! < (, ,1 ~ 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
3390 
S.B. No. ___ _ 
Introduced by SENATOR JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is a policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
Accordingly, Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 
Philippine Constitution provides that "The 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 underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. X x x" 
The incidence of ear, nose, throat, head and neck (ENTHN) disorders in the country has 
become more prevalent and has affected the quality of life of most Filipinos. Respiratory tract 
infections which include colds, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis and laryngitis are among the leading 
causes of morbidity in the Philippines. Study shows that ratios of 1 to 2 per 1000 live births are 
born with cleft lip or cleft palate. More than one million Filipinos, on the other hand, are 
estimated to have hearing impairment. ENTHN disorders not only affect the productivity and 
performance of a person but also cause permanent disabilities and deformities. Despite the 
high prevalence rate of ENTHN diseases and their tremendous effect on health, these 
conditions have not been given enough attention and priority. 
This bill, therefore, seeks to establish the Philippine Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Center 
which will provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and specialized medical services for 
the prevention, control and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head and neck disorders. 
The establishment and maintenance of the Philippine ENT Center will focus on the ENT 
diseases to primarily benefit persons suffering from ENTHN diseases and those who are unable 
to secure the necessary medical treatment because of the high cost of specialized medical 
services. The Philippine ENT Center will ensure the accessibility and availability of specialized 
medical services needed by ENT patients in the country. The Center will also enhance and 
integrate the research undertakings of the government on these diseases. 
Further, the 
Philippine ENT Center will be the venue for advanced training of medical and technical 
personnel to render high quality and state of the art medical services for the prevention, 
control and treatment of ENTHN disorders. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


, .,' 
~, 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
3390 
S.B. No. ___ _ 
Introduced by SENATOR JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) CENTER AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFORE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration 0/ Policy. - It is hereby declared 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 Philippine ENT Center shall have the following objectives: 
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; 
bl 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; 
cl Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions, conferences, 
seminars, workshops 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; 
el 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 
g) 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; 
c) 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 
training and short-term courses for medical doctors and allied medical professionals; 
and 
d) Program development and research to develop cutting edge research and programs 
to combat diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck. 
SEC. 4. Board of Trustees. - The Philippine ENT Center 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 
ofthis Act; 
c) 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 direction 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; 


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 
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; 
c) 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; 
d) 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 
f) 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 1997, 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 
assessment 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, 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 necessary for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 
13. Appropriations. 
--
The 
amount of three hundred 
million 
pesos 
(P300,000,000.00) 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 thirty (30) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,