffering from administrative disabilities
including but not limited to suspensions, restrictions to specified limits, withholding of
privileges and other similar disabilities.
(b) Government Health Facilities – refers to all government-owned hospitals,
health centers, clinics, and other facilities providing medical and health-related services,
including but not limited to the Department of Health (DOH) hospitals, local government
unit (LGU)-owned hospitals, and facilities operated by the military or police
(c) Health and Medical Benefits – refers to services that include but are not
limited
to
general
consultations,
diagnostic
procedures,
surgeries,
medications,
emergency treatments, nursing care, radiologic examinations, laboratory workups,
rehabilitation, mental health services, and any other medical interventions necessary for
the physical and mental well-being of uniformed personnel.
(d) Uniformed Personnel – refers to members of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP),


Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and
other similar government agencies tasked with maintaining national peace, order, security,
and public safety.
SEC. 5. Free Health and Medical Benefits. All uniformed personnel shall be
entitled to free health and medical benefits in all government health facilities. These
benefits include consultations, diagnostic tests, medical treatments, surgeries, prescription
medications, rehabilitation services, and mental health services, including post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) treatments for personnel involved in conflict or high-risk
operations.
If any uniformed personnel is injured or wounded or in any manner suffers any
injury in the performance of his official duties, the hospitalization expenses, including
necessary medicines and medical equipment, of such uniformed personnel shall be
shouldered by accredited government hospitals or health facilities.
SEC. 6. Government Obligation. The Department of Health (DOH), in
coordination with the Department of National Defense (DND), the Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG), and other relevant agencies, shall ensure the efficient
implementation of this Act. Adequate funding, personnel, and equipment shall be
provided to all government health facilities to meet the increased demand for services.
SEC. 7. Penalties. The delay, refusal, or prevention in any manner, without
justifiable reason, by any government official or employee, to provide the essential
medical and health benefits after due process, shall be tantamount to gross neglect of duty
and shall be sufficient grounds for the dismissal from the civil service, in addition to any
criminal and administrative penalties imposable under existing laws.
SEC. 8. Non-diminution of Benefits. - The Health and Medical Benefits provided
under this Act shall be without prejudice to other similar benefits that may be received by
uniformed personnel.


SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health (DOH),
in coordination with the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG), and other relevant agencies, shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act to
ensure its effective implementation.
SEC. 10. Appropriations. The amount necessary to effectively carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the concerned
government agencies. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, rules
and regulations or parts thereof which are in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. In the event that any provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected by
such declaration.
SEC. 13. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,