Pepayen

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIV!
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEP 2017

Seventeenth Congre
Second Regular Session

io; 8448

HOUSE BILL,

Introduced by Hon. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The global pattem of disease at the end of life is changing as more people now are living,
With serious chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases as well as with cancer, It is estimated that
one million people die each week and from those suffering from chronic diseases and cancers,
only a minority of senior citizens (60 years old and older) receive palliative care and relief.
According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), nearly a third (31.4%)
of older people is living in poverty in the year 2000 and currently, this number is estimated to be
around 1.3 million

An ageing population inereases the demand for health services, Older people suffer from
both degencrative and communicable diseases due to the ageing of the body's immune system
The leading causes of morbidity are infectious, while visual impairment, difficulty in walking,
chewing, hearing, osteoporosis, arthritis, incontinence are common health-related problems
experienced by the elderly. The Filipino elderly population of 7.5 million in 2017 is estimated to
grow to more than 13 million in year 2020. From the projected growth rate, itis likely that an
increasing number of vulnerable elderly will be afflicted with degenerative, communicable and
life-threatening diseases that will require special long-term and palliative care.

Confronting the double burden of addressing communicable and degenerative disea
necessitates the transformation of the National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) whi
presently under the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center JRRMMC), to the Philippine
Geriatric Center ~ Research and Training Institute (PGC-RTD. The current NCGH was placed
under the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center through Department of Health (DOH) Department
Order 2010-0085

NCGH embodies the role of the DOH in the development of an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health and social services as defined in Section 11 of the 1987
Philippine Constinution, particularly in relation to the underprivileged, sick and elderly
Furthermore, NCGH fulfills the expected roles in health relative to the /mplementing Rules and
Regulations of RA 9994, “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010." Specific to the IRR of RA 9994,


NCGH being under DOH shall have the resources and capa
Citizens programs and services:

'y to provide the following Senior

4) Gerontological education, training and specialization for the government medical
professional and government medical allied professional;

b) Capability training at the community level to support the family career and organization
catering for the elderly;

c) Cutting edge research and program development that contribute in uplifting the social
functioning of the older person, and;

4) Promotion and initiation of international partnership and cooperation, including the
establishment of foreigner retirement’s homes in the country thereby building. the
competitive advantage of the Philippine medical and allied professionals and societies
in global population ageing,

Providing the programs and services outlined in the IRR of RA 9994, addressi
inereasing need for geriatric services, and creating a National Research, Training and Rel
Center for Geriatric Care necessitates the current NCGH to have an independent budget from
JRRMMC, The proposed PGC-RTI shall lead in the development of new researches, programs
and implementation of an integrated geriatric delivery of services in every tertiary hospital and
community-based health care to promote active and healthy ageing,

Hence, approval of this bill is earnestly sought



Republic of the Philippines
OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

HOL

Seventeenth Congress.
Second Regular Session

6448
HOUSE BILL NO,

Introduced by Hon. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay

AN ACT ABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE GERIATRIC CENTER —
RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS OBJECTIVES,
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF, AND

FOR OTHER PURPOSES

bbe 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 "Philippine Geriatric Center Act”

ION 2. Declaration of Policy. - \t is hereby a

red the policy of the State to
protect and promote the right of senior citizens to enjoy the highest attainable standard
of health, It shall ensure that quality health services are available and accessible to
them through the establishment ofa specialized hospital that will cater to their medical

needs.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. ~ For the purposes of this Act, the following terms

shall be defined as follows:

a) Senior Citizen ~ refers to any Filipino citizen who is at least sixty

(60) years old,


b) Geriatrics ~ refers to the branch of medicine that deals with the

biological and physical characteristics of aging, and the diagnosis
and treatment of diseases and problems specific to senior citizens,

©) Geriatric Health Services ~ refers to the medical services or
intervention provided to senior citizens by a multi-specialty team
usually headed by a Geriatrician

d) Geriatrician - refers toa medical doctor who is specially trained to
evaluate and manage the unique healthcare needs and treatment
preferences of older people; and has passed the necessary training
and examination to specialize in the field geriatrics

¢) Integrated Delivery of Geriatric Health Services ~ refers to hospital
and community-based medical and psychological services
provided to senior citizens by a multi-disciplinary team :

f) Multi-Disciplinary ‘Team ~ refers to a team composed of health
professionals with varied expertise to provide holistic care, which
includes a range of interventions to address medical and psycho-

social problems of senior citizens. The team is headed by a

Geriatrician and includes surgeons, organ:

ystem specialists,
nurses, clinical pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists,
nutritionists, dentists, social workers, caregivers, family members,

and patients themselves.

SECTION 4. Philippine Geriatric Center - Research and Training Institute (PGC:

RTI). The National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) located in San Miguel, Manila, is


hereby renamed to Philippine Geriatric Center ~ Research and Training Institute (PGC-

RTI) and institutionalize as an independent Level 1, Fifty (50) bed-capacity budgetary

hospital under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health for the
benefit of senior citizens and older persons. The Philippine Geriatric Center ~ Research
and Training Institute (PGC-RT!) shall have a separate line item under the General

Appropriations Act (GAA) of the DOH

SECTION 5. Purposes and Objectives ~ The PGC-RTI shall have the following purposes

and objectives:

&. Equip, maintain, administer, and operate an integrated medical
institution which shall specialize in geriatric health services;

b, Promote medical and scientific research/database relative to the
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and relief of
disease of older persons;

©. Provide education and taining of physicians, nurses, officers,
social workers, barangay health workers, and other medical and
technical personnel in the practice and scientific implementation

of health s

ices to older persons; and
d, Coordinate the various efforts and activities of other government
agencies and local government units for the purpose of achieving

a more effective approach to the delivery of geriatric health

SECTION 6, Scope of Services ~ Consistent with its purpose and objectives, the PG

RTI shall provide the following services:


a. Hospital-based services to en

sure the availability of medical facilities
and equipment necessary to provide long term and palliative services,
with its wards divided into the following: dementia, long-term care,
palliative care, respite care, and other units as may be deemed
necessary;

b, Community-based services and programs in partnership with local
government units, Research and necessary training shall be
conducted for the social functioning of senior citizens and their

families, utilizing the multi-dis

plinary team approaches; and

external outsourcing of resoure

s may be done as needed to
implement community based integrated geriatric health services.

© Education programs to pul

sue excellence and the highest level of
practice in the specialized field af geriatrics and other related fields:
post-graduate training and short-term courses for medical doctors
and allied medical professionals; and

Program development and research to develop cutting edge research

and programs to combat diseases of old age and to improve health

care services for senior citizens,

CTION 7, Referral System. - The PG

RTI shall be the referral center for all Private

and Government Facilities for specialized geriatric care.


SECTION 8. Administration. ~ The Department of Health through the Health Facilities

Development Bureau (HFDB) shall assume oversight of the PGC:

RTI, and promulgate

the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act,

‘The DOH shall approve the organizational and staffing pattern of the PGC-RTI subject
to the evaluation by the Civil Service Commission and of the Organizational Position
Classification and Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and

Ma

agement. The DOH may reorganize said structure, modify staffing pattern, and

create or abolish divisions, sections or units in the PCG-RTL

SEC

ON 9, Appointment and Disciplining Authority of the §

-cretary of Health ~ The
DOH Secretary, shall have the authority to appoint, promote, transfer, remove,
suspend, or otherwise discipline the officers of the PGC-RT! up to the level of Director,
as well as to remove or dismiss all other officials and employees of PGC-RTI, subject to

Civil Service laws, rules and regulations,

SECTION 10. Appropriations, ~ The budget allocation for PGC-RTI shall be in
accordance with its scope of work and mandate as stated herein, The amount of Three
Hundred Million (Php 300,000,000) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation

and maintenance of the PGC-RTL Thereafter, the PGC-RTI shall submit its annual

budget proposal to the DOH Central Office duly approved by the Secretary of Health as
well as by the Department of Budget and Management, which will form part of the

budget of the DOH as reflected in the General Appropriations Act


SECTION 11. Program for Indigents. ~ The DOH shall ensure that the PGC-RTI shall
adoptand enforce an effective program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for
the indigent patients shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of

hospital beds

SECTION 12. Increase of Bed Capacity. - The Medical Director may increase the bed
capacity of PGC-RTL upon compliance with the guidelines of the Department of Health

and Department of Budget and Management concerning bed capacity.

SECTION 13. Income Retention. - The PGC-RTI shall be authorized to retain its

earnings from its operations for the improvement of its service delivery.

SECTION 14, Tax

¢mption and Other Privileges ~ The provisions of any general or
special law to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions, gifts,
endowments, received by the PGC-RTI pursuant hereto, shall be exempt from income,
donor's, and all other kinds of taxes, and shall be further considered as allowable

deductions from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of

the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended

‘The PGC-RTIis hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal revenue
taxes, tariffs and customs duties and all other kinds of taxes, fees, charges and

asse:

sments levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and

instrumentalities,

The PGC-RTI may request and receive assis

ance from the different agencies, bureaus,

off

ces or instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine Charity


Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in pursuit of

its purposes and objectives,

SECTION 15, Annual Report ~ ‘the PGC-RTI shall submit an annual report to the
Presidentof the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and the
House Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments and recommendations,

to better improve the delivery of geriatric health services.

SECTION 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations

(IRR) ~ Within ninety (90) days

from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health, in coordination with the

Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and the Secretary of Budget and
Management, shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the effective

implementation of this Act.

TION 17. Transitory Provisions. - In accomplishing the acts of organization herein

prescribed, the following transitory provisions shall be complied with:

a, ‘The Medical Director of the PG!

RTI shall be a specialized geriatric
practitioner and shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health.

b. ‘The existing personnel of the NCGH shall remain in their current
positions until such time a revised and/or new organizational and
stalling pattern is implemented.

c. ‘The Health Facilities Development Bureau of the Department of
Health shall ensure that no disruption of service will occur during

transition,


SECTION 18. Seperability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall

ren

ain valid and subsisting,

SECTION 19. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent

with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 20. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its

publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,