TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 880
oi L!-
25 AUG “4 P6:10
RECOVcO By;
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PANDEMIC AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS PLAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The vulnerabilities and structural flaws in the public health system of the 
Philippines have been brought to light by the COVID-19 epidemic. The country 
struggled with coordination, resource allocation, and prompt reaction despite the 
heroic efforts of our healthcare professionals and institutions. These difficulties 
highlight the necessity of an all-encompassing, institutionalized framework for 
managing and anticipating public health emergencies.
The Philippines, as a developing nation, faced considerable challenges in 
managing the pandemic's multifaceted effects on public health, the economy, and 
society at large. The strain on healthcare facilities, the vulnerability of frontline 
workers, and the disruption of essential services revealed the urgent need for a 
comprehensive and institutionalized approach to public health emergencies.
This bill seeks to establish a Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency 
Preparedness Plan, aiming to fortify our nation's capacity to anticipate, respond to, 
and recover from public health crises.


By institutionalizing these measures, the bill aims to build a resilient public 
health infrastructure capable of mitigating the adverse effects of future pandemics 
and health emergencies. It emphasizes the importance of a coordinated, science- 
based approach that leverages the strengths of both national and local entities.
A similar version of this measure was filed by Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy S. 
Binay during the Nineteenth Congress and considering the lessons learned from the 
COVID-19 pandemic and the imperative to safeguard public health, the immediate 
passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
INGGQY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No.
/(@fficr i){ t!i'
25 AUG-4 P6 :10
lU:CEl\i'k.O BY:
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PANDEMIC AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS PLAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. This Act shall be known as the "Pandemic and Other Public Health
2 
Emergency Preparedness Acf.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall endeavor to efficiently and
4 
immediately address all potential and actual public health emergencies for the
5 
protection of the health and safety of the people.
6 
While considering national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest
7 
and the right to self-determination, paramount in its relations with other states, the
8 
State shall, at all times, give utmost importance to the health of its citizens whether
9 
in the country or overseas, including Filipino migrant workers.
10 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following shall
11 
mean:
12 
(a) Public Health Emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an
13 
illness or health condition, caused by bioterrorism, epidemic or pandemic
14 
disease or a novel and highly infectious agent or biological toxin, that poses
15 
a substantial risk of a significant number of human facilities or incident or
16 
permanent or long-term disability;


1 
(b) Pandemic refers to an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide
2 
area, crossing international boundaries, affecting a large number of people;
3 
(c) Quarantine refers to separation or restriction of movement of persons who
4 
are exposed or may be infected to protect the public from disease.
5 
Quarantine may be practiced by individuals in their homes;
6 
(d) Isolation refers to separation or restriction of movement of an ill person
7 
from healthy persons by way of seclusion in hospitals or designated health
8 
care facility;
9 
(e) Social distancing also called physical distancing in which space of at least
10 
two (2) meters is maintained between and among persons in a public place.
11 
It also refers to a prohibition of mass gatherings of fifty (50) persons or
12 
more and avoidance of crowded places;
13 
(f) Health Care Facility refers to any institution, building or agency or portion
14 
thereof that is used, operated or designated to provide health services,
15 
medical treatment, or nursing, rehabilitative or preventive care to any
16 
person or persons;
17 
(g) Health Care Provider refers to any person or entity providing health care
18 
services including, but not limited to, hospitals, medical clinics and offices,
19 
special care facilities, medical laboratories, physicians, pharmacists,
20 
physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered and other nurses,
21 
paramedics, medical and laboratory technicians, and ambulance and
22 
emergency medical workers; and
23 
(h) Frontline Worker refers to any worker who performs any task essential to
24 
keep vital services in motion during a public health emergency despite great
25 
risk to himself and his family.
26 
Sec. 4. Pandemic Emergency Council. - The Pandemic and Other Health
27 
Emergency Council (Council) is hereby established and composed of the following: the
28 
Secretary of Health, as ex-officio Chairman of the Council, with the Secretaries of the
29 
Interior and Local Government, Labor and Employment, Foreign Affairs, Justice,
30 
Tourism, Transportation, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, and Budget and
31 
Management, Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Association


1 
(POEA), President of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as ex-
2 
officio members, and three representatives from private and health sectors.
3 
The Council shall convene within thirty (30) days following the approval of the
4 
Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act. Upon organization of the Council, It
5 
shall draw a National Pandemic and Other Heaith Emergency Plan. And conduct a
6 
briefing for all local government units and health care workers In the government
7 
sector.
8 
The Council shall recommend to the President of the Republic of the Philippines
9 
the declaration of a public health emergency in accordance with medical guidelines
10 
and protocols.
11 
Sec. 5. Creation of the National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency
12 
Plan. - The Council shall create a National Pandemic and Other Public Health
13 
Emergency Plan. This strategy shall provide for the integrated policy coordination and
14 
strategic direction with respect to all matters related to national public health and
15 
medical preparedness and execution and deployment of national response, guidelines
16 
and protocols before, during, and following a pandemic, epidemic, or public health
17 
emergency.
18 
Sec. 6. Components of a National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency
19 
Plan. - The National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency Plan shall include:
20 
(a) Provisions for increasing the preparedness, response capabilities, and surge
21 
capacity of ambulatory care facilities, dental health facilities, and critical
22 
care service systems;
23 
(b) Plans for optimizing a coordinated and flexible approach to the medical
24 
surge capacity of hospitals, other health care facilities, critical care, and
25 
trauma care and emergency medical systems;
26 
(c) Provisions taking into account the unique needs of individuals with
27 
disabilities in a pandemic or public health emergency; and
28 
(d) Strategic initiatives to advance counter measures to diagnose, mitigate,
29 
prevent or treat harm from any biological agent or toxin or any chemical,
30 
radiological or nuclear agents, whether naturally occurring, unintentional or
31 
deliberate.


1 
Sec. 7. Health Care Facilities and Services. - The Council, in coordination with
2 
iocai government units and concerned government agencies, shall set up health care
3 
facilities, testing offices and laboratories, quarantine sites and isolation centers which
4 
shall undertake pandemic prevention and preparedness services and activities, and
5 
shall respond to any public health emergency.
6 
SEC. 8. Isolation or Quarantine of Individuals or Groups. - The Council may, in
7 
cooperation with the concerned local chief executive, authorize the lockdown, isolation
8 
or quarantine of individuals or groups of individuals during a public health emergency,
9 
in accordance with existing rules and regulations.
10 
Restriction on the movement of persons in and out of the initially affected area
11 
by the Council shall likewise be permitted under this Act. If evidence indicates
12 
amplified transmission or dispersion of the infection into the wider community, the
13 
Council shall be authorized to adapt social distancing measures, which may include
14 
the closing of schools or cancellation of mass gatherings.
15 
Sec. 9. Privately-owned Health Care Facilities. - The Council may require
16 
privately owned health care facilities to provide services of its facility in the event of a
17 
pandemic or public health emergency If government institutions are unable to cope
18 
with the pandemic or public health emergency.
19 
Sec. 10. Control of Pharmaceutical Agents and Medical Supplies. - The Council
20 
shall purchase, store or distribute sufficient quantity or anti-viral agents for respiratory
21 
diseases and other highly communicable diseases, anti-toxins, serums, vaccines and
22 
other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies that it considers advisable in the
23 
interest of preparing for or controlling pandemic or any kind of public health
24 
emergency.
25 
Sec. 11. Monitoring Program. - A comprehensive pandemic or public health
26 
emergency monitoring program shall be established by the Council to determine and
27 
monitor the presence, magnitude, and progression of any infection or a new strain
28 
thereof in the country, and for the purpose of evaluating the adequacy and efficacy
29 
of counter measures being employed.
30 
Sec. 12. Reporting Procedures. - All hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and testing
31 
centers for any infection or a new strain thereof shall adopt measures in assuring the
32 
reporting and confidentiality of any medical record, personal data, and other files. The


1 
Council through its monitoring programs shall receive, collate, and evaluate all related
2 
medical reports. The Council monitoring data base shall utilize a coding system that
3 
promotes anonymity.
4 
Sec. 13. Vaccination of Healthcare Workers. - Healthcare workers involved in
5 
the care of patients shall be vaccinated with the most recent vaccine for respiratory
6 
diseases and other appropriate vaccines as may be determined by the Council.
7 
Sec. 14. Wearing of Surgicai Masks and Persona! Protective Equipment (PPE).
8 
- For their protection, healthcare workers and first responders shall be provided with
9 
N95 respiratory masks and well-fitting surgical masks and PPE. Patients are likewise
10 
required to wear surgical masks.
11 
Sec. 15. Surveiitance and Monitoring of Healthcare and Frontline Workers. -
12 
Healthcare workers shall be vigilant of the development of fever, respiratory systems
13 
and/or other symptoms after exposure to infected patients. Healthcare workers who
14 
become ill should seek medical care and should be quarantined for fourteen (14) days
15 
in accordance with existing protocols unless an alternative diagnosis is established, or
16 
diagnostic tests are negative for the strain subject of the pandemic or public health
17 
emergency.
18 
Sec. 16. Hazard Pay for Healthcare and Frontline Workers. - In addition to
19 
existing benefits provided for by law, healthcare and frontline workers who render
20 
actual service during a pandemic or public health emergency shall be given hazard
21 
pay to be determined by the Council.
22 
Sec. 17. Creation of Task Force on Public Health Emergencies. - A task force
23 
under the control of the Secretary of Health shall be established in order to conduct
24 
research necessary for the creation of National Pandemic and Other Public Health
25 
Emergency Plan. The Task Force shall be composed of representatives from:
26 
(l)The Department of Health (DOH);
27 
(2)The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council
28 
(3)The Department of Interior and Local Government
29 
(4) The National Security Adviser; and
30 
(5) The Philippine National Red Cross.
31 
Sec. 18. Functions of the Task Force on Public Health Emergencies. -The Task
32 
Force shall:


1 
(a) Monitor emerging issues and concerns as they relate to medical and public
2 
health preparedness and response for at-risk individuals in the event of
3 
pandemic or public health emergency;
4 
(b) Identify and minimize gaps, duplication and other inefficiencies in medical
5 
and public health preparedness and response activities and the actions
6 
necessary to overcome these obstacles;
7 
(c) Disseminate and update novel and best practices of outreach to and care of
8 
at-risk individuals before, during, and following public health emergencies
9 
in as timely a manner as is practicable, including from the time a public
10 
health threat is identified; and
11 
(d) Ensure that public health and medical Information distributed by the
12 
government during a pandemic or public health emergency is delivered in a
13 
manner that takes into account the range of the communication needs of
14 
the intended recipients, including at-risk individuals.
15 
Sec. 19. Creation of Medical Reserve Corps. - The Secretary of Health shall
16 
establish a medical reserve corps composed of volunteer health professionals. The
17 
Medical Reserve Corps shall be called into duty if needed during a pandemic or public
18 
health emergency.
19 
Sec. 20. Duty of Heads of Families, Persons-in-Charge of Places. - Where a
20 
person living in a building used for human habitation is suffering from infection, the
21 
head of the family or the relatives shall immediately send notice of the same to the
22 
nearest city or municipal health office.
23 
If it is a child attending a school, orphanage or other such situation or a person
24 
residing in any hotel, boarding house or other such institution, the person in charge
25 
of such a place shall send notice of the infectious disease to the nearest city or
26 
municipal health officer and give the officer a list of students or residents together
27 
with their addresses.
28 
Sec. 21. Duty of Medical Practitioners and other Healthcare Providers. - Every
29 
medical practitioner who attends to a patient suffering from a respiratory illness shall
30 
send to the nearest city or municipal health office a report stating the name of the
31 
patient and the situation of the building.


1 
Any medical practitioner who becomes aware, by post-mortems or other
2 
means, that any person had died of an infectious disease shall immediately give to the
3 
nearest city or municipal health office a certificate of such disease and inform the head
4 
of the household, person in charge of school, orphanage, hotel and so on, on the
5 
infectious nature of the disease and the precautions to be taken to prevent its
6 
conveyance in others.
7 
Sec. 22. Power of the City or Municipal Health Officers. - A city or municipal
8 
health officer may at any time enter and inspect premises in which he has reason to
9 
believe that someone is suffering from or had recently suffered from any infectious
10 
disease. The city or municipal health officer may medically examine any person in such
11 
premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether such person is suffering or has
12 
recently suffered from any infectious disease. He may also order the confinement of
13 
infected individuals to prevent transmission or spread of suspected infectious disease.
14 
Sec. 23. Duty of the City or Municipal Health Officers. - If a city or municipal
15 
health officer is of the opinion that the cleansing and disinfecting of any building or
16 
any part of the building, and any articles in the building which are likely to retain
17 
infection or would tend to prevent or check infectious diseases, it shall be his/her duty
18 
to give notice in writing to the owner or occupant of the building specifying the steps
19 
to be taken to cleanse and disinfect the building and articles within a specified time.
20 
Sec. 24. Medical Examination and Treatment of Overseas Filipino Workers
21 
(OFWs). - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in coordination
22 
with the PhilHealth, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Council, shall
23 
undertake the medical examination and treatment of returning OFWs in cases of a
24 
pandemic or similar event locally or abroad. All costs attendant to the medical
25 
examination and treatment of returning OFWs shall be borne by the Phil Health.
26 
Sec. 25. Creation of Emergency Fund. - There is hereby created and established 
21 an emergency fund for the medical examination and treatment of OFWs under the
28 
administration, control and supervision of the PhilHealth initially to consist of Fifty
29 
million pesos (P50,000,000.00) which shall be taken from the existing fund in trust by
30 
the PhilHealth for the benefit of OFWs.
31 
Sec. 26. Authority of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). —
32 
The functions and responsibilities of OWWA shall include the following:


1 
(a) The formulation and implementation of measures and programs, in
2 
consultation with appropriate agencies, to safeguard the health of OFWs
3 
and their families abroad; and
4 
(b)The forging of memorandum of agreements with the POEA, the DOH, the
5 
DFA, the PhilHealth and other appropriate international organizations in
6 
connection with the purpose of this Act.
7 
Sec. 27. Penalties. -
8 
(a) Penalty for individuals who Refuse or Violate Isolation, Quarantine, Testing,
9 
Vaccination under Section 8. - Any person who refuses treatment, testing,
10 
examination for diagnosis or treatment or isolation and quarantine in
11 
accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations and to the detriment
12 
of general public shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not more than
13 
six (6) months or a fine of not more than One hundred thousand pesos
14 
(P100,000.00) or both upon the discretion of the court.
15 
(b) Penalty for Refusal to Provide Health Services under Section 9 of this Act. -
16 
The owner, manager or administrator of a private health care facility who
17 
refuses to give services or allow the use of its facility during a pandemic or
18 
public health emergency shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not
19 
more than one (1) year of a fine of not more than Two hundred thousand
20 
pesos (P200,000.00) or both upon the discretion of the court.
21 
(c) Penalty for Breach of Duty under Sections 20, 21, and 23 of this Act. - All
22 
persons, under a duty to inform the nearest city or municipal health office
23 
of the infectious disease, who fail to neglect to inform the same shall be
24 
sentenced to an imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or a fine of
25 
not more than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or both upon
26 
the discretion of the court.
27 
Sec. 28. Authorization of Appropriations. — To carry out the provisions of this
28 
Act, an initial fund of One billion pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated and
29 
such sums as may be necessary for the succeeding fiscal year.
30 
Sec. 29. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days from
31 
promulgation of this Act, the DOH, in collaboration with OWWA, the POEA, PhilHealth,


1 
Department of Justice, and the DFA and representatives from the private health sector
2 
shall issue the necessary rules and regulations.
3 
Sec. 30. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
4 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this
5 
Act.
6 
Sec. 31. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or
7 
portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby
8 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
9 
Sec. 32. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
10 complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,