Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
 EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine 
Heart 
Center (PHC) 
is 
a 
hospital 
in Central, Quezon 
City, Philippines, specializing in the treatment of heart ailments. It was 
established in 1975. 
The Philippine Heart Center is a hospital specializing in the treatment of heart 
ailments. It has rooms for paying patients and charity patients and admits more 
than 14,000 patients every year, including at least 3,300 that undergo heart 
surgery. It holds regular training programs for medical professionals. It as one 
of the busiest congenital heart surgery centers in Asia. 
The Philippine Heart Center was established through Presidential Decree No. 
673 issued by president Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1975.
Its original name was the Philippine Heart Center for Asia and was changed to 
its current form in 1975. The first patient to be admitted to the PHC was Imelda 
Francisco, on April 14, 1975.
Cardiovascular specialists practiced there. The first Director of the PHC was 
Avenilo P. Aventura (1974-1986), a cardiovascular surgeon who performed many 
pioneering operations in the Philippines including the first successful renal 
transplantation in 1970, the first CABG in 1972, and developed and implanted 
the first ASEAN bio prosthesis, the PHCA porcine valve. 
November 7, 2022
10:55 am
5858


In 2014, the Philippine Heart Center was given a Qmentum International Gold 
Accreditation for August 2014 – 2017 by Accreditation Canada International for 
"excellence in hospital practices and safety. 
This House Bill seeks to provide Modernization Funding to the Philippine 
Heart Center, to ensure that the Philippine Heart Center shall be the leader in
upholding the highest standards of cardiovascular care, a self-reliant institution 
responsive to the health needs of the Filipino people. 
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR MODERNIZATION FUNDING FOR THE 
PHILIPPINE HEART CENTER (PHC), INCREASING AND 
REORGANIZING ITS ADMINISTRATION, TO PROVIDE A 
COMPREHENSIVE CARDIOVASCULAR CARE ENHANCED BY 
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
DECLARATION OF POLICY – It shall hereby be a 
declared policy of the State to foster the Philippine Heart Center as the leader 
in upholding the highest standards of cardiovascular care, a self-reliant 
institution responsive to the health needs of the Filipino people: 
a. To provide compassionate and expert patient care.
b. To provide world-class education and training.
c. To conduct Internationally acclaimed research.
d. To responsibly disseminate scientific and lay information to the public.
. 
. 
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The state shall continually improve the effectiveness of our Quality 
Management System towards equitable development for improved quality of life 
for all. 
The state shall formulate policies for the efficient and effective administration 
and management of all manpower, skills and competencies to ensure 
compliance. 
SECTION 
2. 
MODERNIZATION FUNDING. – The amount of Five 
Hundred 
Million 
Pesos 
(Php500,000,000.00) 
for 
the 
operation 
and 
administration of the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) shall be chargeable 
against funds for the purpose and other sources recommended by the 
Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Thereafter, appropriations for 
the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) shall be included in the budget proposals 
under the Philippine Heart Center (PHC). 
 
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall rationalize the existing 
organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Philippine Heart 
Center (PHC) in accordance with the provisions of this Act and relevant 
compensation and position classification laws, rules and regulations. 
Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued implementation of the 
modernization program, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
Act (GAA). 
SECTION 
3. 
PHILIPPINE 
HEART 
CENTER (PHC) 
MODERNIZATION FUND – There is hereby created the (PHC) Modernization 
Fund to be used exclusively for the (PHC) Modernization Program. 
The (PHC) Modernization Fund shall be administered by the Medical Director of 
the PHC in accordance with existing government budgeting, accounting and 
auditing rules and regulations. 


SECTION 
4. 
PROGRESS REPORT – The PHC shall prepare an 
annual report on the status of the implementation of the (PHC) Modernization 
Programs which shall be submitted, to the Office of the President and to the 
Chairpersons of the Committee on Health of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. 
SECTION 
5. 
PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTATION – The modernization 
program under this Act shall be implemented for a period of three (3) years:  
Provided, that payments for multi-year contract obligations incurred 
under this Act may extend beyond this period:  
Provided, further, That the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) shall continue 
to develop, modernize and constantly update its operational capabilities to keep 
pace with best global practices. 
SECTION 
6. 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS. – The Philippine Heart 
Center (PHC) shall continue to exercise and uphold the following powers and 
functions; but not limited to: 
The functions of the Philippine Heart Center are: 
1. To construct, establish, operate and 
maintain a heart center for the public welfare, 
including a specialized heart hospital; 
2. To promote, encourage and engage in 
scientific research on the prevention of cardio-
vascular diseases and the care and/or treatment 
of heart patients and related activities, including 
sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses, 
conventions, seminars, and conferences; 


3. To stimulate and/or underwrite 
scientific researches on the biological, 
demographic, social, economic, eugenic, 
physiological aspects of cardio-vascular 
disorders and abnormalities and their control; 
and gather, compile, and publish the findings of 
such researches for public dissemination; 
4. To facilitate and encourage the 
dissemination and exchange of ideas and 
information on the prevention, treatment and 
control of heart diseases; to arouse, enhance 
and develop public interest on heart 
consciousness or awareness, general health and 
physical fitness, especially on human cardio-
vascular requirements and other relevant or 
related fields; 
5. To encourage and/or undertake the 
training of physicians, nurses, medical 
technicians, health officers and social workers 
on the practical and scientific conduct and 
implementation of cardiac services, and related 
activities; 
6. To assist universities, hospitals and 
research institutions in their studies of cardio-
vascular anomalies, to encourage advanced 
training on matters of, or affecting the heart, 
and related fields and to support educational 
programs of value to general health; 


7. To encourage the formation of other 
organizations 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  
8. To extend medical and cardiological 
services to the general public, to help prevent, 
relieve or alleviate the innumerable cardio-
vascular afflictions and maladies of the people 
specially the poor and less fortunate in life, 
without regard to race, creed, color or political 
belief. 
For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above purposes and 
objectives, the Philippine Heart Center, as a body corporate, acting through its 
Board of Trustees, shall have all the powers pertaining to a juridical person, 
and is therefore authorized, among other things: 
1. To acquire and hold in any manner 
property of whatever nature or description, and 
to dispose of such property under any mode of 
encumbrance or conveyance; 
2. To contract and be contracted with; 
3. To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, 
convey or otherwise dispose of its properties; 


4. 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; 
5. 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 Heart Center; 
6. To invite foreign heart specialists and 
similar experts in the various medical fields to 
train the personnel or trainees or residents of 
the Philippine Heart Center; 
7. To send the personnel of the Philippine 
Heart Center to research institutes, medical 
institutes or universities for advance training or 
observation and to attend international or 
regional conventions, conferences, congresses, 
seminars as the Board may deem necessary to 
accomplish the purposes and objectives of the 
Philippine Heart Center; 
8. To adopt a set of by-laws, rules and 
regulations not inconsistent with law and the 
provisions hereof to govern the administration 
and operation of the affairs of the Philippine 
Heart Center; and 


9. To do all such other acts and things as 
are or may be necessary or incidental for the 
accomplishment of the purposes and objectives 
of the Philippine Heart Center. 
SECTION 
7. 
INCREASE OF PERSONNEL. – The PHC shall maintain 
the sufficient staffing pattern. Hence, it is authorized to increase its manpower 
to meet such required and may continue to increase personnel per percentage 
rate increase of committed mandates annually or as the need arises. 
SECTION 8. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS. The Government shall 
contribute the necessary land, building, equipment and facilities, to the 
Philippine Heart Center, and shall pay such obligations for real, personal and 
mixed properties arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment 
arrangement within three (3) years, at a preferred rate of interest. 
 
SECTION 9. PROPERTY OF THE CENTER. The property of the Philippine 
Heart 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 Heart Center by the 
Philippine Government, its branches and instrumentalities, any foreign 
government, as well as by trust, foundations, corporations, or persons, alien or 
domestic, in order to carry out its purposes and objectives as set forth herein. 
 
SECTION 10. TAX EXEMPTIONS, ETC. All donations, contributions or 
endowments which may be made by entities or persons to the Philippine Heart 
Center shall be exempt from income and gift taxes, and the same shall be further 
deductible in full for purposes of computing the maximum amount deductible 
under the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended. 
 


The Philippine Heart Center shall 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 five (5) years. 
All income earned by foreign doctors who shall use the facilities of the PHC shall 
be tax exempt for a period of ten years from the date of issuance hereof. 
SECTION 11. ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICES, ETC. The 
Philippine Heart 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 powers and 
functions. 
 
All individuals, entities and institutions are hereby enjoined to render full 
assistance and cooperation to the Philippine Heart Center in the 
accomplishment of its objectives and activities. 
SECTION 
12. GOVERNMENT 
SUPPORT - 
The 
amount 
of 
(Php250,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as contribution of the National 
Government for the initial modernization of the Philippine Heart Center. On 
the year of the approval of this act. 
 
Thereafter, the necessary amount to support the continued modernization 
of the Philippine Heart Center shall be appropriated and released, subject to 
the approval of the President of the Philippines. 
SECTION 
13. 
TRANSITORY 
PROVISION – 
Existing 
industries, 
businesses and offices affected by the implementation of this Act shall be given 
six (6) months transitory period from the effectivity of the IRR or such other 
period as may be determined, to comply with the requirements of this Act. 


SECTION 
14. AUDITING - The books and accounts of the Philippine 
Heart Center shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Chairman of the 
Commission on Audit, or his duly authorized representative. 
SECTION 
15. 
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. – The 
departments and agencies charged with carrying out the provisions of this Act 
shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate the 
necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation. 
SECTION 
16. 
REPEALING CLAUSE. – All laws, decrees, executive 
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 
17. 
SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. – If, for any reason, any 
section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other 
sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 
18. 
EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. – This Act shall take effect 
after fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two 
(2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes earlier. 
Approved,