Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS f
First Regular Session

House BiLLNo.__ 1225

Introduced by HONORABLE FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Cancer results when cells grow out of control and form a tumor. The cancer is
very serious if the tumor begins to spread throughout the body. Of the over 200
different known cancers that afflict humans, 90-95% of cases are attributed to
environmental factors and 510% due to genetics. Common environmental factors that
contribute to cancer death include tobacco, diet and obesity, infections, radiation, stress,
lack of physical activity, and environmental pollutants.

Cancer has a reputation as a deadly disease. It is usually treated with
chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. The chances of surviving the disease
vary greatly by the type and location of the cancer and the extent of disease at the start
of treatment. Cancer rates are expected to increase with ageing of populations and
changes in lifestyles associated with economic development. In 2008 approximately
12.7 million cancers were diagnosed and 7.6 million people died of cancer worldwide.
Cancers are accounted for approximately 13% of all deaths each year. This makes
cancer the leading cause of death in the developed world and the second leading cause
of death in the developing world including the Philippines.

This bill aims to create a Cancer Center in the Philippines because there
is an urgent need to put in place cancer-control health care policies focussed on
strengthening the health systems to cope with projected increases in cancer prevention,
detection, treatment and management needs. The Center will house and nurture
the above and related activities and provide care for more difficult and
problematical cases. To achieve this purpose, this bill also intends to provide
material and financial support towards the establishment and maintenance
of a Cancer Center for the welfare and benefit of the Filipino people.

Hence, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

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09 JUL 2019:\

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSEBILLNO. 1225

Introduced by HONORABLE FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL CANCER CENTER TO BE KNOWN AS THE
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER AND APPROPRIATNIG FUNDS
THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Creation of the Philippine National Cancer Center. — There is
hereby created, under the supervision of the Department of Health, the Philippine
National Cancer Center.

Sec. 2. Board of Trustees. The Philippine National Cancer Center shall be
governed and its activities and properties be directed, controlled and managed, by a
Board of Trustees, which shall be composed of a Chairman and six (6) members, all of
whom to be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of
the Department of Health

The members of the Board of Trustees shall serve for a period of four (4) years
and until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified. Whenever a
vacancy shall occur in the Board, the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold
office for the unexpired term of the member

The Board shall elect a Chairman from among themselves, who shall be
presiding officer of the Board of Trustees. The Director of the Philippine National Cancer
Center shall serve as Vice-Chairman of the Board

Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to 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 Philippine National
Cancer Center.


Sec. 3. Government contribution.— The Government shall contribute the
necessary land, building, equipment and facilities to the Philippine National Cancer
Center.

Sec. 4. Property of the Center. — The property of the Philippine National Cancer
Center shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of property, now
owned or reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired, transferred or
conveyed to, the Philippine National Cancer Center by the 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.

Sec. 5. Purposes and objectives. The Philippine National Cancer Center
shall have the following purposes and objectives:

1. To construct, establish, equip, maintain, administer and operate a
specialized hospital for diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and/or relief of
cancer patients;

2. To promote medical research relative to the prevention and treatment of
cancer including sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses, conventions,
seminars, and conferences;

3. To create awareness on cancer prevention, treatment and control
through public information dissemination;

4. To encourage the training of physicians, nurses, medical technicians,
health officers and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct and
implementation of services, and related activities;

5. To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in their studies
of cancer and encourage advanced training and specialization on matters of, or
affecting cancer;

6. To provide psychosocial support services and counseling to the patient
and family members; and

7. To stimulate the formation of other organizations for the purpose of
aiding government's efforts, policies and programs relative to the purposes and
objectives enumerated herein.


Sec. 6.Powers.— For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above-
enumerated purposes and objectives, the Philippine National Cancer Center, acting
through its Board of Trustees, shall have the following powers and functions, among
other things:

1. To contract and be contracted with;

2. To adopt by-laws, rules and regulations not contrary to law to govern
the administration and operation of the affairs of the Philippine National Cancer
Center;

3. To purchase, receive, take or grant, hold, convey, sell, lease, pledge.
mortgage and otherwise deal with such property of whatever nature as the
transaction of the lawful business of the Philippine National Cancer Center may
reasonably and necessarily require subject to the limitations prescribed by law;

4. To invite foreign cancer specialists and similar experts in the various
medical fields to train the personnel or trainees or residents of the Philippine
National Cancer Center,

5. To advance the training of personnel of the Philippine National Cancer
Center through international or regional to conventions, conferences,
congresses, seminars to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the
Philippine National Cancer Center;

6. To exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary or
incidental to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Philippine National
Cancer Center.

Sec. 7. Tax exemptions, etc. — All donations, contributions or endowments
which may be made by entities or persons to the Philippine National Cancer Center
shall be exempt from income and gift taxes.

The Philippine National Cancer Center shall be exempt from the payment of all
taxes, charges and fees imposed by the government or any political subdivision or
instrumentality thereof.

Sec. 8. Assistance from government offices. — The Philippine National Cancer
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


Sec. 9.Appropriations.- The amount of one billion pesos is hereby
appropriated for the initial operation of the Philippine National Cancer Center which
shall be charged to the appropriations of the Department of Health under the current
General Appropriations Act. . Thereafter, the necessary amount to support the
continued operation and maintenance of the Philippine National Cancer Center shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 10. Auditing. - The books and accounts of the Philippine National Cancer
Center shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Commission on Audit.

Sec. 11. Annual report. ~ The Philippine National Cancer Center shall render to
the Department of Health an annual report on its operations and accomplishments.

Sec. 12. Effect of dissolution. - If, for any reason, the Philippine National
Cancer Center is dissolved, its properties and assets remaining at the time of such
dissolution shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in accordance with
law.

Sec. 13. Separability Clause. The provisions of this Act are hereby declared to
be separable. If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional, the remainder of
the Act not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect

Sec. 14, Effectivity. - This Decree shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.