Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No._ 5673

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr. and Irwin C.
Tieng (BUHAY Party List)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in the
Philippines, out of the 3,300 expected childhood cancer new cases each year, only
1,000 are cared for and the remaining 2,000 are neither diagnosed nor treated.

IARC adds that childhood cancers are often diagnosed at late stages, so that curative
treatment is more difficult or out of reach, resulting in only 20% attaining long-term
survival. Significantly, treatment decisions rely mainly on the financial capacities of
the families in that among 1,000 children with cancer, 1 out of 5 receives treatment
following local gold standards as paying patients.

In our country, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) reports that childhood
cancer survival is only at a miserable rate of 10% to 30% compared to the 95% of
developed countries. In other words, of the ten who are diagnosed, only two or three
will most likely survive. In Metro Manila, the cancer registry records reveal that in
three hospitals, 1 out of 8 children with cancer die every 3 hours. Verily, the PIA
concludes that the children die because they are poor, and so unable to afford the
high costs of medication and treatment.

In this light, pediatric cancer must be given special attention by boosting public
awareness, advancing the medical research, and making sure that the Filipino
children, especially the less fortunate ones, can avail of proper and adequate
treatment.

earnestly requested.

J

Velarde Jr.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

48

House Bill No._©

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr. and Irwin C.
Tieng (BUHAY Party List)

AN ACT TO ADVANCE THE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS ON
PEDIATRIC CANCERS, ENSURE PATIENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO
THE CURRENT TREATMENTS AND INFORMATION REGARDING PEDIATRIC
CANCERS, ESTABLISH A POPULATION-BASED NATIONAL CHILDHOOD
CANCER DATABASE, AND PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF PEDIATRIC
CANCERS.

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 "Conquer Childhood Cancer
Act of 2011".

SEC. 2. Policy of the State. - It is the policy of the State to:

(1) Encourage and expand the support for bio medical research programs of the
existing National Cancer Institute-designated multicenter national infrastructure for
pediatric cancer research;

(2) Establish a population-based national childhood cancer database (the National
Childhood Cancer Registry) to evaluate incidence trends of childhood cancers; and

to enable the investigations of genetic epidemiology to aid in development of
prevention strategies;

(3) Provide informational services to patients and families affected by childhood
cancer;

(4) Support the development, construction, and operation of a comprehensive online

public information system on childhood cancers and services available to families;
and


(5) Establish a fellowship program in pediatric cancer research to foster clinical and

translational research career development in pediatric oncologists in the early stages
of their career.

‘SEC. 3. Pediatric Cancer Research and Awareness. -

(1) Pediatrie Cancer Research. -

(a) Special Programs of Research Excellence in Pediatric Cancers. - The Secretary of
the Department of Health (DOH), acting through the Philippine Children's Medical
Center- Cancer Center (PCMC-CC), shall establish special programs of research
excellence in the area of pediatric cancers. Such programs shall demonstrate a
balanced approach to research cause, prognosis, prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of pediatric cancers that foster translation of basic research findings into
innovative interventions applied to patients.

(b) Fellowship of Excellence in Pediatric Cancer Research. - The DOH Secretary, in
cooperation with the PCMC-CC- supported pediatric cancer clinical trial groups,
shall develop a grant mechanism for the establishment of Research Fellowships in
Pediatric Cancer to support adequate numbers of pediatric focused clinical and
translational investigators thereby facilitating continuous momentum of research
excellence.

(2) National Childhood Cancel’ Registry. - The DOH Secretary shall award a grant
for the operation of a population-based national childhood cancer database, the
Philippine Cancer Control Program of the DOH, in cooperation with the DOH-Rizal

Cancer Registry, Philippine Cancer Society Inc. - Manila Cancer Registry, and the
PCMC-CC,

(3) Public Awareness of Pediatric Cancers and Available Treatments and Research. -
The DOH Secretary shall award grants to recognized childhood cancer professional
and advocacy organizations for the expansion and widespread implementation of
activities to raise public awareness of currently available information, treatment, and
research with the intent to ensure access to best available therapies for pediatric
cancers.

SEC. 4, Authorization of Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be appropriated from the General Appropriations Act,
for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016. Funds appropriated for this Act shall
remain available until expended.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - Any laws, decrees, ordinances or rules and regulations

which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provision of this Act is hereby
amended or repealed.


SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

pproved,

LN LO

el M. Velarde Jr.