Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metra Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 8258

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
EXPANDING THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In 1981, by virtue of Executive Order No. 674, the Research Institute
for Tropical Medicine (RITM) was established, intended to be the prime
biomedical research institute for the control of communicable diseases in
the country. It was created to fulfill its primary functions of conducting
research for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases
present in public health. It is also the duty of the institution to create
vaccines to control diseases that can be easily prevented through
vaccinations. Other general functions include the development of cost-
effective strategies for the control of infectious/ tropical diseases and provide
disease control-training courses to medical practitioners.

The RITM is also the institution designated to be the National
Reference Laboratory (NRL) for dengue, influenza, enteroviruses, measles
and other viral exanthems; tuberculosis and other mycobacteria; bacterial
enteric diseases antimicrobial resistance; mycology; emerging diseases;
malaria and other parasites for confirmatory testing of blood units.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the government
expanded the testing capacity of the only research institute for Tropical
Medicine to 23 licensed testing labs spread across the country.? Even with
expansion, these support centers were very limited and the manpower was

| Research Institute For Tropical Medicine (n.d) Mandate, Function, and Quality Policy.

http:/ /ritm.gov.ph /transparency//functions/ (Accessed on 23 November 2020)

2 World Health Organization (2020) 100 days of COVID-19 in the Philippines: How WHO supported
the Philippine Response. https: / /www. who int/philippines /news/feature-stories / detail/ 100-days-of-
covid-19. philippines-how.who-supported. (Assessed on 23 November
2020)



not enough to perform COVID-19 tests, and so operations were severely
challenged. This pressure to keep up has long been built from a series of
pandemics that the country has faced in the past, such as the severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Middle East respiratory syndrome corona
virus (MERS-CoV), and now, the corona virus disease (COVID-19).

As the coronavirus continues to persist, it was made apparent that
this four-decade-old Executive Order faces difficulties in addressing this new
wave of pandemic. Our capacity to cope with procedures and large-scale
operations have been arduous because this important health institution
demands essential reforms.

For it is the duty of the State to protect and promote the right to
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them, the
government must recognize the need to expand the capacity of the RITM to
better assist the greater public and control any pandemic.

This bill seeks to establish RITM regional branches in key population
centers of the country such as Cebu and Davao. As the only public research
hospital that specializes in communicable diseases, the RITM must take a
more proactive role in providing scientific and research-based disease
treatment and control protocols, and a detailed information dissemination
plan to local government units and other national agencies. This bill also
serves as a counterpart legislation for Senate Bill No. 1407 filed by Senator
Joel Villanueva.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly

sought.
Vas aia


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

8
House Bill No. SD

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
EXPANDING THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE,
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 "Expanding the
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote
the health and well-being of its citizens. Given that communicable diseases
constitute most of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the
country, the State prioritizes national development in the field of health and
shall endeavor to create a strong biological research component necessary
for the effective pursuit of programs for the control of communicable
diseases.

SECTION 3. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. - There is
hereby created a Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) that will
provide the biomedical research support and treatment for communicable
disease control program in the Philippines to be established in Metro
Manila.

SECTION 4. RITM Regional Centers. - There shall be established RITM
Regional Centers in places with key vulnerable populations as may be
determined by its Advisory Board.

SECTION 5. Scope and Coverage. - For purposes of this Act, the scope and
coverage of tropical medicine shall pertain to diseases that are specific to the
tropics, which is the geographical area between the tropic of Cancer and the
tropic of Capricorn, and for diseases that present differently in this
geographical region as compared to other regions, whether it originated or


has been transmitted to the country, to wit: corona virus disease (COVID-
19), Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS CoV), severe
acut0065 respiratory syndrome (SARS), ebola virus, influenza A virus
subtype (MINI, gastrointestinal infections, viral hepatitis, bacterial and
nonbacterial respiratory Infections, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis, filariasis,
malaria, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, meningitis, meningismus, measles,
mumps, herpes, chicken pox, rocky mountain spotted fever, encephalitis,
echo-viral diseases, coxa chie-viral diseases, and Philippine hemorrhagic
fever: Provided, That the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) may
include such other pertinent diseases in consultation with the Advisory
Board herein created.

SECTION 6. Organization. - The RITM shall be directly under the control
and supervision of the Department of Health (DOH). It shall be headed by a
Director who shall be assisted by an Assistant Director, to be appointed by
the Secretary of Health. The Director shall be responsible for the
implementation of policies and the immediate management of the programs
and operations of the Institute

It shall also have technical and administrative support staff as well as
consultants, as may be necessary. Such consultants may be drawn from the
private sector on consultancy or contractual basis and shall be granted
honoraria or allowances at such amounts as may be determined in
accordance with existing rules and regulations.

It may also call upon experts in the public sector in the performance of its
mandate.

SECTION 7. Advisory Board. - The RITM shall have an Advisory Board
composed of the following: Formulate the Philippine Bamboo Industry
Development Roadmap;

a) The Secretary of Health as the Chairman;

b) The Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health
Research and Development (PCHRD) as Member; and

c) A designated representative from the Philippine Medical
Association (PMA) as Member.

SECTION 8. Powers and Functions. - The RITM shall have the following
powers and functions:

a) Undertake research activities in the diagnosis, control, and
prevention of tropical diseases that are major causes of
mortality and morbidity in the Philippines;

b) Conduct clinical trials aimed at better understanding and
control of tropical disease;


c) Conduct regular training courses for medical and paramedical
personnel in the control of common tropical diseases in the
country;

d) Provide high quality tertiary care and treatment to both
inpatients and out-patients suffering from tropical diseases
included within the scope of RITM's research activities;

e)

Arrange for the participation of the PCHRD and the PMA in the
planning and implementation of the programs of RITM;

) Apply for, receive, and accept bequests, grants, and donation of
funds, equipment, materials and services needed for the
attainment of its objectives; and

g) Perform such other related activities as may be assigned by the
Secretary of Health.

SECTION 9. Authority to Use Income. - The RITM shall be authorized to
generate its income and use the same pursuant to its mandate under this
Act.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the Annual General
Appropriations Act (GAA).

SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of
Health (DOH), together with the Department of Budget and Management
(DBM), the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development
(PCHRD), and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), shall promulgate
the necessary implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days
upon the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If for any reason any provision of this,
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees, presidential proclamations, letters of instruction, rules and
regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its complete publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2)
newspapers of general Circulation.

Approved,