Senate Office of the ereresary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session DEC -3 P2:40 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S.B. No. 1580 INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT FURTHER PROMOTING ORGAN DONATION AFTER DEATH FOR SPECIFIED PURPOSES BY AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7170 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ORGAN DONATION ACT OF 1991 EXPLANATORY NOTE In the Philippines, many families face the heart-wrenching reality of watching their loved ones struggle with organ failure while waiting for a transplant. For these patients, each passing day without a donor brings them closer to losing their fight for survival. While organ transplantation can save lives, the shortage of available donors has made access to this life-saving treatment extremely difficult for most Filipinos. In February 2024, the Department of Health appealed to the public to consider organ donation, highlighting the growing number of patients in need of transplants. According to the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Program- Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PODTP-PHILNOS), as of June 2025, 456 individuals were on the transplant waiting list, the majority requiring kidney replacements. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains one of the leading causes of death in the country, with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) estimating that 12.94 million Filipinos are affected by various stages of CKD. These figures underscore the urgent need for more organ donations in the country. Despite increased awareness efforts, the number of actual donors continues to fall short, and many patients do not receive the transplants they need in time. This proposed measure seeks to strengthen the promotion of organ donation
after death. Its goal is to provide hope to Filipino patients and families and to build a healthcare system that makes life-saving treatments more accessible to those in need. In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval sandiero sareful RISA HONTIVEROS Senator
Senate Office of the Secretarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session DEC -3 P2:40 SENATE S.B. No. 1580 RECEIVED BY INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT FURTHER PROMOTING ORGAN DONATION AFTER DEATH FOR SPECIFIED PURPOSES BY AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7170 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ORGAN DONATION ACT OF 1991 Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 7170 or the Organ Donation Act of
1991 shall be amended to read as follows: "SECTION 7. Duty of Hospitals. - A hospital authorized to receive organ donations or to conduct transplantation shall train qualified personnel and their staff to handle the task of introducing the organ donation program in a humane and delicate manner to the relatives of the donor-decedent enumerated in Section 4 hereof. The hospital shall accomplish the necessary form or document as proof of compliance with the above requirement. "HOSPITALS SHALL ALSO BE MANDATED TO INCORPORATE IN THEIR ADMISSION FORMS A QUERY ON WHETHER OR NOT THE INDIVIDUAL ACCESSING HEALTH CARE SERVICES IS AN ORGAN DONOR AND IF HE/SHE IS WILLING TO BE AN ORGAN DONOR WHICH SHALL FORM PART OF THE HOSPITAL'S DATABASE."
Sec. 2. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 7170 is further amended to read as
follows: "SECTION 15. Information Drive. - In order that the public
will obtain the maximum benefits from this Act, the Department of Health, in cooperation with HEALTH CARE institutions, such as the National Kidney AND TRANSPLANT Institute, PHILIPPINE HEART CENTER, LUNG CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES and civic and non- government health organizations INVOLVED IN THE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS, PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY, and other [health related] RELEVANT GOVERNMENT agencies L, involved in the donation and transplantation of human organs] shall undertake [al public information programs AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGAN DONATION The Secretary of Health shall endeavor to persuade all health professionals, both government and private, to make an appeal for human organ donation. PUBLIC HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS SHALL ALSO BE MANDATED TO ESTABLISH MANNED AREAS WITHIN THEIR PREMISES THAT ARE EASILY SEEN AND ACCESSED BY THE PUBLIC FOR THE PURPOSES OF ACQUIRING ORGAN DONOR CARDS AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT ORGAN DONATION."
Sec. 3. A new section is hereby inserted after Section 14 of Republic Act No.
7170 to read as follows: "SEC. 15. ETHICAL OVERSIGHT AND SAFEGUARDS - TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS IN THE DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS, AN ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION ETHICS BOARD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THE BOARD SHALL PERFORM THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: (A) FORMULATE AND REGULARLY UPDATE ETHICAL GUIDELINES TO GOVERN THE PROCUREMENT, DONATION, AND TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS, ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL LAWS AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED ETHICAL ST AND ARDS; (B) MONITOR AND REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ORGAN
DONATION PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE THAT CONSENT IS GIVEN FREELY AND WITHOUT COERCION OR FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION (C) INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS OF UNETHICAL CONDUCT, COMMERCIAL TRADING, OR TRAFFICKING RELATED TO ORGAN PROCUREMENT TRANSPLANTATION; (D) RECOMMEND SANCTIONS OR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS, INSTITUTIONS, OR ENTITIES FOUND IN VIOLATION OF THIS ACT OR ITS IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS; AND (E) CONDUCT CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ON ETHICAL PRACTICES IN ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION."
Sec. 4. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,