Amendments to R.A. No. 1082 Re: Health and Dental Services in Rural Areas
Republic Act No. 1891, enacted on June 22, 1957, amends several sections of a prior law aimed at enhancing health and dental services in rural areas of the Philippines. The act establishes a framework for creating provincial health officers and dental units within congressional districts, tailored to specific population sizes. It also categorizes rural health units based on municipal population, specifying the personnel required for each category. Furthermore, the law allocates funding for health services and mandates contributions from municipalities to support the health fund, ensuring adequate salaries for health workers and the establishment of additional health and dental units over a six-year period. The act became effective upon its approval.
June 22, 1957
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1891
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS TWO, THREE, FOUR, SEVEN AND EIGHT OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY-TWO ENTITLED "AN ACT STRENGTHENING HEALTH AND DENTAL SERVICES IN THE RURAL AREAS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR"
SECTION 1.Sections two (a), (b), and (c), three, four, seven, and eight of Republic Act Numbered One thousand eighty-two, entitled "An Act strengthening health and dental services in the rural areas, and providing funds therefor", are hereby amended so as to read as follows:
"Sec. 2.(a) There shall be in each province a Provincial Health Officer, and in each congressional district, a dental unit composed of a Public Health Dentist and a dental helper who is a high school graduate with experience and knowledge of medicine or allied science: Provided, however, That a congressional district having a population of over one hundred thousand but not more than one hundred fifty thousand shall have an additional dental unit, and a Congressional District having a population of over one hundred fifty thousand shall have two additional dental units. The existing charity dentists and dental helpers under the Bureau of Hospitals financed by the Sweepstakes aid and national fund and the dentists under the Bureau of Health shall constitute the nucleus for the dental service in the one hundred and two congressional districts: And, provided, further, That the dental units shall be created immediately upon the approval of this Act. casia
"Sec. 2.(b) There shall be created rural health units of eight different categories or staff of personnel corresponding to eight population groups of municipalities to be served based on a more equitable and scientific distribution on the ratio of personnel to population, as follows:
(1)Category I, consisting of one midwife and one sanitary inspector, to be allotted to a municipality of Group I with population up to two thousand; (2) Category II, consisting of one public health nurse and one midwife or one sanitary inspector, to be allotted to a municipality of Group II with population from two thousand to five thousand; (3) Category III, consisting of one municipal health officer, as head of the unit, one public health nurse, one midwife and one sanitary inspector, to be allotted to a municipality of Group III with population from five thousand to ten thousand; (4) Category IV, consisting of one municipal health officer, as head of the unit, one public health nurse, two midwives and one sanitary inspector, to be allotted to a municipality of Group IV with population from ten thousand to twenty thousand; (5) Category V, consisting of one municipal health officer, as head of the unit, two public health nurses, two midwives and one sanitary inspector, to be allotted to a municipality of Group V with population from twenty thousand to thirty thousand; (6) Category VI, consisting of two municipal health officers, two public health nurses, two midwives and two sanitary inspectors, to be allotted to a municipality of Group VI with population from thirty thousand to forty thousand; (7) Category VII, consisting of two municipal health officers, two public health nurses, three midwives and three sanitary inspectors, to be allotted to a municipality of Group VII with population from forty thousand to fifty thousand; and (8) Category VIII, consisting of two municipal health officers, four public health nurses, four midwives and three sanitary inspectors, to be allotted to a municipality of Group VIII with population from fifty thousand and over. Each group of two or three adjacent municipalities or of municipal districts having an aggregate population of not less than five thousand shall have a rural health unit of Category III: Provided, That if, in the implementation of the provisions of this Act relative to the allocation of health personnel to the different population groups, the number of health personnel in a rural health unit already existing and operating in a municipality upon the passage of this Act shall suffer a reduction, the number and constitution of the health personnel in that unit shall not be disturbed. If the public service so demands, the Director of Health, upon approval of the Secretary of Health, may regroup contiguous places and assign to each group the rural health unit of the proper category described above: Provided, That in cities where there are rural areas, rural health units of the proper category may be established thereat.
"Sec. 2.(c) To take care of the distribution of drugs and medicines for the use in the rural areas, there shall be created fourteen positions of pharmacists, eight of whom shall be assigned to the regional districts, the remaining six to be detailed in the Central Office of the Bureau of Health. These pharmacists may, from time to time, be assigned to the provinces as conditions warrant."
"Sec. 3.The existing Presidents of Sanitary Divisions, Municipal Maternity and Charity Clinic Physicians, and Heads of Units (FOA/PHILCUSA) of the Bureau of Health shall be the Municipal Health Officers to head the rural health units of whatever categories operating or shall be assigned to operate within their respective jurisdiction and shall remain in their present stations as Municipal Health Officers thereat until transferred by the Director of Health to such places where, in the interest of public health service, their services are needed: Provided, however, That the additional rural health units required in section two (b) of this Act shall be established in six years from the effectivity of this Act."
"Sec. 4.The minimum and maximum rates of annual salaries for the positions created in this Act or absorbed in the implementation of its provisions shall be as follows:
| Positions | Salary Range |
| (per annum) | |
| Municipal Health Officer | P3,600-P4,800.00 |
| Public Health Dentist | 2,400-3,600.00 |
| Public Health Nurse | 2,400-3,120.00 |
| Midwife | 1,440-2,400.00 |
| Provincial San. Inspector | 1,440-1,800.00 |
| Pharmacist | 2,400-3,120.00 |
Provided, however, That the Public Health Nurses in this Act shall have no cash allowance granted public health nurses in lieu of quarters, subsistence, and laundry in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act Numbered Six hundred forty-nine. The salaries of Provincial Health Officers shall be that fixed in Republic Act Numbered Six hundred seventy-five for District Health Officers." casia
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding all positions which are absorbed or created in this Act and all other positions, the services of the incumbents of which shall be utilized by the rural health and dental units defined in this Act shall be filled by the Secretary of Health as appointing power, upon recommendation of the Director of Health.
"Sec. 7.All municipal districts enjoying or will enjoy the benefits of this Act shall contribute to the health fund created under section one thousand twelve of the Revised Administrative Code just like any municipality and in the event that the health fund is not sufficient to cover the salaries of the personnel involved in this Act who are paid partly or fully from said fund, the balance shall be taken from the fund hereinafter provided."
"Sec. 8.To carry out the purposes of this Act the sum of four million pesos or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated out of any fund in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated: Provided, That the amount of not less than nine hundred thousand pesos shall be for the purchase of medical and dental supplies for the use in the rural areas, and the sum of five hundred thousand pesos for the purchase of medical and dental equipment and instruments. The amount of four million pesos herein appropriated is for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and fifty-four to nineteen hundred and fifty-five: And, provided, further, That one million pesos shall be appropriated thereafter and beginning with the fiscal year nineteen hundred and fifty-nine, the amount of one million nine hundred ninety-five thousand pesos shall be appropriated in addition to the total appropriation of the preceding year for the creation of additional rural health units each year to establish not less than one thousand three hundred rural health units of different categories envisioned at this program including the two hundred sixty-two dental units: And, provided, finally, That beginning the fiscal year nineteen hundred and fifty-eight and annually thereafter, an amount of four hundred and fifty thousand pesos is hereby appropriated out of any fund in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the immediate creation of additional dental units. After the completion of the six-year program envisioned in this Act the total amount appropriated for the implementation of its provisions shall be integrated in the General Appropriation Act. casia
SECTION 2.This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 22, 1957
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 53, No. 19, p. 6436 on October 15, 1957