Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 626

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill is a refiled measure from the 19th Congress, originally introduced by Rep. Alfredo C.
Marafion III during the Fifteenth Congress. It was subsequently refiled during the Seventeenth
Congress by Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, and again by Rep
Sy-Alvarado in the Eighteenth Congress. In each instance, the bill was referred to the
Committee on Health but was unfortunately not given due consideration.

The measure seeks to establish the Philippine Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Center—a
dedicated national specialty facility that will provide comprehensive, high-quality, affordable,
and specialized medical services for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of
the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck (ENTHN).

This proposal is anchored in the State policy declared under Section 11, Article XIll of the 1987
Philippine Constitution, which mandates the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive
approach to health development. The State shall make essential goods, health, and other
social services available to all at affordable cost, with priority given to the needs of the
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children.

In light of the continued burden on our health system and the increasing incidence of ENT-
related conditions—especially with the emergence of viral diseases that affect the respiratory
tract—there is an urgent need to prioritize ENT care and services. ENTHN diseases have
become increasingly prevalent, significantly impacting the quality of life and productivity of
millions of Filipinos.

Respiratory tract infections—including colds, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis, and laryngitis—remain
among the leading causes of morbidity in the Philippines. Scientific studies estimate that 1 to
2 out of every 1,000 live births are affected by cleft lip or palate, while over one million Filipinos
‘suffer from some form of hearing impairment. These conditions, if left untreated, can result in
lifelong disabilities, deformities, and a diminished capacity to lead productive lives.

Despite the magnitude of these health challenges, ENT conditions have long been overlooked
in national health planning and budget allocations. The establishment of a specialized ENT
Center is a long overdue intervention that will help bridge this healthcare gap by offering
focused medical care, surgical interventions, rehabilitation, and community-based prevention
programs.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is &rnestly sought

JURDIN M. ROMUALDO


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

626
HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) CENTER AND.
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote and protect the right of the people to health by providing specialized health and medical
services that will secure their well-being. Towards this end, the State shall establish an ear, nose
and throat (ENT) center that will provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and specialized
medical services for the prevention, control and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head and neck

(ENTHN) diseases.

SEC. 2. Philippine Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Center. — The Philippine Ear, Nose
and Throat (ENT) Center, hereinafter referred to as the Philippine ENT Center, is hereby
established under the supervision of the Department of Health to intensify and consolidate the
efforts and programs of the government in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN
diseases and provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and specialized medical services to

citizens afflicted with ENTHN disease.

The Department of Health shall provide the area where the ENT Center will be established

within one (1) year from the approval of this Act.

The Philippine ENT Center shall have the following objectives:


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a) Construct, establish, equip, operate and maintain a medical institution which
shall specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN diseases, and provide
medical care, rehabilitation and relief of persons suffering from it;

b) Undertake medical and scientific researches relative to the prevention, diagnosis,
treatment of ENTHN diseases and create public awareness on its prevention and control

through information dissemination;

¢) Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions, conferences,
seminars, work-shops and training programs on ENTHN diseases, diagnosis and

management;

d) Facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and

information on the prevention, control and treatment of ENTHN diseases;

e) Encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, nurses, health
officers, social workers and other medical and technical personnel in the practical and
scientific conduct and implementation of ENTHN diseases prevention and treatment

programs;

f) Coordinate and consolidate various efforts and activities of the government in

delivering more effective medical services to treat and prevent. ENTHN diseases; and

) Help in the promotion of Philippine medical tourism by offering top quality and

world class medical services in treating ENTHN disorders,

SEC. 3. Scope of Services. — Consistent with its objectives, the Philippine ENT Center

shall provide the following services:

a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and

equipment necessary to provide treatment of ENTHN diseases;

b) Community-based services to develop and implement community — based
programs in partnership with local government units, conduct research and external
resource outsourcing to implement community-based diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN
diseases;

¢) Education programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of practice in

the specialized field of ENTHN diseases and other related fields, conduct post-graduate

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training and short-term courses for medical doctors and allied medical professionals; and

4) Program development and research to develop cutting edge rescarch and

programs to combat diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck.

SEC. 4. Board of Trustees. — The Philippine ENTCenter shall be administered by a
Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be composed of seven (7) members to
be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of
Health.

The members of the Board shall serve for a period of three (3) years. All members shall serve
without compensation other than actual and necessary expenses, in accordance with the existing
laws, policies and rules and regulations on the matter, incurred either for attendance in meetings

of the Board or upon official business authorized by a resolution of the Board.

SEC. 5. Powers and Functions. — The Board shall have the following powers and

functions in addition to their general powers of administration:

a) Formulate and adopt the by-laws, rules and regulations, policies, guidelines and
procedures consistent with law and the provisions of this Act to govern the administration

and operations of the Philippine ENT Center;

b) Formulate and develop programs for the prevention, control and treatment of
ENTHN diseases and adopt measures which are necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act;

) Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical institutions,
domestic or foreign, as may be necessary in attaining the purposes and objectives of the
Philippine ENT Center;

d) Receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real or personal property of all
kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the Philippine ENT Center, in
accordance with the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default thereof, in such

manner as in its discretion the Board may determine;

e) Acquire and hold property of whatever nature or description, and to dispose such

properties under any mode of encumbrance and conveyance;


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f) Invite foreign ENTHN specialists and similar experts in the various medical
fields to train the personnel of the Philippine ENT Center or send personnel to research or
medical institutes or universities for advance training or observation or to attend
international or regional conventions, conferences, congresses and seminars as the Board
may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the Philippine ENT

Center; and

g) Perform all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary for or incidental

to the accomplishment of the objectives of the Philippine ENT Center.

SEC. 6. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. — The Board shall determine
the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Philippine ENT Center subject to the
evaluation by the Civil Service Commission and of the Organization Position Classification and
Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and Management. The Board may reorganize
said structure, modify the staffing pattern and create or abolish divisions, sections or units in the
Philippine ENT Center.

SEC. 7. Appointment by the Board, — The Board shall have the authority to appoint,
promote, transfer, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline the officers and employees of the
Philippine ENT Center upon the recommendation of the Executive Director, subject to civil service

laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. 8. Executive Director — The Philippine ENT Center shall be administered by an
Executive Director who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the

recommendation of the Board of Trustees,
The Executive Director shall exercise the following powers and functions:

a) Execute the policies, guidelines and programs approved by the Board, and be

responsible for the efficient discharge of management and operational functions;

b) Submit for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed measures,
policies and guidelines and programs as may be deemed necessary for the effective

implementation of the purposes and objectives of this Act;

) Direct and supervise the management, operation, and administration of the
Philippine ENT Center, and may delegate this power and any or some of the administrative
responsibilities and duties to the other officers of the Philippine ENT Center;


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4) Recommend to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal and
suspension of the officers and employees of the Philippine ENT Center;

e) Execute on behalf of the Board all contracts and agreements which the latter may
enter into, and to execute, accomplish and deliver any and all documents relative to such

contracts and agreements; and

£) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be vested by
the Board.

SEC. 9. Program for Indigents — The Board shall ensure that the Philippine ENT Center
shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for indigent patients
shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of hospital beds.

SEC. 10. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. — The provision of any general or special law
to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions, gifts or endowments received
by the Philippine ENT Center pursuant hereto, shall be exempt from income, gift and all other
kinds of taxes, and shall be further considered as allowable deductions from the gross income of
the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 4997, as

amended.

The Philippine ENT Center is hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal
revenue taxes, tariff and customs duties and all other kinds of taxes, fees, charges and assessments

levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities.

The Philippine ENT Center may request and receive assistance from the different agencies,
bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in pursuit of its

purposes and objectives.

SEC. 11. Annual Report. — The Philippine ENT Center shall submit an annual report to
the President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the House
Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments and recommendations to better improve

their delivery of specialized medical services.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Health shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of Budget and Management, promulgate such rules and regulations


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necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. — The amount of five hundred million pesos
(P500,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation and maintenance of the
Philippine ENT Center. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued operation of
the Philippine ENT Center shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 14, Repealing clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
or parts thereof which are in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified

accordingly.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in

the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,