Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

201

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Every hour, seven (7) adults and eight (8) children die from cance

Statistics Authority found that cancer or neoplasms is th

The Philippine
second leading cause of death in
the Philippines amounting to 12.7% or 74,134 of total deaths in 2016; it ranks as the top
cause of death for women and the third for men

While studies show that at least 1/3 of all cancers can be prevented, not all those who are
afflicted with the illne:
treatment, and medicin:

are able to access early detection measures, medical advice,
s. A 2015 study revealed that cancer diagnosis in Southeast Asia is
considered as “potentially disastrous” as over 75% died or suffered from. tin:

ncial

catastrophe within one year. Financial catast

»phe relers to the disproportionate amount
of household income spent for cancer treatment, or side-effects, leading to poorer

economic circumstances, Moreover, socio:

patients with advan

conomically disadvantaged cancer patients and

d cancer stages at diagnostic were common and particularly
vulnerable to adverse economic outcomes and poor survival. The Cancer Coalition
Philippines found that expenses for cancer treatment in the country exceeded the mean
household income which has led to almost 75% of cases discontinuing or abandoning
treatment especially among the poor and middle class sectors. As such, this necessitates the
need to develop effective policies that would address the burden of cancer care

n country.

This bill thus seeks to create and establish a Philippine Cancer Center which would serve as
a specialized institution in addressing this disease for the benefit primarily of the Filipino
people. It would construct and operate a specialized cancer hospital. It also aims to
facilitate and encourage the exchange of ideas and information on the prevention,

treatment, and contro! of cancer as well as to raise, enhance, and develop public interest on
cancer awareness, general health, and physical titness. Another lon,

term goal should be to.
establish the Center as the leading cancer research institution in the country by promoting,


encouraging, and engaging in scientific research on the disease. In pursuit of this, it would
create research programs focused on the detection, treatment, medical services, and
clinical triais on cancer and assisting universities, hospitals, and research institution:
their studies.

in

This is a necessary solution in accordance with the mandate of the State, under Section 16,
Article 11 of the Constitution, to “protect and promote the right to health of the people and
instill health consciousness among them”. Moreover, Section 11 of Article XIII requires the
State to “adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which
shall endeavour to make essential goods, health and other social s

rvices available to all
the people at affordable cost with “priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick,
elderly, disabled, women, and children” as well as for paupers.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

“ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4201
HOUSE BILLNO.___

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE CANCER CENTER, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Cancer Center
Act of 2019".

Section 2. Declaration of Policies. ~ \: is hereby declared as the policy of the State
to secure the well-being of its people by providing them with specialized health services
and address the increasing incidences of deadly disease like cancer in the country. Towards
this end, the State shall establish a specialized public hospital for the prevention, detection,
and treatment of cancer

Section 3. Philippine Cancer Center. ~ There is hereby created and established,
under the supervision of the Department of Health (DOH), a specialized center for the
benefit primarily ot the Filipino people under the name and style of “Philippine Cancer
Center’

Section 4. Board of Trustees. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall be administered
by a Board of Trustees composed of seven (7) members to be appointed by the President of
the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Health. The six appointive
members of the Board of ‘Trustees shall serve for a period of four (4) years until their
successors shall have been appointed and qualified.

The Board of Trustees, as provided for in the preceding section, shall have the
following powers and functions
(a) To elect a Chairman from among them who shall be the presiding officer of the
Board of Trustees;


ncer Center who shall serve as Vice-Chairman of

(b) To appoint a Director of the
the Board;

(c) To formulate policies and adopt measures which are necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act:

(d) To prescribe, amend, and repeal its by-laws, rules, and regulations governing the
manner in which the general business of the Philippine Center may be conducted
and its power exercised; and

{e) To perform such other functions as maybe necessary to achieve the objectives of
this Act.

Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to transact
business and any decision made by all the members on any matter duly presented to the
Board of Trustees shall constitute a valid and binding act of the Philippine Cancer Center.

Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Philippines
upon the recommendation of the Department of Health and the appointee shall serve for
the unexpired term.

Section 5. Director of the Cancer Center. - ‘The Director of the Center shall act as
the chief executive officer of the Philippine Cancer Center with the following powers and
functions:

(a) To appoint, remove, and the compensation of the personnel thereof subject
to the approval of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with existing
relevant laws;

(b) To prepare the agenda for the meeting of the Board and to submit policies
and other important measures for the consideration of the Board;

(c) To execute and administer the policies and measures approved by the Boar
and

(d) To direct and supervise the internal operations and administration of the
Philippine Cancer Center.

Section 6. Purposes and Objectives. ~ The Philippine Cancer Center shall have the
following purpose and objectives;

(a) To construct, establish, operate, and maintain a cancer center for the public
welfare including a specialized cancer hospital;

(b) To promote, encourage, and engage in scientific research on the prevention
of caner and the care and/or treatment of cancer patients and related
activities, including sponsorship and conduct of relevant congres:
conventions, seminars, and conlerences:



(c) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological,
demographic, social, economic, physiological aspects of cancer, its
abnormalities and control; and gather, compile, and publish the findings of
such researches for public dissemination:

(a) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas
information on the prevention, treatment, and control of cancer; to raise,
enhance, and develop public interest on cancer awareness, general health,
and physical fitnes:

(ec) To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical
technicians, health officers, and soctal workers on the practical and scientific
conduct and implementation of cancer healthcare services and related
activities;

(f) To assist universities, hospitals, and research institutions in their studies of
cellular anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of or affecting
the human cell and related field, and to support educational programs of
value to general health;

(g) To encourage the formation of other organization on the national, provincial,
city, municipal, or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and
activities for the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic
approach on the common problems relative to the objectives herein
enumerated; and

(h) To extend medical services to the general public
fortunabie in life who are suffering from cancer.

specially the poor and less

Section 7. Powers of the Philippine Cancer Center. ~ The Philippine Cancer Center,
as a corporate body acting through its Board of Trustees, shall have the following powers:

(a) To acquire and hold in any property of whatever nature or description and to
dispose of such properly under any mode of encumbrance or conveyance;

(b) To contract and be contracted with;

(c) To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of its properties;

(d) To solicit and receive donations, endowments, and funds in the form of
contributions, whether in cash or in kind, from both the public and private
sectors;

(e) To open such accounts in banks and other financial institutions, and to disburse

such funds or invest the same as the Board may direct to accomplish or advance
the purposes or interest of the Philippine Cancer Center;



(0) To invite foreign cancer specialists and similar experts in the various medical
fields to train the personne! or trainees or residents of the Philippine Cancer
Center;

{g) To send the personnel of the Philippine Cancer Center to research institutes,
medical institutes, or universities for advance training observation and to attend
international or regional conventions, conterences, congresses, and seminars as
the Board may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the
Philippine Cancer Center;

(h) To develop or support patient care programs and other programs that would
provide pain relief and psycho-social support for the terminally-ill cancer
patient and his/her family;

lations not inconsistent with law and
the provisions hereof to govern the administration and operation of the affairs of
the Philippine Cancer Center; and

(1) To adopt a set of by-laws, rules, and r

{j) To do all such other acts and thins as are may be necessary or incidental for the
accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of the Philippine Cancer Center.

Section 8. Research Program. - The Philippine Cancer Center in coordination with
the Department of Health shall, directly or through grants to public or non-private entities,
carry out the following:

(a) Research with priority to research concerning
(i), Diagnosis and treatment of cancer;
(ii) Strains off cancer/s resistant to drug
(iii) Cases of cancer that affect certain populations; and
(iv) Clinical trials..

(b) Public information and education programs;

(c) Education, training, and clinical skills improvement activities for health
professionals;

(d) Support of model centers to carry out activities under Section 6 paragraphs (a)
to(c

(e) Collaboration with international organizations and foreign countries in carrying
out such activities! and

(9 Enhancement of basic and clinical research on cancer and its relation to other
diseases


Section 9, Education Programs. - The Philippine Cancer Center in coordination
with the Department of Health and the Commission on Higher Education, shall encourage
faculties of program for information and education programs, including the development of
their curricula, to significantly increase the opportunities for students and for practicing
providers to learn the principles and practices of preventing, managing, and treatment of

cancer.

Section 10. Government Contribution.- The Government shall continue the
necessary land, building, equipment, and facilities to the Philippine Cancer Center, and shall
pay such obligations for real, personal, and mixed properties arising from such undertaking
under a deferred payment arrangement within five (5) years at a preferred rate of interest.

Section 11. Property of the Center.- ‘The Property of the Philippine Cancer
Center shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of property, now owned or
reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated acquired, transferred, or conveyed to the
Philippine Cancer Center by the Philippine Government, its branches and instrumentalities
any foreign government, as well as by trust, foundations, corporations, or persons, aliens,
or domestic, in order to carry out its purposes and objectives as set forth herein,

Section 12. Assistance from other Government Offices. - The Philippine Cancer
Center may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the
Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations for such assistance
as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes and objectives.

Section 13. Tax Exemptions. - Al! donations, contributions, or endowments which
may be made by entities or persons to the Philippine Cancer Center shall be exempt from
income and donor's taxes, and the same shail further be deductible in full for purposes of
computing the maximum amount deductible under Section 101 of the National Internal
Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

The Philippine Cancer Center shali also be exempt from the payment of all taxes,
charges, and fees imposed by the Government or any political subdivision or

instrumentality thereof for a period of ten (10) years.

Section 14. Appropriation. - the amount of three hundred million
(P300,000,000.00) for the structure, equipment, initial operation, and maintenance of the
Philippine Cancer Center shall be sourced from the appropriations for the Department of
Health. Subsequent subsidy for the years thereafter shall be included in the General
Appropriations Act under the Budgetary Support for Government Corporations.

Section 15. Audit. - The books and accounts of ‘the Philippine Cancer Center shall
be subject to periodic auditing by the duly
Audit

authorized representative of the Commission on



Section 16. Annual Report. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall render to
Department of Health and the President of the Philippines an annual report of its activities,
accomplishments, and recommendation

Section 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health and the Department of Budge and
Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper
implementation of this Act.

Section 18. Effect of Dissolution of the Cancer Center. - \{ tor any reason, the
Philippine Cancer Center is dissolved, its assets, and properties remaining at the time of
dissolution shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in accordance with
law.

Section 19. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation, contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly

Section 20. Separability Clause. - A! any provision or part of this Act is held
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in
full force and effect.

Section 21. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,