MANILA, Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has refiled a bill seeking to establish a National Health Passport System, aiming to give every Filipino a unified and comprehensive medical record to enhance access to healthcare and streamline patient information.

Originally filed in 2000 during his tenure as a district representative of Taguig, Cayetano reintroduced the proposal in the 20th Congress, citing the country’s ongoing need for accessible and well-documented medical histories.

“For Filipinos in general, it is not a usual practice to keep such documentation — whether of previous check-ups, diagnostic test results, medications, treatments, and procedures done, among others,” Cayetano wrote in the explanatory note. “Thus, assisting Filipinos in record keeping and making medical history available should also be given emphasis and priority by the government.”

Under the proposed Health Passport System Act, each citizen would receive either a physical or digital health passport linked to their PhilSys National ID. This would consolidate information such as medical and dental histories, prescriptions, lab test results, immunizations, and other vital health data.

Cayetano said the health passport would give both the patient and healthcare professionals a “full picture” of the individual’s medical condition, which could be crucial in emergencies.

“Medical data recorded in the health passport cautions the patient to be aware of his congenital or hereditary illness consistent with the saying that to be forewarned is to be forearmed,” he said.

The measure also aims to support healthcare system efficiency by minimizing redundant diagnostic procedures. “Recording of the results of these tests to one’s health passport will guide physicians in making proper diagnosis, give other physicians a better perspective of the medical history of the patient, and prevent duplication of tests being done on the same patient,” Cayetano explained.

Additionally, the bill mandates that indigent and disadvantaged Filipinos be provided with a free, comprehensive annual medical check-up, including physical and dental exams, diagnostics, immunizations, and screenings. These services would be delivered at public healthcare facilities and covered by the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth.

More than two decades since first proposing the idea, Cayetano expressed renewed optimism that the bill will gain traction in the current Congress.

“This representation looks forward to seeing this proposed legislation finally come to fruition during this Congress,” he said.