NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In 2020, it 
accounted for nearly 10 million deaths. As per WHO, it is expected that annual cancer cases will 
rise within the next 2 decades.  More than 60% of world’s total new annual cases occur in Africa, 
Asia and Central and South America. Likewise in the Philippines, cancer remains a national health 
concern. It is the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country after diseases of the 
heart and the vascular system. 
According to a study undertaken by the University of the Philippines' Institute of Human 
Genetics, National Institutes of Health, 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are affected by cancer, with 
four Filipinos dying of cancer every hour or 96 cancer patients every day. It is a silent killer that 
brings many devastating effects to Filipino families. 
This bill aims to create a dedicated institute that will cater and ensure cancer treatment and 
care of cancer patients. It establishes the National Cancer Center of the Philippines, a hospital that 
specializes on cancer diagnosis, timely and optimal treatment, responsive palliative care and pain 
management, and rehabilitation of cancer patients.  
The pertinent powers of the National Cancer Center are as follows: 
September 5, 2022
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a) To construct, establish, operate and maintain a world-class specialized cancer hospital
for the public welfare; 
b) To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention of cancer and
the care and/or treatment of cancer patients and related activities, including sponsorship and 
conduct of relevant congresses, convention, seminars and conferences;  
c) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological, demographic,
social, economic physiological aspects of cancer, its abnormalities and control; and gather, 
compile, and publish the findings of such researches for public dissemination;  
d) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and information on
the prevention, treatment and control of cancer, to arouse, enhance and develop public interest 
on cancer awareness, general health and physical fitness;  
e) 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 
cancer healthcare services, and related activities;  
f) To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in their studies of cellular
anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of, or affecting the human cell, related 
fields and to support educational programs of value to general health;  
g) 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  
h) To extend medical services to the general public, especially the poor and less fortunate
in life who are suffering from cancer. 
The establishment and maintenance of a cancer center would primarily benefit cancer 
patients and their families and would lessen their physical, mental, emotional and financial 
burdens. 


For the foregoing reasons, the immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
          Manila Teachers Party-list 


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in  Congress 
assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines Act."  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared as the policy of the State to 
secure the well-being of the people by providing them with specialized health services that targets 
the eradication of deadly diseases in the country. Towards this end and in line with the policy 
declared in Republic Act. No. 11215, otherwise known as National Integrated Cancer Control 
Act, a world class center that will specifically focus on the study of the prevention and treatment 
of this disease shall be established.  
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SECTION 3. Creation of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines. - There is 
hereby created a trust, for the benefit primarily of the Filipino people, under the name and style 
of "National Cancer Center of the Philippines."  
 
The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall be administered by a Board of 
Trustees, composed of seven (7) members, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines. 
The Director of the hospital shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees.  
The six (6) appointive members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without compensation 
for a period of four (4) years and until their successors have been appointed. Any vacancy in the 
Board shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Philippines, and the appointee shall 
serve for the unexpired term. The Board of Trustees of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines shall elect a Chairman among themselves, who shall be the presiding officer of the 
Board of Trustees.  
The Director of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall serve as Vice Chairman 
of the Board. The Director shall act as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Cancer Center 
of the Philippines with authority, among others, to appoint, remove, and fix the compensation of 
the personnel thereof, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with 
Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known as the "GOCC Governance Act of 2011".  
Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to transact business 
and any decision made by four (4) members on any matter duly presented to the Board of Trustees 
shall constitute a valid and binding act of the Philippine National Cancer Hospital.  
SECTION 4. Purpose and Objectives. - The National Cancer Center of the Philippines 
shall cooperate with the cancer centers, established through R.A. No. 11215, to carry out its 
purpose and objectives laid down in Sec. 10 of R.A. No. 11215, and shall have the following 
purpose and objectives:  


a) To construct, establish, operate and maintain a world-class specialized cancer hospital 
for the public welfare;  
 
b) To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention of cancer and 
the care and/or treatment of cancer patients and related activities, including sponsorship and 
conduct of relevant congresses, convention, seminars and conferences;  
 
c) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological, demographic, 
social, economic physiological aspects of cancer, its abnormalities and control; and gather, 
compile, and publish the findings of such researches for public dissemination;  
 
d) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and information on 
the prevention, treatment and control of cancer, to arouse, enhance and develop public interest 
on cancer awareness, general health and physical fitness;  
e) 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 
cancer healthcare services, and related activities;  
f) To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in their studies of cellular 
anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of, or affecting the human cell, related 
fields and to support educational programs of value to general health;  
g) 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  
h) To extend medical services to the general public, especially the poor and less fortunate 
in life who are suffering from cancer.  
SECTION 5. Powers of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines. - The National 
Cancer Center of the Philippines, as corporate body acting through its Board of Trustees, shall 
have the following powers:  


 
a) To acquire and hold in any property of whatever nature of description, and to dispose 
such property under any mode of encumbrance or conveyance;  
 
b) To contract and be contracted with;  
 
c) To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of its properties;  
 
d) To solicit and receive donations, endowments and funds in the form of contributions, 
whether in cash or in kind, from both public and private sectors;  
 
e) To open such accounts in banks and other financial institution, and to disburse such 
funds or invest the same as the Board may direct to accomplish or advance the purposes or 
interest of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines;  
 
f) To invite foreign cancer specialists and similar experts in various medical fields to train 
the personnel or trainees or residents of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines;  
 
g) To send the personnel of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines to research 
institutes, medical institutes or universities for advance training or observation and to attend 
international or regional conventions, conferences, congresses, and seminars as the Board may 
deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines;  
 
h) To adopt a set of By-Laws, rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law and 
provisions hereof to govern the administration and operation of the affairs of the National Cancer 
Center of the Philippines; and  
 


i) To do all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary or incidental for the 
accomplishment of the purpose and objectives of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines.  
 
SECTION 6. Government Contribution. - The government shall constitute the necessary 
land, building, equipment and facilities to the National Cancer Center of the Philippines, and 
shall pay such obligations for real, personal and  
mixed properties arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within 
five (5) years, at a preferred rate of interest.  
SECTION 7. Property of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines. - The property 
of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and 
other type of property, now owned or reserved for, or mat hereafter be given, donated, acquired, 
transferred or conveyed to the National Cancer Center of the Philippines 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 8. Assistance from Other Government Offices. - The National Cancer Center 
of the Philippines may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the 
government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, for such assistance it 
may need in pursuit of its  
purposes and objectives.  
SECTION 9. Tax Exemptions.  - All donations, contributions or endowments which may 
be made by entities or persons to the National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall be exempt 
from income and donors taxes, and the same shall be further deductible in full for purposes of 
computing the maximum amount deductible under Section 101 of the National Internal Revenue 
Code of 1997, as amended. The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall also 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 ten (10) years.  


SECTION 10. Appropriations. - An initial amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos (Php 
500,000,000.00) shall be allocated for the initial construction, operation, and maintenance of the 
National Cancer Center of the Philippines which shall be sourced from the General 
Appropriations. Subsequent funding for the years thereafter shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act under the Budgetary Support for Government Corporations.  
SECTION 11. Audit. - The books and accounts of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Commission on Audit (COA).  
 
SECTION 12. Annual Report.-  The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall 
render to the President of the Philippines an annual report of its activities and recommendations.  
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM) shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper 
implementation of this Act.  
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is subsequently declared 
unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force and 
effect.  
SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with any of the provision of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
modified accordingly.  
SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,