Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House pitt. No. 3617

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Diabetes ranked 8 among the leading causes of morality in the
Philippines.

Under the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, the State is
under obligation to promote and protect the right of the people to health by
installing heath consciousness among the people.

There is a need to undertake more health promotion and disease
preventive measures, particularly with respect to diabetes.

Health Promotion services must involve all people and all places at all
times, requiring concerned and collaborative efforts among the various national
and local government agencies.

It is in this light that this Bill seeks to promote a different approach in
responding to this illness, which has been characterized as “the silent killers that
kills part by part of our life.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this measure is
earnestly sought.

ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bit. No 3617

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A FRAMEWORK IN THE CARE AND TREATMENT
OF DIABETES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

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 “Diabetes Care Act of
2019."

SECTION 2.Declaration of Policy. The State shall recognize, protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
them.

SECTION 3.Terms. The following terms shall mean as follows:

a. Employee wellness and disease management programs shall include but
not be limited to personal coaching intervention to target lifestyle topics
such as:

i back care;
ii. blood pressure management;
iii. blood sugar control;

iv. exercise;
v. walking breaks;

vi. nutrition and stress management;

vii. healthy weight management program;
vili. _ smoking cessation program; and

ix. reduction of behavior-related causes of disease.

b. Chronic illness is one that lasts for a very long time and usually cannot
be cured completely. It shall include but not limited to:
i. Diabetes;
ii. Heart disease;


iii, Arthritis;

iv Kidney disease;

v. Lupus;

vi. Multiple sclerosis; and
vil. HIV.

SECTION 4.Disease Management Best Practices, Chronic Employee
Wellness Incentivization and Advisory Group Regarding Diabetes.

a.

Establishment - the Secretary of the Department of Health shall
establish an advisory group consisting of representatives of the public
and private sector. The advisory group shall include representatives
from public and private sector entities with experience in administering
and operating employee wellness and disease management programs.

Duties - the advisory group established under subsection (a) shall

examine and make recommendations of best practices of chronic illness

employee wellness incentivitations and disease management programs:

i. Provide public and private sector entities with improved
information in assessing the role of employee wellness
incentivization and disease management programs in saving
money and improving quality of life for patients with chronic
illness; and

li, Encourage the adoption of effective chronic illness, employee
wellness and disease management programs.

Report ~ no later than one (1) year after the enactment of this Act, the
advisory group established shall submit to the Speaker, Majority Leader
and Minority Leader of the Senate, the results under subsection.

SECTION 5, National Diabetes Report Card -

a.

Establishment - the Secretary of the Department of Health shall
prepare on a biennial basis a national diabetes report card for the
whole Nations;

Contents - each Report Card shall include statistically valid aggregate
health outcomes related to individuals diagnosed with diabetes and
pre-diabetes including:

i. Preventive care practices and quality of care;
ii, risk factors; and
iti. outcomes.

Updated Reports - each report card is prepared after the initial report
card shall include trend analysis for the nation for the purpose of:

i. Tracking progress in meeting established national goals and
objectives for improvising diabetes care, costs and
prevalence; and

ii, _ Informing policy and program development.

Availability - the Secretary of the Department of Health shall make
each report card publicly available including posting the report card
on the internet.


SECTION 6. Improvement of Vital Statistics Collection.

a. The Secretary of the Department of Health shall:

i. Promote the education and training of physicians on the
importance of birth and death certificate data and how to
properly complete this documents, including the collection
of such data for diabetes and other chronic diseases;

ii, Encourage local government units adoption of the latest
standard revisions of birth and death certificates; and

iii, Work with LGDs to re-engineer their vital statistics systems
in order to provide cost-effective, timely and accurate vital
systems data.

b. Death Certificate Additional Language -
In carrying out this Section, the Secretary may promote the
addition of language to death certificates to improve collection of
diabetes morality data, including the addition of a question for the
individual certifying to the cause of death regarding whether the
deceased had diabetes.

SECTION 7. Study and Report.

a. In General ~ the Secretary of the Department of Health shall, in
collaboration with a State University or College having a course of
Medicine, and appropriate associations and councils, conduct a study
of the impact of diabetes on the practice of medicine in the Philippines
and the appropriateness of the level of diabetes medical education
should be required prior to licensure, board 25 certification, and
board recertification;

b. Report ~ not later than two (2) years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health shall submit a
report of the study under subsection (a) to the appropriate committee
of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines.

SECTION 8. Funding. The initial funding requirements for the implementation of
this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the agency
concerned. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued
implementation shall be included in the agencies yearly budget under the
General Appropriations Act

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). Within ninety (90)
days after the approval of this Act, the Commission, the Department of Health, in
coordination with the following:

* State Universities and Colleges;

* Local Government Units (LGUs);

* Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

* Commission on Human Rights (CHR);
And such other concerned agencies, shall issue the necessary Rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.


SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modify
accordingly.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. |f any part, section or provision of this Act
shall be held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions
thereof shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the

completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of
general circulation

Approved,