OTHER LAWS AFFECTING NURSING PRACTICE

A. Maternal and Child Nursing

1) P.D. 996 – Compulsory immunization for all children below 8 years of age
2) P.D. 965 – couples to have family planning and responsible parenthood
instruction prior to issuance of marriage license
3) P.D. 603 – Child and Youth Welfare Code - protects and promotes the rights and
welfare of children and youth
4) R.A. 7600 – Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992
5) Administrative Order 2009-0025 – Essential Newborn Care

B. Tax Laws and Employment Requirements

1) R.A. 6511 – Standardized the exam and registration fees charged by various
Board of Examiners
2) R.A. 1080 – Those who passed the bar or board exam are civil service eligibles
3) P.D. 1519 – Gives medicare benefits to all government employees regardless of
status of appointment
4) P.D. 1636 – Requires compulsory membership in the GSIS or SSS
5) R.A. 6758 – Standardizes the salaries of government employees which include the
nursing personnel
6) R.A. 6713 – Known as the “Code of Conduct” and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees” – Public office is a public trust
7) R.A. 7305 – Magna Carta for Public Health Workers- has provisions on the
benefits, rights and responsibilities of public health workers
Entitlement and protection:
1. Discrimination is prohibited
2. Understaffing and overstaffing not allowed
3. Due process observed
4. Normal hours of work, overtime pay, night shift dif, salary scale
5. Payment of salaries in legal tender
6. Hazard allowance
7. Right to self-organization

C. Laws Related to Other Health Care Professions

1) R.A. 8981 – PRC Modernization Act of 2002 state recognizes the important role
of professionals in nation building
2) R.A. 7722 – Higher Education Act of 1994 – Act in responsive to the demand of
professionals wanting to pursue the BSN course

D. Environmental and Sanitation Laws

1) R.A. 3573 – All C.D. shall be reported
2) R.A. 1082 – Provides for the creation of RHU
3) R.A. 4073 – Liberalized the treatment of Leprosy
4) P.D. 825 – Penalty for improper waste disposed & other forms of
uncleanliness
 5) P.D. 856 – Code of Sanitation – provides for the control of all factors in
man’s environment that affects health

E. Other Laws
1) R.A. 6425 – Dangerous Drug Act – regulation of sales/delivery/distribution
2) R.A. 6675 – Generics Act of 1988 – Medicines are prescribed in generics
3) RA 9165- Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002
4) RA 953 – NARCOTIC DRUG ACT
5) RA 9262- Anti Violence against Women and their children
6) RA 7658- an act prohibiting the employment of children below 15 years of age
7) RA 6809-Emancipation law- lowered majority age from 21 to 18 years old
8) RA 8172 - Salt Iodization Law
9) RA 3573- an act providing for the prevention and suppression of dangerous
communicable diseases
10) RA 8749- Phil Clean Air Act of 1999
Declaration of policy:
1. Right of people to a balanced and healthful ecology
2. Promote and protect the global environment
3. State recognizes the principle that “polluters must pay”
4. State recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the good and
concern of all
11) RA 8344- An act penalizing the refusal of Hospitals and medical Clinics to
administer appropriate initial treatment and support in emergency cases
12) RA 7160- Local Government Code- general features include decentralization and
local autonomy; the Local chief executive have the power over: Budgets for
health, Implementation of programs, Personnel appointment
13) RA 2644- Philippine Midwifery Act- Registered nurses may practice midwifery
through passing the midwifery exam and has completed 20 actual deliveries
14) RA 2382- Practice of medicine by a Nurse during epidemics or national
emergencies, whenever services of duly registered physicians are not available
through special authorization given by the DOH and automatically ceases when
epidemic is terminated
15) RA 7432- Senior Citizen’s Act- 20 % Discount
16) RA 8423- Established the traditional and alternative health care
17) RA 3573- an act providing for the prevention and suppression of dangerous
communicable diseases
18) RA 7877- Anti Sexual Harassment Law

F. Salient Aspects of the Philippine Constitution that Affects the Practice of Nursing
 Article II – DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES AND STATE POLICIES
o Sec.3.–Civilian authority–supreme over the military
o Sec.4.–Government–prime duty–serve and protect the people
o Sec.9.–State–promote just and dynamic social order
o Sec.10. – State – promote social justice
o Sec.11. – State – values dignity of every human person
 – Guarantees full respect for human rights
o Sec.12. – State – recognizes sanctity of family life
o Sec.15. – State – protect and promote right to health of people
o Sec.18. – State – protect rights of workers and promote their welfare
o Sec.27. – State – maintain honest and integrity in public service

Article III – BILL OF RIGHTS

o Sec.1. – No person – without due process of law:
 Be deprived of life, or property
 Be denied equal protection of the law
o Sec.3. – Privacy of communication and correspondence – be inviolable – except upon
lawful order of the court, or when public safety or orders requires otherwise prescribed
by law
o Sec.4. – No law – be passed freedom of speech, of expression, of the press, or right of
people peaceably – to assemble ad petition gov’t for redress and grievances
o Sec.8. Right of people ( employed in public and private sectors) – shall not be abridged

 Article XIII – HEALTH

o Sec.11. – State – adopt integrated and comprehensive approach to health dev’t
– make essential goods, health and social services available to all people and affordable
cost
– priority for needs of underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children
– provide free medical care to paupers
o Sec.12. – State – establish and maintain effective food and drug regulatory system
– undertake appropriate health manpower development and research responsive to the
country’s health needs and problems
o Sec.13. – State – establish special agency for disabled persons for their:
 Rehabilitation
 Self- development
 Self- reliance
 Integration into mainstream of society