WHEREAS, the government has adopted a national population program as an integral and vital part of social reform and development;

WHEREAS, Republic Act 6365 as amended by Presidential Decree 79 and further amended by Presidential Decree 803 provided for the availability of all acceptable methods of contraception, except abortion, to all Filipino citizens desirous of spacing, limiting or preventing pregnancies;

WHEREAS, sterilization is now an acceptable procedure of fertility control in the population program;

WHEREAS, the population program has demonstrated an increasing demand for sterilization service;

WHEREAS, it would be economically rational and consistent with the population policy to reimburse sterilization expenses of GSIS and SSS members.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree, that:

SECTION 1. Section 13 of Republic Act Numbered Sixty One Hundred Eleven otherwise known as the "Philippine Medical Care Act of 1969" is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Under such rules, regulations and/or conditions as the SSS and GSIS may prescribe, subject to the approval of the Commission, an employee who is confined in a hospital on account of sickness or bodily injury requiring hospitalization, or is operated on for sterilization, shall be entitled to confinement not exceeding forty-five days annually to:

(a) Room and board expense benefit for each day of confinement in a hospital not exceeding twelve pesos (P12.00) a day; and

(b) Special charge expense benefit for charges necessary for the care of the employee, such as laboratory examination fees, drug, x-ray and the like, not to exceed one hundred fifty pesos. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 273).

For drugs and medicines that maybe essential under this sub-section, the employee shall have the option to secure the same from either the hospital pharmacy wherein he is confined or from any retail drugstore of his own choice, subject only to the rules and regulations or as provided for in Section 18 hereof."

SECTION 2. Any provision of existing law, rule, regulation or order that is contrary to, or inconsistent herewith is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. The benefits provided by this Decree shall be effective as of January 1, 1977.

SECTION 4. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of September in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.