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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
s.'No. 240 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them. 
Age-related Macular Degeneration - or AMD - is an eye disease that causes loss 
of central vision, leaving only peripheral or side vision intact. It affects the macula, the 
part of the eye that is utilized when one is reading, aiming, or following moving objects 
or any other activity where clear and sharp vision is required. Although AMD causes 
pain to the patient, it will eventually result in loss of vision among the elderly if left 
untreated. 
The factors affecting AMD include smoking, obesity, diet and pollution but the 
greatest amongst them is age. Although AMD may occur during middle age, studies 
show that people over 60 years of age are clearly at greater risk than other age groups. 
This has led to the popular belief that with ageing come loss of vision and blindness as a 
consequence of time is inevitable. In this regard, there is a need to provide an 
information, education and communication (lEC) campaign to educate the general 
public on the benefits of availing comprehensive eye examination for AMD. 
By passing this piece of legislation, our government recognizes the daily plight of 
hundreds of families struggling every day with family members suffering from vision 
loss due to AMD, and once and for all acknowledges it as a health issue in the country. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnes 
Mg~TO" 
M. LAPID I 
Senator 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 240 
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Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL PROGRAM TO 
MITIGATE 
AND 
COMBAT 
AGE-RELATED 
MACULAR 
DEGENERATION, 
IMPLEMENTING 
A 
NATIONWIDE 
INFORMATION, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive Age-
2 
Related Macular Degeneration Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2013" 
3 
4 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and 
5 
promote the right to health of the people. 
6 
7 
Towards this end, the State commits itself to the establishment of institutional 
8 
and social mechanisms to support persons with Age-related Macular Degeneration. It 
9 
shan institutionalize a comprehensive national program to mitigate and combat Age-
10 
related Macular Degeneration for purposes of empowering and providing its citizens an 
11 
optimal quality of life. 
12 
13 
SEC. 3. Annual Survey Programs. - The National Institute of Health (NIH) of 
14 
the Department of Health (DOH) is hereby mandated to conduct an annual survey 
15 
program to determine the extent and total incidence and prevalence of persons with 
1 


1 
Age-related Macular Degeneration in order to provide necessary health interventions to 
2 
address the needs faced by persons with Age-related Macular Degeneration. 
3 
4 
The NIH shall carry out a program to expand and intensify research to develop 
5 
innovative advanced technologies for Age-related Macular Degeneration detection, 
6 
diagnosis, and treatment comparable to state-of-the-art technologies of more advanced 
7 
countries. 
8 
9 
SEC. 4. National Program for Age-related Macular Degeneration Awareness, 
10 
Education, Prevention, and Rehabilitation. - The DOH is hereby mandated to 
11 
implement a comprehensive and nationwide program on Age-related Macular 
12 
Degeneration awareness, education, prevention, and rehabilitation. 
13 
Towards this end, the DOH is hereby mandated to implement the following 
14 
objectives: 
15 
a) 
to promote public awareness, education, and information on issues 
16 
concerning the medical condition; 
17 
b) 
to establish sustainable networks of support group for families of persons 
18 
inflicted with the medical condition; 
19 
20 
c) 
d) 
to provide referral services to patients 
to identify appropriate educational and medical expertise and facilities 
21 
suited to the needs of the patients; 
22 
e) 
to combat the spectrum of disorders related to the condition through 
23 
education, early intervention, and prompt referrals for treatments and services; 
24 
f) 
to undertake research and/ or collaborate with other entities on research 
25 
activities regarding Age-related Macular Degeneration; 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
g) 
to receive donations and grants from local and international donor 
institutions, foundations, and multilateral and bilateral foreign donor agencies involved 
in the prevention, cure, and rehabilitation of persons with Age-related Macular 
Degeneration; 
h) 
to provide the avenue for exchange of information, exchange programs, 
and sharing of best practices on issues relating to the early detection, prevention, cure, 
treatment, and rehabilitation of persons with Age-related Macular Degeneration; and 
i) 
to network with other organizations, institutions, and professionals 
working for the promotion of legislation and public programs for afflicted persons. 
2 


1 
It shall carry out a program on Age-related Macular Degeneration which shall 
2 
educate and inform elderly who are sixty (60) years of age or older on the need to 
3 
periodically undergo comprehensive eye examination. 
4 
5 
The national campaign shall include the development and distribution of written 
6 
educational materials, and the development and placing of public 
servic~ 
7 
announcements that are intended to encourage the elderly to seek comprehensive eye 
8 
examination and to create awareness on the need for improved technologies for Age-
9 
related Macular Degeneration detection and minimally invasive treatment. 
10 
11 
In developing the national campaign under this Act, the DOH shall recognize 
12 
and address racial, cultural, and ethnic disparities in the incidence of Age-related 
13 
Macular Degeneration. 
14 
15 
SEC. 5. Programs and Services for Age-Related Macular Degeneration 
16 
Prevention. - The programs and services that will be provided by the DOH shall 
17 
include, among others, the following: 
18 
a) 
Establishment of National and Regional Referral Services where the DOH 
19 
will update a list of health care institutions concerned with the care and rehabilitation of 
20 
patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration; 
21 
b) 
Publication of reading materials for the medical condition's early 
22 
detection, prevention, rehabilitation, and care; 
23 
c) 
The conduct of continuing education, information and training programs, 
24 
and lectures on the proper handling of afflicted persons; 
25 
d) 
The establishment of a databank and information and monitoring system 
26 
(IMS) on the demographic and socio-economic incidence and prevalence of afflicted 
27 
persons in the country; and 
28 
e) 
The conduct of continuing education/ training of families, teachers, 
29 
therapists, and caregivers of persons with Age-related Macular Degeneration through 
30 
seminars, conventions, and other forms of tri-media educational tools. 
31 
32 
SEC. 6. Age-Related Macular Degeneration Detection and Screening Fees. -
33 
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) shall include the cost of early 
34 
detection and comprehensive eye examination for Age-Related Macular Degeneration 
35 
as one of the available benefits to its members. 
3 


1 
The early detection and eye examination fee shall be applied to, among others, 
2 
testing costs, education, and follow-up and readable overhead expenses. 
Early 
3 
detection and examination are designed to identify persons who should receive more 
4 
intensive diagnosis or assessment in order to improve the health and well-being of the 
5 
patient. 
6 
7 
SEC. 7. National Awareness Week for Age-Related Macular Degeneration 
8 
Prevention and Mitigation. - In order to mainstream the issues and concerns of the 
9 
elderly with Age-related Macular Degeneration, the first week of September of every 
10 
year is hereby declared as the "Age-related Macular Degeneration Awareness Week." 
11 
This week shall be celebrated nationwide so that stakeholders can not only celebrate the 
12 
program's progressbut also increase public awareness on the prevalence and incidence 
13 
of Age-related Macular Degeneration in the country. The week-long activity will be 
14 
spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH). 
15 
16 
SEC. 8. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
17 
Act shall be included and incorporated in the annual general appropriations of the 
18 
DOH and the NIH. 
19 
20 
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations aRR). - Within six (6) months 
21 
from the date of effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate the necessary 
22 
implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
23 
24 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
25 
unconstitutional, other provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
26 
accordingly. 
27 
28 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
29 
rules or regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of this Act are 
30 
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
31 
32 
SEC. 12. EffectiVity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
33 
publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
4