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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sotto seeks 20% discount on all pregnancy-related medical services

Sotto seeks 20% discount on all pregnancy-related medical services

Published Mar 7, 2026 03:35 pm
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has filed a bill that seeks to institutionalize a 20 percent discount on all medical services, medicines, and supplements relating to pregnancy to provide equal protection of the rights of mothers and their unborn children from conception up to birth.
Photo from Unsplash
Photo from Unsplash
According to Sotto, Senate Bill (SB) No. 1443 titled “An Act Institutionalizing the Special Privileges to All Women During the Period of Pregnancy,” covers all pregnant women during the period of pregnancy, during delivery, and within 60 days from delivery.
Sotto believes that the proposed measure will “help alleviate the financial burdens of pregnancy".
The privilege shall be monitored and implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Commission on Women for hospitals, diagnostic centers, and healthcare providers; the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for pharmacies within and outside hospitals; and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for medical professionals.
The coverage shall apply to women during pregnancy, delivery, and up to sixty (60) days after childbirth.
The bill also provides for a Special Medical Leave benefit, granting pregnant women a 10-day paid special medical leave, certified by a licensed obstetrician-gynecologist, should bed rest be medically necessary.
“While there may be mechanisms available to pregnant Filipinas through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the limited amount of benefits and their applicability to the medical demands of pregnancy serve as reasons why some Filipinas choose not to have children,” Sotto added.
The proposed measure affirms the government’s commitment to protect women, promote life, and uphold the welfare of both mother and child by actively supporting them from the earliest stages of pregnancy.

Related Tags

Tito Sotto Pregnancy pregnant woman Department of Health
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