EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
)
:g)| Senate
(©fficf of t!jf Ssmctai?
SENATE
1443
S. No.
20 APR 27 AK) 'M
Introduced by Senator PIA S. CAYETANO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH SECURITY AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
With the threat of COVID-19 continuously spreading across the country, the public 
health system is placed at a great challenge. This pandemic showed the gaps in the 
country's disease prevention, management and control m.echanlsms on health 
emergencies of both national and global scale. This ultimately affects the country's 
capacity to promote the right to health of the people as enshrined in the Constitution and 
ensure its commitment to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health 
Organization and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 which 
requires the State to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
There is a need to create a National Health Council that will review and recommend 
policies and create an integrated National Action Plan that ensures the capacity of the 
health system to respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic and in the advent of similar 
health emergencies and global outbreaks in the future.
Through the initiative of Representative Angelina "Helen" Tan, M.D., with a similar 
bill in the House of Representatives, this bill proposes to establish the Philippine National 
Health Security Council that will craft a health security national action plan. This national 
action plan highlights the national priorities for health security, establishes a medical


reserve corps to support the public health system, allocates resources for health security 
capacity development, and synergizes private initiatives and support.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
PIA S. CAYE-^NO


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
o( tijf gsfcrctarp
20 APR 27f AIO ‘45
SENATE
S. No. 1443
introduced by Senator PIA S. CAYETANO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH SECURITY AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Health Security
Act1
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — Section 15 of Article II of the 1987 Constitution 
of the Republic of the Philippines declares that the State shall protect and promote the 
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Section 11 of 
Article XIII of the Constitution mandates the adoption of an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development.
By virtue of its obligations under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 
the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines is required to build its core 
capacities in protecting its citizens, along with the citizens of other countries, from the 
spread of diseases and other health hazards. Further, the State reiterates its commitment 
to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 which calls 
on the State to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Towards this end, the State shall:


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(a) Protect the physical and mental health of the Filipinos, limit economic
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losses, and preserve confidence in government by strengthening public health and health
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care systems to effectively and swiftly confront the devastating consequences of risks,
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such as the emerging infectious diseases that could lead to a pandemic, use of chemical,
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biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, cyber warfare; and catastrophic natural
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disasters and human-caused incidents, through multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary
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approaches for effective alert and response systems;
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(b) Prepare, mobilize, and coordinate the whole-of-government and whole-of-
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society to bring the full spectrum of public health capabilities in the event of a public
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health emergency, disaster, or attack; and
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(c) 
Address gaps in coordinated patient care during the public health
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emergencies.
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Sec. 3. General Objectives. —This Act seeks to:
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(a) 
Establish a National Action Plan for Health Security;
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(b) 
Strengthen institutional capadtv' to implement disease prevention,
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surveillance, control, and response systems and implement contingency plan to deal with
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a deliberate release of biological or chemical agents intended to harm civilian populations;
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(c) 
Provide and strengthen a mechanism for the Health Security Interface;
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(d) 
Optimize health security based on the country's unique risks, challenges,
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and resources;
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(e) 
Develop an effective system of risk communications;
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(f) 
Provide a high-level framework to guide the implementation of the National
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Action Plan for Health Security;
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(g) 
Appoint a national high-level coordinator with authority and political
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accountability to lead whole-of-government and whole-of-socicty approaches to
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implement national preparedness measures across all sectors; and
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(h) 
Constitute a medical reserve corps as defined under Section 4 (f) of this
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Act.
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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
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(a) 
Cyber Warfare refers to the use of technology to launch attacks on nations,
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governments and citizens, causing comparable harm to actual warfare using weaponry.
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It is a nation-state-sanctioned attack on a computer system of another country and is


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accompi'fshed by means of hacking, computer viruses, and the like. It also refers to a
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computer or network-based conflict involving politically-motivated attacks by a nation-
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state on another nation-state. In these types of attacks, nation-state actors attempt to
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disrupt the activities of organizations or nation-states, especially for strategic or military
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purposes or cyberespionage;
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(b) 
Emerging Infectious Disease refers to one that either has appeared and
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affected a population for the first time, or has existed previously but is rapidly spreading,
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either in terms of the number of people getting infected, or to new geographical areas;
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(c) 
Heaith Security refers to the activities required to minimize the danger and
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impact of acute public health events that endanger the collective health of the population;
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(d) 
Health Security Interface refers to public health activities whose
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performance involves the security sector such as during the outbreak response operations
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in times of conflicts, and wars, deliberate events, including the intentional use of chemical
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or biological agents in order to cause harm, issues related to mass gatherings like major
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sporting events, festivals, and regular religious migrations, and activities that may arise
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in the course a natural disease outbreak;
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(e) 
International Health Regulations (IHR) refer to a legally binding instrument
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of international law that aims to assist countries to work together to save lives and
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livelihoods endangered by the international spread of diseases and other health risks and
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avoid unnecessary Interference with international trade and travel;
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(f) 
Medical Reserve Corps refers to a team of medical experts, scientists,
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licensed medical practitioners, members of the Reserve Force of the Armed Forces of the
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Philippines (AFP) in the Medical Service, and volunteers trained for health emergencies,
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under the command of the Philippine National Health Security Council (PNHSC), with a
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primary mission of supporting the public health system during periods of health
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emergencies;
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(g) 
National Action Rian for Heaith Security (NAPHS) refers to a country-owned,
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multi-year, planning process that can accelerate the implementation of IHR core
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capacities and is based on One Health and who!e-of-government approach for all hazards.
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It captures national priorities for health security, brings sectors together, identifies
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partners and allocates resources for health security capacity development. The NAPHS
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also provides an overarching process to capture all ongoing preparedness initiatives in a


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country along with a country's governance mechanism for emergency and disaster risk
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management;
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(h) 
National IHR Focal Point refers to the national center, which shall be
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accessible at all times for communications with the World Health Organization (WHO)
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IHR contact points in the WHO regional offices;
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(i) 
One Health refers to an approach to designing and implementing programs,
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policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work
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together to achieve better public health outcomes. The areas of work in which a One
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Health approach is particularly relevant include food safety, the control of zoonoses, and
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combating antibiotic resistance;
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Pandemic refers to the worldwide spread of a new disease;
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(k) 
Public Health Risk refers to an event:
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a. That might adversely affect the health of human populations; and
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b. That satisfies any one or more of the foliowing conditions:
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(i) 
The health effects of the event might spread within the Philippines;
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(ii) 
The health effects of the event might spread between the
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Philippines and another country;
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(iii) The health effects of the event might spread between two (2) other
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countries;
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(iv) The event might present a serious and direct danger.
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CHAPTER II
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PHILIPPINE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR HEALTH SECURITY
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Sec. 5. Formulation of the Philippine National Action Plan for Health Security
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(PNAPHS). - There shall be created a Philippine National Action Plan for Health Security
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(PNAPHS), which shall include the following:
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(a) Review of all existing national plans and capacity assessments, stakeholder
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analysis, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and prioritization
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of technical areas of action;
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(b) Review of health infrastructure;


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(c) Identification and prioritization of activities based on risk assessment,
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monitoring and evaluation, detailed costing of activities, and mapping resources; and
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(d) Evidence-based priority actions tliat can be implemented quickly to have
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immediate impact, and long-term actions for sustainable capacity development to
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improve IHR capacities for health security and health systems.
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The PNAPHS shall be formulated and updated by the Philippine National Health
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Security Council (PNHSC) established under the succeeding section of this Act.
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CHAPTER III
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PHILIPPINE NATIONAL HEALTH SECURITY COUNCIL
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Sec. 6. Creation of the Philippine National Health Security Council (PNHSC). —
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There is hereby created the Philippine National Health Security CouncH (PNHSC), which
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shall be an inter-agency body administratively attached to the Department of Health.
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Sec. 7. Functions. - The PNHSC shall perform the following functions:
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(a) Develop the PNAPHS, in collaboration with relevant government agencies, civil
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society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders;
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(b) Ensure the operationalization and implementation of the PNAPHS;
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(c) Strengthen the collaboration between government agencies and CSOs involved
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in the implementation of the PNAPHS;
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(d) Develop and ensure the irhplementation of the guidelines and policies provided
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in this Act, including other policies that may be necessary to implement the PNAPHS;
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(e) Establish preparedness and ensure efficient government response to assess,
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monitor, contain, control, and prevent the spread of any potential epidemic in the
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Philippines;
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(0 Establish a Medical Reserve Corps under the command of the PNHSC, consisting
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of medical experts, scientists, licensed medical practitioners and volunteers trained for
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health emergencies, whose primary mission is to support the country's public health
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system during a health emergency. Members of the Reserve Force of the AFP appointed
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to the Medical Services, as provided in AFP Circular No. 4, GHQ dated 5 July 2010, shall
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be included in the Medical Reserve Corps;


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(g) Craft the necessary guidelines in the creation, recruitment, selection, and
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compensation of the Medical Reserve Corps members;
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(h) Develop a continuing training program for the Medical Reserve Corps members,
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through written, practical and simulation activities, on various aspects of health
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emergency management and response and on the different health emergency situations
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and scenarios;
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(i) Institute efficient mechanisms to address concerns over cybersecurity of
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medical devices and hospital networks and prevention of cybersecurity breaches that
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affect the operation of medical devices;
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(j) Monitor the progress of the commitment of the country to the IHR of the WHO;
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(k) Monitor the implementation of the PNAPHS, undertake regular assessments,
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and evaluate its impact;
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(I) Mobilize sources of funds for the PNAPHS;
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(m) Mobilize its members to conduct monitoring and evaluation of programs,
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policies, and services within their mandate;
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(n) Coordinate, organize, and work in partnership with foreign and international
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organizations regarding funding, data collection, and research, and ensure foreign-funded
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programs are aligned to the national response;
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(o) Advocate for policy reforms to Congress and other government agencies to
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strengthen the country's health security;
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(p) Submit an annual report to the Office of the President, Congress, and the
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members of the Council;
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(q) Identify the gaps in the national response on the part of government agencies
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and its partners from civil society and international organizations, in order to develop and
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implement initial interventions required in health security situations;
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(r) Recommend policies and programs that will institutionalize or continue the
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interventions required in addressing the gaps identified in the national response to health
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security;
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(s) Facilitate and support health security initiatives and activities at the local level;
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and
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(t) In addition to the powers and functions enumerated under the preceding
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paragraph, the members of the PNHSC shall also develop and implement individual action


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plans, which shall be anchored to and integrated in the PNAPHS. Such action plans shall
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be based on the duties, powers, and functions of the individual agencies as identified
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under Section 8 of this Act.
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The PNHSC may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or
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instrumentality of the government, including Government-Owned or Controlled
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Corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), local government units
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(LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), specialists and experts, and the private
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sector for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require.
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Sec. 8. Membership and Composition. - The PNHSC shall be composed of the
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following:
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(a) The Secretary of Health;
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(b) The Executive Secretary;
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(c) The Secretary of National Defense;
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(d) The Secretary of Foreign Affairs;
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(e) The Secretary of Interior and Local Government;
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(f) The Secretary of Justice;
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(g) The Secretary of Budget and Management;
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(h) The Secretary of Trade and Industry;
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(i) The Secretary of Agriculture;
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0) The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources;
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(k) The Secretary of Tourism;
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(I) The Secretary of Transportation;
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(m) The Secretary of Information and Communications Technology;
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(n) The Secretary of Labor and Employment;
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(o) The Press Secretary;
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(p) The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education;
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(q) The Secretary of Education;
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(r) The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
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(s) The Chief of the Philippine National Police;
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(t) The Director of the National Bureau of Investigation;
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(u) The National Security Adviser;
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(v) The Director General of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency;


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(w) The Executive Director General of the Technical Education and Skills
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Development Authority;
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(x) The Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and
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Development;
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(y) The President of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation;
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(z) The Director General of the Food and Drug Administration;
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(aa) The Director of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine;
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(bb) The Director of the Bureau of Quarantine;
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(cc) The Director of the Epidemiology Bureau;
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(dd) The Director of the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau;
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(ee) The Director of the Disease Emergency Management Bureau;
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(ff) The Chairperson of the Committee on Health and Demography of the Senate
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of the Philippines;
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(gg) The Chairperson of the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives;
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(hh) The President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines;
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(ii) The Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross;
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(jj) Four (4) representatives from CSOs; and
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(kk) Four (4) representatives from the private sector.
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The representatives from CSOs and the private sector shall be selected from
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among their respective ranks based on the criteria and mechanisms to be set for this
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purpose by the Council.
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The members of the PNHSC shall be appointed not later than thirty (30) days after
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the date of the enactment of this Act.
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The PNHSC shall meet at least once every quarter. The presence of the
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Chairperspn or the Vice Chairperson of the PNHSC and at least ten (10) other members
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shall constitute a quorum to do business, and a majority vote of those present shall be
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sufficient to pass resolutions or render decisions.
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The Secretary of Health shall be the permanent Chairperson of the PNHSC. The
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Director of the Disease Emergency Management Bureau of the DOH shall serve as
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Secretary to the Council. The Vice Chairperson shall be elected from the government
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agency members and shall serve for a term of three (3) years. Members representing


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CSOs and the private sector shall serve for a term of three (3) years, renewable upon the 
recommendation of the Council for a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms.
Except for members from government agencies, the members of PNHSC shall be 
appointed by the President of the Philippines. The heads of government agencies may be 
represented by an official whose rank shall not be lower than an Assistant Secretary or 
its equivalent
The non-<SY officio members may receive honorarium in accordance with existing 
laws, rules and regulations.
Sec. 9. Secretariat - The PNHSC shall utilize the services and facilities of the 
Health Emergency Management Bureau of the DOH as Secretariat to the PNHSC, which 
shall perform the following functions:
(a) Coordinate and manage the day-to-day affairs of the PNHSC;
(b) Assist in the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and the 
PNAPHS;
(c) Provide technical assistance, support, and advisory services to the PNHSC and 
its external partners;
(d) Assist PNHSC in identifying and building internal and external networks and 
partnerships;
(e) Coordinate and support the efforts of the PNHSC and its members to mobilize 
resources;
(f) Serve as repository of health security information;
(g) Disseminate updated, accurate, relevant, and comprehensive information 
about the country's health security situation to PNHSC members, policy makers, and the 
media; and
(h) Provide administrative support to the PNHSC.
CHAPTER IV
HEALTH SECURITY REGULATIONS
Sec. 10. Promulgation and Enforcement by the Chairperson of the PNHSC. -The 
Chairperson of the PNHSC is authorized to make and enforce such regulations as may be 
necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases


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from foreign countries into the Philippines. For purposes of carrying out and enforcing 
such regulations, the Chairperson of the PNHSC may provide for such inspection, 
fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, destruction of animals or articles 
found to be so infected or contaminated as to be sources of dangerous infection to human 
being and other measures.
Sec. 11. Authority of the PNHSC Chairperson. - The Chairperson of the PNHSC 
may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the 
government, including GOCCs, GFIs, LGUs, NGOs, specialists and experts, and the private 
sector for assistance in terms of the use of their facilities and resources for the protection 
and preservation of life in the whole range of health security or as the circumstances and 
exigencies may require.
Sec. 12. Eniistment of the Armed Forces of the Phiiippines. - The PNHSC may 
recommend to the President the enlistment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to 
supplement the Medical Reserve Corps, Philippine National Police and other law 
enforcement agencies for the purpose of providing logistics and manpower for large-scale 
operations especially In times of disaster or other health emergency, enforcing the 
quarantine of specific areas or facilitating the transport of emerging infectious diseases 
(EID) patient, and for such other purposes for the effective implementation of this Act.
CHAPTER V
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 13. Funding of the DOH. - As lead agency to carry out the provisions of this 
Act, the DOH shall be allocated a budget of Five Billion Pesos (Php 5,000,000,000.00) 
revolving fund starting from the effectivity of this Act.
The member-agencies of the PNHSC are authorized to charge against their current 
appropriations such amounts as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act. 
Subsequent funding requirements shall be incorporated in the annual budget proposals 
of the respective member-agencies through the General Appropriations Act. Additional 
funds and possible fund sources as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act 
shall be identified and provided for by the Department of Budget and Management.
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Sec. 14. Annual Report. - The PNHSC, through its Chairperson, shall submit to the
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Office of the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives, within the first
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quarter of the succeeding year, an annual report relating to the progress of the
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implementation of this Act.
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Sec. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Health, in
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consultation with key stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the
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effective implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after approval of this Act.
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Sec. 16. Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a
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Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of the
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provisions of this Act. The Committee shall be composed of five (5) members from the
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Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives with the Chairpersons
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of the Committees on Health of both the Senate and the House of Representatives as
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joint Chairpersons of this Committee. The four (4) other members from each Chamber
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are to be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives, respectively. The minority shall be entitled to pro rata representation
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but shall have at least two (2) representatives from each Chamber.
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The Congressional Oversight Committee shall be in existence for a period of five'
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(5) years, and thereafter, its oversight functions shall be exercised by the Senate
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Committee on Health and Demography and the House Committee on Health, acting
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separately.
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Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and
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rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
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hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 18. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be held
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unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full
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force and effect.
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Sec. 19. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of
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general circulation.
Approved,
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