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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4771
HOUSE BILL NO. __

Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The incidence of heart diseases in the country and elsewhere has become
widespread, causing economic dislocation and curtailing the enjoyment of
normal active and productive life, it is a mandate of the State to secure the well-
being of the people by providing them specialized health services.

The State shall assist and provide material and financial support in the
establishment and maintenance of a Heart Center, primarily to benefit the people

of the Philippines, and further enhance the noble undertaking of research in
heart and associated diseases.

This House Bill seeks to create the Clark Heart Center, to foster specialized
medical services, to promote training of medical and technical personnel for the
prevention and treatment of heart and associated diseases

Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.

MICHAgL L. ROMERO
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/

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4771
HOUSE BILL NO. __

Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero

AN ACT

CREATING THE CLARK HEART CENTER, 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 “Clark
Heart Center Act”.

SECTION 2. CREATION OF THE CLARK HEART CENTER; BOARD
OF TRUSTEES - There shall hereby be created Heart Center, for the benefit

primarily of the Filipino people, under the name of "Clark Heart Center "
hereinafter referred to as the Heart Center.

‘The Clark Heart Center shall be administered by a Board of Trustees, composed
of five (5) members, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

The Director of the Heart Center shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees.


‘The four (4) appointive members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without

compensation for a period of four (4) years and until their successors shall have
been appointed and qualified.

Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled by the appointment of the President of
the Philippines, and the appointee shall serve for the unexpired term.

The Board of Trustees of the Heart Center shall elect a Chairman from among
themselves, who shall be presiding officer of the Board of Trustees.

The Director of the Heart Center shall serve as Vice-Chairman of the Board. The
Director shall act as the chief executive officer of the Heart Center, with
authority, among others, to appoint, remove, and fix the compensation of the
personnel thereof, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum transact
business and any decision of such four members on any matter duly presented

to the Board of Trustees shall constitute a valid and binding act of the Heart
Center.

SECTION 3. GOVERNMENT AIDS -The Government shall
constitute the necessary land, building, equipment and facilities, to the Heart
Center, and shall pay such obligations for real, personal and mixed properties

arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within 5
years, at a preferred rate of interest.

SECTION 4. ASSETS OF THE HEART CENTER - The Property of
the Heart Center shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of
property, now owned or reserve for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired,
transferred or conveyed to, the Heart Center 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

Heart Center are:

5. | MANDATES - The purposes and objectives of the Clark

1. To construct, establish, operate and maintain a heart
center for the public welfare, including a specialized heart
hospital;

2. To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on
the prevention of cardio-vascular diseases and the care
and/or treatment of heart patients and related activities,
including sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses,
conventions, seminars, and conferences;

3. To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the
biological, demographic, social, economic, _eugenic,
physiological aspects of cardio-vascular disorders and
abnormalities and their control; and gather, compile, and
publish the findings of such researches for public
dissemination;

4. To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange
of ideas and information on the prevention, treatment and
control of heart diseases, to arouse, enhance and develop
public interest on heart consciousness or awareness, general
health and physical fitness, especially on human cardio-

vascular requirements and other relevant or related fields;

5. 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 cardiac services, and related activities;


6. To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions
in their studies of cardio-vascular anomalies, to encourage
advanced training on matters of, or affecting the heart, and
related fields and to support educational programs of value to
general health;

7. To encourage the formation of other organization 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

8. To extend medical and cardiological services to the general
public, to help prevent, relieve or alleviate the inumerable
cardio-vascular afflictions and maladies of the people specially
the poor and less fortunate in life, without regard to race,
creed, color or political belief.

SECTION 6. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS - For the attainment
and/or furtherance of the above purposes and objectives, the Heart Center, as a
body corporate, acting through its Board of Trustees, shall have all the powers

pertaining to a juridical person, and is therefore authorized, among other things:

1. To acquire and hold in any property of whatever nature or

description, and to dispose of such property under any mode
of encumbrance or conveyance;

2. To contract and be contracted with;

3. To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, convey or otherwise
dispose of its properties;


4. To solicit and receive donations, endowments and funds in
the form of contributions, whether in cash or in kind, from
both the public and private sectors;

5. To open such accounts in banks and other financial
institutions, and to disburse such funds or invest the same as
the Board may direct to accomplish or advance the purposes
or interest of the Heart Center;

6. To invite foreign heart specialists and similar experts in the
various medical fields to train the personnel or trainees or
residents of the Heart Center;

7. To send the personnel of the Heart Center to research
institutes, medical institutes or universities for advance
training or observation and to attend international or regional
conventions, conferences, congresses, seminars as the Board

may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and
objectives of the Heart Center;

8. To adopt a set of by-laws, rules and regulations not
inconsistent with law and the provisions hereof to govern the
administration and operation of the affairs of the Heart
Center; and

9. To do all such other acts and things as are or may be
necessary or incidental for the accomplishment of the

purposes and objectives of the Heart Center.

SECTION 7. TAX EXEMPTIONS - All donations, contributions or
grants which may be made by entities or persons to the Heart Center shall be
exempt from income and gift taxes, and the same shall be further deductible in


full for purposes of computing the maximum amount deductible under the
prevailing provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

The Heart Center shall 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 years.

All income earned by foreign doctors who shall use the facilities of the Heart

Center shall be tax exempt for a period of ten years from the date of issuance
hereof.

SECTION 8. ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICES - The
Heart Center may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or
instrumentality of the Government, including government-owned or controlled

corporations, for such assistance as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes
and objectives.

All individuals, entities and institutions are hereby enjoined to render full

assistance and corporation to the Heart Center in the accomplishment of its
objectives and activities.

SECTION 9. APPROPRIATIONS - The amount of Five Billion pesos
(P5,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as contributions of the National

Government for the initial operations and maintenance of the Heart Center.

Thereafter, the necessary amount to support the continued operation and
maintenance of the Heart Center shall be appropriated and released, subject to
the approval of the President of the Philippines.

SECTION 10. AUDITING - The books and accounts of the Heart
Center shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Chairperson of the
Commission on Audit, or his duly authorized representative.


SECTION 11. ANNUAL REPORT - The Heart Center shall render to

the President of the Philippines an annual report of its activities and

recommendations.

SECTION 12. DISSOLUTION OF THE CENTER - If, for any reason,
the Heart Center is dissolved, its property remaining at the time of such

dissolution shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in
accordance with law.

SECTION 13. TRANSITORY PROVISION- Existing industries,
businesses and offices affected by the implementation of this Act shall be given
six (6) months transitory period from the effectivity of the IRR or such other

period as may be determined, to comply with the requirements of this Act.

SECTION 14. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. - The
departments and agencies charged with carrying out the provisions of this Act
shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate the
necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

SECTION 15. REPEALING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions

of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If, for any reason, any
section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other
sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 17. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect
after fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two
(2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes earlier.

Approved,