National Vision Screening Act

Case Overview and Summary

Republic Act No. 11358 or the "National Vision Screening Act"

Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people, including addressing vision problems and blindness among children.
- The State shall institute a program to screen school children for visual problems.

Establishment of National Vision Screening Program (NVSP) (Section 3):
- A National Vision Screening Program is established under the Department of Education (DepEd) to screen the eye vision of kindergarten pupils.

Program Objectives (Section 4):
- Conduct vision screening tests on kindergarten pupils through trained teachers and health personnel.
- Identify pupils with possible visual problems.
- Provide immediate attention and referral system for visually impaired kindergarten pupils.
- Develop a vision screening results database for kindergarten pupils.
- Conduct continuing research on visual impairment among kindergarten pupils.

Program Implementation (Section 5):
- DepEd shall lead the implementation, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Eye Research Institute (PERI).
- DepEd shall:
    - Administer the vision screening program using a Vision Screening Kit.
    - Train and certify teachers in conducting the vision screening.
    - Develop a system of referral and corrective measures for pupils with possible eye ailments.
    - Create a vision screening database.
    - Monitor and evaluate the implementation.
- Private schools are encouraged to adopt their own vision screening system.

PhilHealth's Benefit Package (Section 6):
- PhilHealth shall develop a benefit package for consultation and treatment of children's eye diseases.

Vision Screening Training (Section 7):
- PERI shall be responsible for training Vision Screening Trainers and recommending appropriate screening materials.

Research (Section 8):
- DOH and PERI shall conduct research and provide evidence-based recommendations to DepEd.
- PERI shall perform continuing research on childhood eye vision ailments.

Vision Screening Results Database Sharing (Section 9):
- The vision screening database shall be shared among DepEd, DOH, PERI, and other concerned agencies.

Vision Screening Continuing Research Fund (VSCR Fund) (Section 10):
- A VSCR Fund is created from donations or bequests to DepEd, DOH, or PERI for the NVSP.
- The VSCR Fund shall be used to fund PERI's continuing research program on childhood eye vision ailments.

Tax Exemption (Section 11):
- Grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to DepEd, DOH, or PERI for the NVSP and VSCR Fund shall be exempt from donor's tax and allowed as deduction from the donor's gross income.

Appropriations (Section 12):
- ₱10,000,000.00 shall be included in PERI's budget to cover the implementation for public kindergarten pupils.
- Subsequent funding shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
- Private schools shall assume funding for their respective vision screening programs.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 13):
- DepEd, DOH, and PERI shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations within 90 days from the approval of the Act.

Separability Clause (Section 14):
- If any provision is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions shall remain in force.

Repealing Clause (Section 15):
- All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the Act are repealed or amended accordingly.

Effectivity (Section 16):
- The Act shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.