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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PI-IILIPPlNBS 
) 
Second Regular Session 
j 
RECEIVED RY :- 
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S. B. No. 
E N  A Tg08 Iti 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Micle 11, Section 15, provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
Three pandemics occurred during the 20th century: the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918; the 
Asian flu pandemic in 1957; and the Hang Kong flu pandemic in 1968. The Spanish flu pandemic 
was the most severe, causing over 500,000 deaths in the United States and more than 20,000,000 
deaths worldwide. 
Recent studies suggest that avian influenza strains, which are endemic in wild birds and 
poultry populations in some countries, are becoming increasingly capable of causing severe 
disease in humans and are likely to cause the next pandemic flu. In 2004, eight nations -Thailand, 
Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, China, Cambodia, and the Republic of Korea - experienced 
outbreaks of avian flu, particularly of the H5N1 strain, among poultry flocks. Cases of human 
infections were confirmed in Thailand and Vietnam (including a possible human-to-human 
infection in Thailand). As of 15 April 2005, 88 confirmed human cases of this specific avian 
influenza have been reported, 5 1 of which resulted in death. Of these cases, 68 were in Vietnam, e 
17 in Thailand, and three in Cambodia. 
On 23 February 2005, Dr. Shigeru Omi, Asia regional director of the World Health 
Organization (WHO), stated with respect to the avian flu, “We at WHO believe that the world is 
now in the gravest possible danger of a pandemic.” 


The best defense against influenza pandemics is a heightened global surveillance system. 
In many of the nations where the H5N1 avian flu has become endemic, the early detection 
capabilities and the transparency in health systems are severely lacking. 
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In addition to surveillance, pandemic preparedness requires domestic and international 
coordination and cooperation to ensure an adequate medical response, including communication 
and information networks, public health measures to prevent spread, use of vaccination and 
antivirals, provision of health outpatient and inpatient services, and maintenance of core public 
functions. 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
i 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS AND TO 
ESTABLISH A POLICY COORDINATING COMMITTEE 
ON PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS 
SECTION 1. Shorr Title. - This Act shall be cited as the “Pandemic Influenza Preparedness 
Act of 2005.” 
SECTION 2. Dejinition ofTerms. -The following terms arc defined as used in this Act: 
(A) Pandemic Influenza - means a widespread epidemic of influenza illness over a 
particular location. 
(B) Secretary - refers to the Secretary of the Department of Health 
(C) DOH - refers to the Department of Health. 
(D) DA - refers to the Department of Agriculture. 
(E) DILG - refers to the Department of Interior and Local Government. 
(F) DTI -refers to the Department of Trade and Industry. 
(G) DOTC -refers to the Department of Transportation and Communication 
., 
SECTION 3. Policy Coordinating Committee on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness. - 
(A) In General. - There is hereby established the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness 
Policy Coordinating Committee. 
(B) Membership. - 
(1) In General. - The Committee shall be composed of - 
(a) the Secretary; 
(b) the Secretary of DA; 


(c) the Secretary of DILG; 
(d) the Secretary of DTI; 
(e) the Secretary of DOTC; and 
(f) other representatives as determined appropriate by the Co-Chairs 
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of the Committee. 
(2) Co-Chairs. - The Secretary and the Secretary of DA shall serve as the 
Co-Chairs of the Committee. 
(3) Term. - The members of the Committee shall serve for the life of the 
Committee. 
(C) Meetings. - 
(1) In GeneraZ. -The Committee shall meet not less than two (2) times each 
year at the call of the Co-Chairs or as determined necessay by the President. 
(2) Representation. - A member of the Committee under subsection (B) 
may designate a representative to participate in Committee meetings, but such 
representative shall hold the position of at least an assistant secretary or equivalent 
position. 
(D) Duties of the Committee. - 
(I) Preparedness Plans. - Each member of the Committee shall submit to 
the Committee a pandemic influenza preparedness plan for the agency involved that 
describes - 
(a) initiatives and proposals by such member to address pandemic- 
influenza (including avian influenza) preparedness; and 
(b) any activity in coordination with international entities related to 
such initiatives and proposals. 
(2) Interagency Plan And Recommendations. - 
(a) In General. - 


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L) 
(i) Preparedness Plan. - Based on the preparedness plans 
described under paragraph (l), and not later than ninety (90) days 
after the date of enactment of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness 
Act of 2005, the Committee shall develop an Interagency 
Preparedness Plan that integrates and coordinates such preparedness 
plans. 
(ii) Content of Plan. - The Interagency Preparedness Plan 
under clause (i) shall include a description of - 
(I) departmental or agency responsibility and 
accountability for each component of such plan; 
(11) funding reqnirements and sources; 
(111) international collaboration and coordination 
efforts; and 
(IV) 
recommendations 
and 
a 
timeline 
for 
implementation of such plan. 
(b) Report. - 
(i) In General. -The Committee shall submit to the President 
and Congress, and make available to the public, a report that 
includes the Interagency Preparedness Plan. 
(ii) Updated Report. - The Committee shall submit to the 
President and Congress, and make available to the public, on a 
biannual basis, an update of the report that includes a description of- 
(I) progress made toward plan implementation, as 
described under clause (i); and 
(11) progress of the national preparedness programs. 
(c) Consultation With International Entities. - In developing the 
preparedness plans described under subparagraph (a) and the report under 
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subparagraph (b), the Committee may consult with representatives from the 
World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, and 
other international bodies, as appropriate. 
SECTION 4. Public Education and Awareness Campaign. - 
(A) In General. - The Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the National 
Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the Philippine Information Agency, shall 
develop an outreach campaign with respect to public education and awareness of influenza 
and influenza preparedness. 
(B) Details of Campaign. -The campaign established under subsection (A) shall - 
(1) be culturally and linguistically appropriate for domestic populations; 
(2) target high-risk populations (those most likely to contract, transmit, and 
die from influenza); 
(3) promote personal influenza precautionary measures and knowledge, and 
n 
the need for general vaccination, as appropriate; and 
(4) describe precautions at the national and local level that could be 
implemented during pandemic influenza, including quarantine and other measures. 
SECTION 5. Health Professional Training. - The Secretary, directly or through contract, 
and in consultation with professional health and medical societies, shall develop and disseminate 
pandemic influenza training curricula - 
- 
(A) to educate and train health professionals, including physicians, nurses, public 
health practitioners, virologists and epidemiologists, veterinarians, mental health providers, 
allied health professionals, and paramedics and other first responders; 
(B) to educate and train volunteer, non-medical personnel whose assistance may be 
required during a pandemic influenza outbreak, and 
(C) that address prevention, including use of quarantine and other isolation 
precautions, pandemic influenza diagnosis, medical guidelines for use of antivirals and 
vaccines, and professional requirements and responsibilities, as appropriate. 


SECTION 6. Appropriatiom. - There shall be authorized to be appropriated such amour& - 
as necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, to be included in the annual budget of the 
Department of Health in the General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with, 
the provisions of this Act, are hereby modified, repealed, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Ufecectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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