LAWS AFFECTING THE PRACTICE OF NURSING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Republic Acts
RA 1054 Free emergency dental and medical services to workers
RA 1080 Civil Service eligibility
RA 1082 Creation of the Rural Health Units
RA 1612 Privilege Tax/Professional Tax payments
RA 1636 Compulsory membership to both GSIS/SSS
RA 2382 Philippine Medical Act
RA 3573 Reporting of Communicable Diseases
RA 4226 Hospital Licensure Act
RA 5181 Permanent residency and reciprocity as requirements for exam and registration
RA 5921 Pharmacy Act
RA 5901 40 working hours/week for nurses working in a hospital with at least 100 bed capacity
RA 6365 Creation of the Population Commission
RA 6425 The old Dangerous Drug Act of 1972
RA 6511 Standardized the examination and registration fees
RA 6675 Generics Act of 1988
RA 6713 Code of Ethics and Conduct for government employees
RA 6758 Salary Standardization Law for government workers
RA 7160 Local Autonomy Code ( Devolution of the LGUs )
RA 7164 The Philippine Nursing Law of 1991
RA 7170 Organ Donation
RA 7305 Magna Carta for public health workers
RA 7432 Senior Citizens Act
RA 7600 Rooming in and Breastfeeding Act
RA 7610 Child Abuse and Exploitation
RA 7624 Drug Education Law
RA 7719 Blood Bank Act of 1994
RA 7846 Vaccination in the NB of Hepatitis B 24 Hrs after birth
RA 7875 National Health Insurance Act of 1995
RA 7877 Anti- Sexual Harassment Act
RA 8187 Paternity Leave Act
RA 8344 Hospitals/MDs to treat emergency cases referred for treatment
RA 8423 Creation of Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care ( PITACH)
RA 8749 Clean Air Act
RA 8981 PRC Modernization Act
RA 9003 Solid Waste Management
RA 9173 The Philippine Nursing Law of 2002
RA 9165 Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002
RA 9262 Law on Violence Against women and Children
RA 9288 Newborn Screening against heritable conditions
RA 9344 Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act
RA 9439 Anti-patients detention Law
RA 9257 Expanded Senior Citizens Act
RA 9502 Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008
RA 9994 Exempting Senior Citizens from payment of VAT for goods and services produced by them

PRESIDENTIAL DECREES
PD 48 Paid maternity leave benefits up to 4 children only
PD 69 Claiming personal exemptions up to 4 children
PD 147 National Immunization Day
PD 148 Minimum employable for women is 16 years of age
PD 223 Creation of Professional Regulation Commission
PD 442 New Labor Code
PD 541 Allowing former Filipino professionals to practice in the Philippines
PD 603 Child and Youth Welfare Code
PD 626 Employee Compensation and State Insurance Fund
PD 651 Birth Registration within 30 days after delivery
PD 825 Anti- improper disposal of garbage
PD 851 13
th
month pay
PD 856 Code of Sanitation
PD 965 Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood Seminar prior to being issued a
marriage license
PD 996 Compulsory Immunization for children below 8 yrs. Old
PD 1636 Compulsory membership to either GSIS /SSS


EXECUTIVE ORDERS
EO 550 Creation of a National Task Force in establishing test centers for NCLEX in the Phil.
EO 51 Milk Code
EO 220 Code of Good Governance
EO 203 List of regular holidays and special holidays
EO 209 Family Code
EO 609 Directs DOLE to administer voluntary exams for nurses licensed in the 2006 BON
exams
EO 821 Minimum Drug Retail Act
A0 2009 0025 Adoption of Unang Yakap




PRC and BON RESOLUTIONS
BON Res. 82 Standards for Safe Nursing Practice
PRC Res. 90-11 New rates for examination and registration
BON Res. 220 Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses of 2004
BON Res. 179 Continuing Professional Education units for all professionals
PRC Res. 463 Prohibitions inside the examination venues
PRC Res. 425 IRR of the New Nursing Law RA 9173
BON Res. 112 Adoption of Core Competency Standards for Nursing Practice
BON Res. 459 Maternal and Child Standards for Safe Nursing Practice
BON Res. 357 Submission and attachment documents prior to applying for the PNLE


Proclamation No. 539
Dated October 17, 1958 The President proclaimed the last week of October every year
as Nurses Week to:
Promote the ideals of the nursing profession
To develop consciousness and availability of nursing resources in the country

BON Resolution No. 82
Promulgation of standards of safe nursing practice for the observance/compliance of
the members of the nursing profession

BON Resolution No. 220 series of 2004
Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses

BON Resolution No. 357
Submission and attachment of documents in compliance with policies and guidelines
prior to the application for the PNLE.
Curricular offerings on nursing subjects
Related Learning Experience (RLE) requirements
Degree and membership of deans, chief nurses and clinical coordinators.
Status / level of accreditation of institutions of learning

P.D. 223
Created the professional regulation commission and prescribed its powers and functions

RA 8981
PRC Modernization Act of 2000

RA 6511
Standardized the examination and registration fees charged by the various Board of
Examiners
Fee for the exam was increased from P50 P75 and the fee for registration was
increased from P20 P40

PRC Memorandum 90 11, August 20, 1990
Provided for new rates for examination and registration
Fee for professions needing Baccalaureate Degree, exam fee was P350 and for those
less than Baccalaureate Degree was P250.
Initial Registration fee for professions leading to Baccalaureate Degree was P250 while
those with less than Baccalaureate Degree was P175
Annual registration fee for professions needing Baccalaureate Degree was P40 for those
with less than Baccalaureate P30.

PRC Resolution No. 463 dated Nov. 17, 1996
Prohibits bringing inside the examination rooms the following: books, notes, review
materials and other printed materials containing principle of excerpts thereof, coded
data/information/formula which are relevant to or connected with the examination
subject. PROGRAMMABLE CALCULATORS, CELLULAR PHONES, portable personal
computers or other similar gadgets/devices.
The act shall be considered cheating and/or act of dishonesty and shall be a ground for
the cancellation of your examinations.

PRC Resolution No. 2002 27 dated January 18, 2002 Requiring applicants for licensure
examinations to submit complete documentary requirements.

BON Resolution 425 2003 Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Nursing Law

BON Resolution 112 Adoption of the Core Competency Standards for Nursing Practice

RA 5181 Prescribes permanent residence and reciprocity as qualifications for any examination
or registration for the practice of any profession in the Philippines.

PD 541 Allows former Filipino professionals to practice their respective professions in the
Philippines

LOI No. 1000 Dated March 10, 1980, required that the members of the APO shall be given
priority in the hiring of employees in the government service and in the engagement of
professional services.

RA 1612 payment of privilege tax annually on or before January 31

RA 1080 those who passed the bar and the board examination are declared civil service
eligible, hence not required to take the civil service examination

EO 220 Code of Good Governance for the Professions.

PRC Resolution No. 179 2004
- Standardized guidelines and procedures for the implementation of the Continuing
Professional Education for all professions.
Provisions: Requires 60 CPE credit units for 3 years for professionals]

EO 550 Creation of a National Task Force in establishing a test center for NCLEX in the
Philippines

EO 609 Further enhancing employability by directing DOLE to administer a voluntary
examination for the nurses pursuant to the June 2006 BON exam and providing assistance to
the voluntary examinees.

RA 6675 (Generics Act of 1988) Act to promote, require and ensure the production of an
adequate supplu, distribution, use and acceptance of drugs and medicines identified by their


Public Health

RA 1082 created the rural health units staffed with rural health personnel including nurses

RA 4073 liberalizes the treatment of leprosy

RA 1054 requires the owner or lessee of any industrial, commercial or agricultural
establishments to provide free emergency medical and dental services to his/her employees or
laborers.

RA 8423 Creation of the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care

RA 9288 Newborn Screening (counseling parents about heritable diseases)

Others

RA 7392 (Midwifery Law) provides that only those who are licensed midwives could practice
midwifery; Nurses have to pass the examination and submit twenty (20) deliveries and pay the
corresponding fees for examination and registration.

RA 2382 Philippine Medical Act, an act constituting the practice of medicine.


Sanitation

PD 825 Anti-Littering Law, provides penalty for improper disposal of garbage and other forms
of uncleanliness.

PD 856 Code of Sanitation, provides for control of all factors in mans environment that affect
health.


RA 6365 Established the National Policy on Population

LOI No. 47 Directs all schools of medicine, nursing, midwifery and allied medical professions
and social work to integrate family planning in their curricula and to require from their
graduates sufficient licensing examination.

DOLE Order 7 Requires all industrial establishments to provide family planning services

PD 48 Limits paid maternity leave privileges to four children.

PD 69 Limits the number to four children for tax exemption purposes.

PD 965 Requires that couples intending to get married must first undergo family planning and
responsible parenthood instruction prior to the issuance of a marriage license.

PD 996 Requires compulsory immunization of children below 8 years old against
communicable diseases.

PD 148 Amending RA 679 (Woman and Child Labor Law) states that the minimum employable
age shall be 16 years and the privileges of working women.

PD 603 Child and Youth Welfare Code, protects and promotes the rights and welfare of
children and youth.

PD 651 Decrees the registration of birth of a child within 30 days with the Civil Registrar

RA 7600

EO 51 Milk Code of the Philippines

BON Resolution No. 459 series of 2002 Maternal and Child Nursing Standards Practice

EO 209 Family Code of the Philippines

RA 7877 Anti Sexual Harassment Act of 1995

RA 9262 Anti-Violence Against Women and Children

RA 9344 Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006
> Children below 15 are exempted from criminal charges while youth offenders age 15-
18 could be criminally charged if their committed the crime with discernment.

Hospital Licensure Act

RA 4226 Hospital Licensure Act, requires all hospitals in the Philippines to be licensed before
it can offer to serve the community. The licensing agency is the Office for Hospital and Medical
Services, DOH.

RA 5901 Forty-hours Law, provides that nurses working in agencies with 100-bed capacity
and/or above and are working in an area of 1M population should work only fourty hours week.

PD 442 Labor Code of the Philippines, provides workers the right to self-organization and
collective bargaining. It promotes the right and welfare of workers.

ILO Convention 149 Provides for the improvement



RA 8344 An act penalizing the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer
appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency cases.

RA 9439 Anti-patient illegal detention law


Social Security and Government Insurance System

PD 1636 Requires compulsory membership in the GSIS and SSS

PD 626 Employee Compensation and State Insurance Fund provides benefits to workers,
covered by SSS, or GSIS for immediate injury, illness or disabilities.

RA 7875 National Health Insurance Act


Government Service

RA 6758 (Salary Standardization Law)

RA 6713 Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees
> Upholds the time-honored principle that public office is a public trust. They shall discharge
their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, and shall act with
patriotism and justice.


RA 7160 (Local Autonomy Code) Devolution of LGUs

RA 7305 Magna Carta for Public Health Workers to promote and improve the social and
economic well-being of health workers; develop their skills and capabilities

RA 7432 (Senior Citizens Act) gives honor and justice to the elderly, giving them 20% discount
in all public establishments such as restaurants, pharmacies, public utility vehicles and
hospitals.

RA 9994 Amended RA 7432, exemption from paying the Value Added Tax for goods and
services produced by a senior citizen.

RA 9257 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act)
Provides for benefits of all citizens like:
- Exemptions from payment of income taxes
- 20% discount in fares for domestic air and sea travels, public highways, skyways and bus fares.
- Free movies everyday in Mandaluyong, Makati, Paranaque, and Manila; Tuesdays and
Thursdays in Quezon City.
- Provision of express lanes for senior citizens

RA 9502 (Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 or Cheaper
Medicines Act of 2008)

EO 821 (Minimum Drug Retail Act)
5 Drugs are made accessible at a cheaper price: