THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OFTHE PHICPPWES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 15, provides: 
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The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne pathogen that is a major cause of chronic liver 
disease, which according to the American Liver Foundation, is common among 
emergency response employees and volunteers due to the unique nature of their jobs. 
Since there is no known cure for Hepatitis C, the government should expand 
efforts to prevent emergency response employees from getting infected with the disease. 
Hence, this bill seeks to provide for a study to determine the prevalence of 
Hepatitis C among firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other 
emergency response employees and undertake demonstration projects to provide training, 
testing, a3d- treatmen: 
regarding -cases of the disease among such employees and 
volunteers. 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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’04 Jili 27 P4 :5R 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR A STUDY AND FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS 
REGARDING CASES OF HEPATITIS C AMONG FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, 
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
EMPLOYEES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
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Congress assembled:” “ 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the 
Employees Disease Protection Act.” 
SECTION 2. Study and Demonsiration Projects Regarding Cases of Hepatitis C 
Among Certain Emergency Response Employees. - 
(1) STUDY REGARDING PREVALENCE AMONG CERTAIN 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES - 
(A) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of Health (referred to in this 
Act as “Secretary”), in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and 
Employement, shall conduct a study to determine - 
(i) an estimate of the prevalence of Hepaptitis C among designated 
emergency response employees; and 
(ii) the likely means through which such employees become 
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infected with such isease in the course of performing their duties as such 
employees. 
(B) DESIGNATED EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES - 
For purposes of this Section, the term “designated emergency response 
employees” means firefighters, paramedics, and emergency m dical 
technicians. 
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(C) DATE CERTAIN FOR COMPLETION; REPORT TO 
CONGRESS - The Secretary shall commence the study under paragraph 
(A) not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. Not later than one (1) year after such date, the Secretary shall 
complete the study and submit to the Congress a report describing the 
findings of the study and the recommendations of the Secretary for 
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- adminMrative or legislative initiatives regarding the activities described in 
paragraph (A). 
(D) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS REGARDING TRAINING 
AND TREATMENT - The Secretary, in consultaion with the Secretary of 
Labor, shall carry out each of the following activities: 
(i) Training designated elhergency response employe s in 
minimizing the risk of infection with Hepatitis C in performin their 
duties as such employees ; 
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(ii) Testing such employees for infection with the disease ; and 
(iii) Treating the mployees for the disease. 
(E) EVALUATIONS - The Secretary shall provide for an 
evaluation of each demonstration project under paragraph (A) in order to 
determine the extent to which the project has been effective in carrying out 
the activities described in such paragraph. 
(F) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS - There is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to cany out the provisions 
of this Act. 
SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, 
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the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulatior 
or inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified: 
accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
)r issuance, 
contrary to, 
or amended 
j) days after