Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This measure seeks to promote the health and well-being of the population through 
prevention, early detection and treatment of bloodborne viral hepatitis. It encourages 
voluntary hepatitis testing to prevent and detect infection and to provide treatment to 
infected patients.  
The Department of Health (DOH) estimates that 10-16% of Filipino adults suffer from 
chronic Hepatitis B infection. It accounts for more than two thirds of all cases of liver 
cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Philippines. 
Hepatitis B and C infections are a world-wide problem. Globally, an estimated 57% of 
liver cirrhosis cases are attributed to Hepatitis B and C. Hence, it is pressing issue that 
our country needs to address. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
August 3, 2023
12:01 pm
8732


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A POLICY ON BLOODBORNE VIRAL HEPATITIS TESTING AND 
SCREENING 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Bloodborne Viral Hepatitis 
Testing Act."  
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies. – It is hereby declared that the policy of the State is 
to promote health and well-being of the population through prevention, early detection 
and treatment of diseases like bloodborne viral hepatitis, as well as, to protect the 
rights of people living with these diseases who suffer from stigma and discrimination 
through the promotion of voluntary and confidential testing of blood borne viral 
hepatitis and the prohibition of mandatory and routine screening of the same.  
Sec. 3. Definitions. – For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply: 
(a)
Bloodborne Viral Hepatitis refers to the disease caused by both Hepatitis B and
Hepatitis C virus which can be transmitted by exposure to infected blood and
other body fluids, producing, among others, jaundice and chronic inflammation
of the liver.
(b)
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), refers to the virus that
causes Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C respectively. A safe and effective vaccine is
available for Hepatitis B while there is none for Hepatitis C. Treatment
8732


 
modalities are available to effectively manage the symptoms and to prevent 
complications caused by these diseases. 
(c)  
Hepatitis Testing or Screening refers to any facility-based or mobile medical 
procedure that is conducted to determine the presence or absence of Hepatitis 
B or C or the circulating viral burden in a person's body. 
(d)  
Workplace refers to the office, premises or worksite, whether in the private or 
the public sector, including government agencies, their subdivisions, 
instrumentalities, and government-owned and controlled corporations, where a 
worker is temporarily or habitually assigned. Where there is a no fixed or 
definite workplace, the term shall include the place where a worker performs 
regular work, or where a worker regularly reports to render service or to take 
an assignment. 
(e)  
Universal Precautions refers to the practice of avoiding contact with bodily 
fluids, assuming it to be infected, by means of non-porous articles or other 
personal protective equipment. 
(f)  
Exposure-prone Procedures (EPP) refers to invasive procedures where there 
is a risk that injury to the worker may result in the exposure of the patient's open 
tissues to the blood of the worker, including procedures where the worker's 
gloved hands may be in contact with sharp instruments, needle tips or sharp 
tissues (e.g. spicules of bone or teeth) inside. 
 
 
Sec. 4. Voluntary Hepatitis Testing. – As a matter of policy, the State shall 
encourage voluntary hepatitis testing to prevent and detect infection and to provide 
treatment to infected patients. The conduct of hepatitis testing as a pre-requisite for 
hiring, employment, renewal of employment or continued employment, or as part of a 
routine health check-up without clinical indication or medical justification, or as a pre-
requisite for admission to, basis for expulsion from or any disciplinary action in 
educational institutions, shall be prohibited, be counseled and considered for 
treatment when indicated. 
 
Sec. 5. Confidentiality of Hepatitis Testing. – In all cases, access to all information 
related to a person's HBV or HCV status including the results of hepatitis testing shall 
be kept strictly confidential except when disclosed with the written consent of the 


 
individual or the parent or legal guardian of the minor or legally incapacitated whose 
HBV or HCV status is involved, unless otherwise required by law.  
 
 
Sec. 6. Counselling and Referral for Further Management. – All hepatitis testing 
shall include counselling which should be able to provide the individual who took the 
test information on measures to prevent transmission and if necessary, a referral to a 
health practitioner for further evaluation and management. 
 
Sec. 7. Exceptions to Voluntary Hepatitis Screening and Testing. – Compulsory 
testing for blood borne viral hepatitis shall be allowed only in the following instances: 
(a) 
 When it is necessary to test a person, who is charged with any of the offenses 
punishable under Article 264, 266, 335 and 338 of the Revised Penal Code, as 
amended by Republic Act No. 8353, otherwise known as the Anti-Rape Law of 
1997; 
(b)  
As a prerequisite in the donation of blood in compliance with the provisions of 
Republic Act No. 7170, otherwise known as the Organ Donation Act, and 
Republic Act No. 7719, otherwise known as the National Blood Services Act; 
(c)  
As part of surveillance and management of blood borne hepatitis among health 
care workers involved in exposure prone procedures. Provided that, it shall not 
be a pre-requisite for admission to or a basis for expulsion or any disciplinary 
action in an educational institution for health care workers or for employment or 
re-employment in a health care facility; Provided further that, positive results of 
such testing shall not be used as justification for the termination of a health care 
worker employed in a health facility.  
 
Sec. 8. Testing for Organ Donation. – Lawful consent to HBV and HCV testing of a 
donated human body, organ, tissue, or blood shall be considered as having been given 
when: 
(a)  
A person volunteers or freely agrees to donate one's blood, organ, or tissue for 
transfusion, transplantation or research; and 
(b)  
A legacy and a donation are executed in accordance with Sections 3 and 4 
respectively, of Republic Act No. 7170 otherwise known as the Organ Donation 
Act of 1991. 
 


 
Sec. 9. Hepatitis Testing Among Individuals with Clinical Justification for 
Testing. – Hepatitis testing shall be highly encouraged among individuals who, based 
on a reasonable assessment of a physician, shall benefit from the conduct of said 
testing. Provided that, voluntary consent must be obtained prior to such testing, 
adequate counselling must be provided, and that any individual who refuses to 
undergo such testing shall not be subjected to discriminatory acts as defined in Section 
12. 
 
Sec. 10. Prevention, Detection, and Management of Blood Borne Hepatitis in 
Workplace Settings with High-Risk of Transmission. – In institutions or workplace 
settings with high-risk of transmission like hospital, health facilities, diagnostic clinics, 
blood donation centers, among others, measures to interrupt transmission of blood 
borne viral hepatitis from health provider to patient and vice versa shall be adopted, 
including but not limited to: 
(a)  
Routine surveillance of personnel performing exposure prone procedures and 
provision of support and access to treatment for those with positive results; 
(b)  
Hepatitis B vaccination for all personnel if they have no documented evidence 
of pre-existing immunity; 
(c)  
Strict adherence and practice of universal precautions and provision of personal 
protective equipment for workers whose work entails exposure to blood and 
other body fluids; 
(d)  
Provision and maintenance of adequate hygiene facilities and mechanisms to 
ensure proper disposal of infectious and potentially contaminated materials; 
(e)  
Development of protocols for the management of health workers exposed to 
agents contaminated with blood borne infectious diseases in all health care and 
health care-related institutions and facilities; 
(f)  
Education and training on the prevention transmission of blood borne hepatitis 
and other infectious diseases in the workplace; 
(g)  
Development of a protocol for the confidential management of restrictions on 
the conduct of EPPs and reasonable reassignment of personnel with 
restrictions to conduct EPP to other work assignments based on the person's 
clinical status and based on best available scientific evidence. 
 


 
Sec. 11. Regulation of Hepatitis Testing Services. – To ensure access to voluntary 
and confidential hepatitis testing, the DOH shall: 
(a)  
Regulate public and private facilities that conduct hepatitis testing services. 
Provided, that only DOH-accredited hepatitis testing facilities shall be allowed 
to conduct such testing; 
(b)  
Develop the guidelines for voluntary and confidential hepatitis testing including 
protocols for counselling and referral to health providers for further evaluation 
and management. 
 
Sec. 12. Discriminatory Acts. – The following discriminatory acts and practices shall 
be prohibited: 
(a)  
Discrimination in any form, from pre-employment to post-employment, including 
hiring, assignment, promotion, based on the actual or perceived HBV or HCV 
status of an individual, non-disclosure of one's own or another person's HBV 
and HCV status, or refusal to undergo hepatitis testing; 
(b)  
Termination from work on the sole basis of actual, perceived, or suspected HBV 
or HCV, non-disclosure of one's own or another person's HBV and HCV status, 
or refusal to undergo hepatitis testing; 
(c)  
Refusal of admission, expulsion, segregation, imposition of harsher disciplinary 
actions, or denial of benefits or services of a student or a prospective student 
solely or partially on the basis of actual, perceived or suspected HBV or HCV, 
non-disclosure of said status, or refusal to undergo hepatitis testing; 
(d)  
Exclusion from health, accident, or life insurance, credit and loan services, 
including the extension of such loan or insurance facilities, of an individual 
solely or partially on the basis of actual, perceived, or suspected HBV and HCV 
status: Provided, that the person with positive HBV and HCV has not 
misrepresented the fact to the insurance company or loan or credit service 
provider upon application; 
(e)  
Denial of or provision of subpar health services or being charged with a higher 
fee, on the basis of actual, perceived or suspected HBV or HCV status, non-
disclosure of said status, or refusal to undergo hepatitis testing; 
(f)  
Denial and deprivation of private health insurance under a Health Maintenance 
Organization (HMO) and private life insurance coverage under a life insurance 
company on the basis of the person's HBV and HCV status: Provided, that the 


 
person with positive HBV and HCV has not misrepresented such fact to the 
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and private life insurance company 
upon application. 
(g)  
Other similar or analogous discriminatory acts. 
 
Sec. 13. Protection of Workers with Blood Borne Viral Hepatitis. – Employers shall 
adopt all reasonable measures to accommodate workers who are HBV-positive, HCV-
positive, or affected by a Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C -related illness who voluntary 
disclose their status to their employers. Including but not limited to flexible leave 
arrangements, re-scheduling of work hours, and workforce re-integration assistance, 
and facilitation of access to treatment. 
 
Sec. 14. Education on Blood Borne Viral Hepatitis. – The DOH together with other 
partners in the health sector shall strengthen the nationwide program on prevention of 
blood borne viral hepatitis by raising awareness on the disease and disease 
prevention, promoting universal coverage of Hepatitis B vaccination, and advocating 
for voluntary hepatitis testing in the general population.  
 
Sec. 15. Penalties. – Violations of any provision of this Act including, but not limited 
to, those related to the non-compulsory nature of Hepatitis B and C testing, 
discrimination in the workplace and confidentiality, shall be punished with 
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not greater than four (4) years, and 
a fine not exceeding Fifty Thousand pesos (P50,000.00). In addition, the licenses or 
permits of establishments, companies and other institutions found guilty of committing 
the discriminatory acts and policies described in this Act, shall be revoked. 
 
Sec. 16. Implementing Rules & Regulations. – The DOH and DOLE, in coordination 
with other relevant government agencies and private organizations and non-
governmental organizations shall issue the Implementing Rules & Regulations 
necessary for the effective implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity thereof.  
 
Sec. 17. Appropriations. – The amounts necessary for the initial implementation of 
the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of 


 
the DOH. Thereafter, the expenses for its continued implementation shall be included 
in the General Appropriations Act from funds appropriated to the DOH. 
 
Sec. 18. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions not affected 
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
Sec. 19. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, department or 
memorandum orders and other administrative issuances, or parts thereof, which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby modified, superseded or 
repealed accordingly. 
 
Sec. 20. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,