FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
9 
!JeT -7 P1 :H3 
SENATE 
S. NO. 3473
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Introduced by Senator Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides, U[tJhe State shall adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make 
essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
There shall be priority for the needs of the under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and 
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers." 
In the same vein, Article XV Section 4 of the Constitution states that "[t]he family has 
the duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of 
social security." 
There are about 758.7 million elderly (those people with other 60 years of age) 
worldwide. According to the study conducted by the Alzheimer's Disease International, there 
will be an estimated 35.6 million people with dementia by 2010. This number is expected to 
double every 20 years. In South East Asia alone, there is an estimated 51.2 million elderly 
people, 5% of which are suspected of having dementia. This number is expected to increase by 
more than double (134-146%) over the next 20 years. 
Alzheimer's disease is a disorder that destroys cells in the brain. The disease is the 
leading cause of dementia, a condition that involves gradual memory loss, decline in the ability 
to perfDrm routine tasks, disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, 
impairment of judgment, and personality changes. As the disease progresses, people with 
Alzheimer's disease become unable to care for themselves. The loss of brain cells eventually 
leads to the failure of other systems in the body. 
Clearly, this disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disorder with no known cause 
or cure yet. It is unfortunate that this disease and other forms of dementias are one of the main 
causes of disability for the elderly in their later lives. Worse, the worldwide cost of dementia is 
already prohibitive -
this amounts to US $315 billion per year -
with an annual cost per 
person with dementia at US $ 1,521 for low income families to US $ 17,964 for high income 
families per year. Hence, this disease and the cost of caring for the elderly with Alzheimer's 
and/or dementia has and will significantly erode the disposable income of each families caring 
for one with such disease and likewise on the government's coffers in terms of social and health 
care. 


In this light, this bill shall aim for the government and the public to fully understand the 
disease, to devise ways to significantly reduce its prevalence and to educate the public on ways 
to properly care for one individual afflicted with the disease. 
This will ultimately uplift the status of our elderly who gave the prime of their lives for 
the development of our country. Now is the time that we give back our dues to them. 
Accordingly, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
9 
OCT -7 P 1 :16 
SENAT~ 
S. 1\10. 34 7 3  
Introduced, by Senator Manny B. Villar 
ANAcr  
TO PROVIDE A NATIONAL INITIATIVE ON THE CONDUcr OF RESEARCH, HEALTH CARE  
COORDINATION AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, CREATING AN  
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Treatment of Alzheimer's 
Disease Act of 2009. II 
SECTION 2.DecJaration of Policy -It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
right to health of the people and instill c'onsciousness among them. Although the family has the 
duty to care for its elderly members, the State may also do so through just programs of social 
security 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms -As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
A.  Alzheimer's Disease - is a disorder that destroys cells in the brain can cause dementia, a 
condition that involves gradual memory loss, decline in the ability to perform routine 
tasks, disorientation, difficulty inlearning, loss of language skills, impairment of 
judgment, and personality changes. As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer's 
disease become unable to care for themselves. The loss of brain cells eventually leads to 
the failure of other systems in the body. 
B.  Department - shall refer to the Department of Health (DOH) 
c.  Secretary - shall refer to the DOH Secretary 
D.  Director - shall refer to the Director of the Office Of Alzheimer's Research Center 
E.  Advisory Council -shall refer to the Advisory council to the Office of Alzheimer's  
Research Center  


SECTION 4. Establishment of the office of Alzheimer's Disease Research Center - The 
Secretary of Department of Health (DOH) shall establish an office to be known as the Office of 
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. 
SECTION 5. Purpose - The Office $hall have the following functions ­
A.  Identification and/or initiation of projects, programs and/or studies that will prevent 
Alzheimer's Disea5e such as but not limited to the development of treatments that 
would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's; 
B.  Identification of clinical research projects on the Alzheimer's Disease that should be 
conducted or supported by the government; 
C.  Creation and maintenance of an integrated national plan to overcome Alzheimer's; 
D.  Study the prevalence of the disease throughout the country and coordinate the health 
care and treatment of citizens with Alzheimer's; 
E.  Coordinate with international bO,dies to integrate and inform the fight against  
Alzheimer's globally;  
F.  Pioneer a National Summit on Alzheimer's disease to be conducted every three (3) years 
or as often as necessary as determined by the Office; and 
G.  Conduct information campaign regarding the Alzheimer's disease. 
SECTION 6. Director - The Office shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed 
by the Secretary. The Director shall havethe following functions: 
A.  To oversee the creation and updating ofthe national plan described in subparagraph 
Section 5 (C); 
B.  Carry out an annual assessment of the Nation's progress in preparing for the escalating 
burden of Alzheimer's, including-both implementation steps and recommendations for 
priority actions based on the assessment; 
C.  Coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology in order to promote 
research efforts into mechanisms to slow and stop the development of Alzheimer's for 
those at risk of developing the disease; 
D.  Coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in order to 
promote the status and care of individuals suffering from Alzheimer's Disease; and 
E.  Provide an annual report to the President, Congress and the Secretary that will include 
an evaluation of all funded efforts in Alzheimer's research, clinical care, institutional, 
and home- and community-based programs and their outcomes. 
SECTION 7. Advisory Council- There is established in the Office an Advisory Council to 
Alzheimer's Research Center. 
A.  The functions of the Advisory Council are to: 
1.  Report to the Secretary on the results of the studies/researches; 
2.  Provide recommendations to such Secretary regarding activities of the Office. 
3.  Prepare a report regarding the activities of the Council. 
B.  Membership- The Advisory Council shall be composed of 7 members with the Director 
as an ex Officio member. The six (6) other members shall be comprised of the following: 
1.  One (1) representative from the Department 
2.  One (1) representative from the Department of Science and Technology 
3.  One (1) representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development 


4.  One (1) representatives from a non-governmental organization which conducts 
research on the elderly, preferably on Alzheimer's disease; 
5.  One (1) representative from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office 
6.  One (1) representative of the, Philippine Medical Association 
SECTION 8. Meetings - The Advisory Committee shall determine the number, time, 
place and conduct of meetings, except that it shall hold at least one (1) public meeting each 
year at which the general public is given an opportunity to express views concerning the 
conduct of research on the Alzheimer's Disease by the Office. 
SECTION 9. Term - Members shal,l be appointed by the Secretary for a term of three (3) 
years. Of those first appointed, three (3) members shall serve for three (3) years, and the last 
three (3) members for two (2) years. 
SECTION 10. Expiration oj the Office- The Office shall expire after 10 years from its 
creation. 
SECTION 11. Appropriation - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
maybe necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
ThereafterJ the amount necessary for the continuous operation of the Office of Alzheimer's 
Research Center shall be included in the'annual appropriation of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuanceJ executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,