THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
) 
5 OCT 24 (’2 :,‘5) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
RECEIVED BY . -+&,.!< 
S.B. No. ;?14 9 
Introduced by Senator Luisa “Loi” P. Ejercito Estrada 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
More than insufficiency of resources, lack of innovation in harnessing collective 
non-pecuniary resources to come up with basic programs that seek to take care of the 
country’s health needs explains poor delivery of basic health services as well as failure to 
critically respond to basic health concerns on the part of the government. 
Indeed, budgetary constraints should never be an excuse for failure to handle 
important governmental undertakings, such as health. 
For instance, breast cancer has long been a concern since time immemorial and 
yet the government tias not come up with decisive policy direction, let alone concrete 
plan of action to address the same. That it may sound alarming, noting that breast cancer 
is the leading common cancer among Filipino and women and second among both sexes, 
is muted by the fact that no programs are set in place at the moment. 
The proposed measure which focuses on addressing breast cancer is a crucial 
starting point in our joint quest for meaningful response mechanism Without necessary 
use of huge resources. Albeit it may sound resource exhaustive as it seeks to establish 
breast care centers in every region nationwide, it actually utilizes less resources since 
these centers will mereIy be attached departments to existing regional hospitals of the 
national government. In other words, it creatively re-channels existing government 
funds, instead of wasting additional ones, to respond to urgent needs. 
Using cost-benefit analysis, these centers once established will greatly benefit 
millions of Filipinos who suffer, and who are about to suffer from breast cancer unless 
timely intervention is had. They will spearbead sustained information campaign to raise 
public awareness on the disease, take the lead in providing affordable services in disease 
prevention and consequently change existing mindset on how breast cancer should be 
approached and prevented. 
Our people’s health largely depends on important legislative measures. If only to 
abate a disease that has long caused sufferings to millions of people, the immediate 
enactment of the proposed measure should never be an issue. 
4 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
S.B. NO. 
2149 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE 8STABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS IN 
EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Establishment of Breast Care Centers. - A breast care center, 
known in this as “Center”, shall be established in every region of the country to 
spearhead the fight against breast cancer. It shall be a new department of existing 
regional hospitals of the National Government. Should there be no regional hospital in a 
region, the Center shall be attached to any district hospital in the region which is most 
accessible to the highest number of constituents. 
SEC. 2. Equipment and Personnel. - The Center shall be provided with such 
equipment, tools, implements, devices, apparatus, and personnel as may be necessary for 
them to carry out multiple programs such as Breast Protection, Breast Surveillance, 
Breast Imaging, Breast Diagnostic and Surgery, Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and Breast 
Cancer Awareness and Information. 
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations.- The Secretary of the Department 
of Health shall issue such guidelines, orders or rules and regulations as may be necessary 
for the establishment of a Center in every regional hospital of the national government or 
in a district hospital to be designated by the Secretary of Health for being the most 
accessible to the highest number of constituents in a region where there is no existing 
regional hospital; for the acquisition of the necessary equipment, tools, implements, 
devices and apparatus, the hiring of personnel and fix reasonable fees for the services of 
the Centers and to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 4. Functions. - The Centers shall, in coordination with local government 
units, local health offices, the Philippine Information Agency and other government 


agencies, shall spearhead a sustained and extensive information and awareness campaign 
within their respective region to raise the level of awareness of the region’s constituents 
especially the women sector on the ills, causes and symptoms of the disease for its early 
detection and prevention. 
It shall coordinate with regional and local education officials to ensure that female 
high school students in both public and private schools are taught the pertinent 
information about the disease and are trained to habitually self-examine themselves as a 
part of the regular secondary curriculum. 
SEC. 5. 
Operationalization and Appropriations.- 
To fully implement the 
provisions of this Act, the Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the 
Department’s program the operationalization of the Centers, the funding of which shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved,