REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2
HOUSE BILL NO. use

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES ENRICO A. PINEDA and
MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 2 of Republic Act No. 11215, otherwise known as the National Integrated
Cancer Control Act, provided that cancer is recognized as one of the leading causes of
death in the Philippines and that the State shall provide an integrated and comprehensive
approach to health development which includes the strengthening of integrative,
multidisciplinary, patient and family centered policies, programs, systems, interventions
and services at all levels of existing health care delivery system. Likewise, it has stated
that the State shall endeavor to make cancer treatment and care more equitable and
affordable for all, especially the underprivileged, poor and marginalized Filipinos.

However, without a dedicated institute that will cater and ensure that cancer
treatment and care of cancer patients. This bill seeks to establish the National Cancer
Center of the Philippines, a hospital that specializes on cancer which will truly envision
the purpose of the recently enacted law from accurate diagnosis, to timely and optimal
treatment, and responsive palliative care and pain management up to late effects
management and rehabilitation of cancer patients.

While there were provisions stipulated in the National Integrated Cancer Control
Act to establish cancer centers at the regional health care level, there is a need to establish
a specialty hospital at the national level to further enhance the noble undertaking of the
government and likewise complement the said cancer control law.

Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ae

eae A. PINEDA
1PACMAN

ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD
1PACMAN


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3
HOUSE BILL NO. ees

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES ENRICO A. PINEDA and
MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD.

(AN ACT CREATING THE NATIONAL CANCER (CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 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.

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;

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 canéer 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) Tomortgage, 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;

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.

h)

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 donor's 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,