HOUSE Committee on Food Security Chair Rep. Raymond Adrian Salceda has filed House Bill No. 3810, also known as the Right to Dignified End-of-Life Care Act, which seeks to make hospice and end-of-life care more available nationwide and ensure that such services become eligible for coverage under PhilHealth. The measure mandates all hospitals, health maintenance organizations, and other healthcare providers to make hospice care accessible to patients who need it.
At present, hospice care is not covered by PhilHealth, and most health maintenance organizations and private insurance plans also exclude it. This leaves families with few options, often forcing them to choose between costly and futile hospital interventions or leaving their loved ones without proper support. “Hindi naman po maipagkakaila. End-of-life care is still care,” Salceda emphasized.
“Walang pamilya ang dapat mapilitang magbenta ng lupa o mangutang nang malaki para lang tustusan ang gamutang alam na nilang hindi na makakapagpagaling. Hospice care is about giving families and patients a choice — to spend their last days together in comfort, without unnecessary pain, and without the crushing burden of debt.”
Hospice care focuses on relief from pain, comfort, and holistic support — including emotional and spiritual guidance — so that patients can live their final days with dignity. It also provides counseling and guidance for families. The bill ensures that such care is recognized as an essential service, whether delivered at home or in a hospital setting.
Salceda called for the immediate passage of the bill, emphasizing that it will “make hospice and end-of-life care truly accessible, ensure PhilHealth coverage, and guarantee that every Filipino has the right to a humane and respectful end of life.”
About the Author
