House Deputy Speaker Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay”  Villafuerte Jr. has filed a bill granting tax incentives to doctors who provide “invaluable" pro bono healthcare services to indigent patients.

“While there is a wide gap to quality healthcare access among the poor and marginalized, some physicians have taken it upon themselves to volunteer to render free health services to people who cannot afford to seek medical attention,” he said in filing House Bill No. 7631 or the proposed "Physician Pro Bono Care Act.”

The House leader lamented that the country does not have a sufficient number of doctors to cover the population, pointing out that in 2019, the Philippines has a doctor to-patient ratio of 1:33,000, which is far from the 1:6,600 global average.

“This bill recognizes and incentivizes, through the grant of tax credit, the invaluable pro bono services of physicians in the country. It intends to encourage our physicians to do put hours and services for such purpose,” Villafuerte said.

HB No. 7631 provides that  physicians rendering free services to indigent patients shall be entitled to a tax credit to be deducted from their gross income.

The measure tasks the the Department of Health (DoH) and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) to evaluate the pro bono services rendered by the physician, considering the number of hours and the nature of treatment involved.

Within 30 days from the effectivity of the proposed Act, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in consultation with the DoH and the PMA, shall promulgate its implementing rules and regulations.