Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 2644)
The official title of Republic Act No. 2644 is the Philippine Midwifery Law.
The Board consists of a chairman who must be an obstetrician, and two members: one a registered nurse-midwife and the other a registered midwife. All members are appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.
All members must be Filipino citizens and residents, at least 30 years old, of good moral character, and with at least five years of successful practice. The chairman must be an obstetrician, the nurse-midwife member must be registered as both nurse and midwife, and the midwife member must be a registered midwife preferably with a college degree.
The Board may issue, suspend, revoke, or reissue certificates of registration for the practice of midwifery, investigate violations of the Act, issue summons or subpoenas, and recommend measures for improvement and enforcement of midwifery practice in the Philippines.
Members serve for three years or until their successors are qualified. The first Board's chairman serves for three years, one member for two years, and another for one year. Vacancies are filled for the unexpired term.
Examinations are held twice yearly, on the second Tuesday of August and February, in Manila and other places deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Civil Service with presidential approval.
Subjects include obstetrical anatomy and physiology, principles of bacteriology related to midwifery, obstetrics, midwifery procedures, domiciliary midwifery, infant care and feeding, community hygiene and first aid, normal nutrition, and ethics of midwifery practice.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens, at least 21 years old, in good health and moral character, have finished high school, and completed an accredited midwifery course covering specific subjects listed in the Act.
Midwifery schools must have a permit from the Department of Education, be associated with a hospital of at least 50 maternity beds (or with certain conditions for smaller hospitals), maintain required ratios of staff to beds and students, and ensure students attend a minimum of 18 months and personally attend at least 20 hospital deliveries and 5 domiciliary deliveries.
Practice of midwifery includes performing for compensation services involving the care of normal child-bearing women from pregnancy through puericulture and the care of normal infants during the neonatal period, excluding students under supervision and emergency cases.
Any person practicing midwifery without a valid certificate, or violating other provisions like using false certificates or titles, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined between ₱1,000 to ₱5,000, and/or imprisonment from one to five years.
Yes, 'hilots' trained under the UNICEF Department of Health project and those in areas without available licensed midwives or physicians, who have safely handled at least 20 delivery cases as certified by health authorities, may continue practicing.
The Board may refuse or revoke certificates due to criminal conviction involving moral turpitude, immoral or dishonorable conduct, unprofessional conduct, malpractice, incompetency, negligence, or fraud in obtaining certification.
Foreign midwives may be granted registration rights only if their home country allows Filipino midwives similar rights under comparable admission and graduation requirements.
The examination fee is ₱30, and the registration fee payable by successful applicants is ₱15.