SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBPC OF THE PHILIPPINES' 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
" 
'13 
JUL -3 P12 :43 
S.B.No. 344 
"" 
k 
______________________________________________ ~ 
___ 
R_J_S,_'_f:_I_\_l_,~_;_I_~_¥_:_~~---i, 
Introdl,lced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks the need for specialized health services for Filipino women 
thtough the establishment of regional breast care centers, The centers, under the 
supervision of the Secretary of Department of Health, shall carry out several programs' 
such as breast protection, breast surveillance, breast imaging and breast diagnostic and 
surgery, The centers shall be equipped with the necessary tools and devices to 
effectively implement the programs, In cooperation with the local government units and 
other government agencies in their respective areas; an extensive information campaign 
shall be sustained in order to raise the breast cancer awareness of women in all regions 
of the country, 
' 
Finally, this measure mandates the' coordination between regional and local, 
education officials to guarantee that female ,high school students of both private and 
public schools 'are well informed about the disease fo increase the rates of awareness, 
prevention and early detection, 
. 
For these reasons, the passa'ge of this bill is earnestly sought, 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 344 
.. 
iF 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
'13 JIJl -3· Pl2 :43 
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS IN 
EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Pl;zilippines in 
Congress assembled 
1 
SECTION 1. A breast care center, known in this Act as "Center", shall be 
2 
established in every region of the country to spearhead the fight against breast . 
3 
cancer. It shall be a new depClrtmentof existing regional hospitals of the National 
4 
Government. Should there be no regional hospital in the region, the Center shall be 
5 
attached to any district hospital in the region, which is most accessible to the highest 
6 
number of constituents. 
7 
. 8 
SECTION 2. The Centers shall be provided with such equipment, tools, 
9 
implements, devices, apparatus and persoimel as may be necessary for them to carry 
10 
out multiple programs such as Breast Protection, Breast Surveillance, Breast 
11 
Imaging, Breast Diagnostic and Surgery, Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and Breast . 
12· Cancer Awareness and Protection. 
13 
14 
SECTION 3. The Secr~tary of the Department of Health shalf issue suc~ 
15 
guidelines, orders or. rules and regulations as may be necessary for the 
16 
establishment of a Center in every regional hospital of the National Government or 
17 
in a district hospital to ~e designated by the Secretary ()f Health for geing the most 
18 
accessible to the highest number of constituents in a region where there is no 
19 
existing regional hospital; for the acquisition of the necessary equipment, tools, 
20 
implements, devices and apparatus for the hiring of personnel, for the fixing of 
21 
reasonable fees for the services of the Centers and to carry out the provisions and 
22 
purposes of this Act. 
1 


1 
SECTION 4. The Centers shall, in coordination with local government units, 
2 
local' health offices, the Philippine Information Agency and other government 
3 
al>encies, spearhead a sustained and extensive information and awareness campaign 
4 
within their resp~ctive region to raise the level of awareness of its constituents 
5 
especially the women sector on the ills, causes and symptoms of the disease for its 
6 
early detection and prevention. 
7 
8 
SECTION 5. The Centers shall coordinate with regional and local education 
9 
officials to ensure that female high school students in both public and private 
10 
schools are taught the pertinent information about the disease and are trained to 
11 
habitually self-examine themselves as a part of the regular secondary curriculum. 
12 
13 
SECTION 6. To fully implement the provisions of the Act, the Secretary of 
14 
Health 
shall 
immediately 
include 
in 
the 
Department's 
program 
the 
15 
operationalization of the Centers, the funding for which shall be included in the 
16 
annual General Appropriations Act. 
17 
18 
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its publication in 
19 
at least two (2) newspaperS of general circulation. 
20 
21 
Approved, 
2