SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of tllC v ^ f r r r l  i r j )
•16 OCT 12 P3 29
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No.
1201
I C
 
■
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS 
IN EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
One in every 13 Filipina is expected to develop a breast cancer in her lifetime. 
To date, breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the country, wherein 
16 percent of the 50,000 diagnosed cancer cases are contracted with it. As such, 
Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia1.
Sadly, 70 percent of those who die from breast cancer do not receive any kind 
of treatment.2 Also, the country had the lowest survival rate of people with breast 
cancer among the 15 Asia countries3.
With these staggering statistics, there is a need to address this alarming 
situation. Hence, this bill seeks to establish breast care centers where better 
education, care and preventive measures are given to women who avail of its 
services. By approving this act, the access to specialized care is made easier, more 
accessible, and more affordable to the more marginalized sectors of our society, and 
would be more in tune with the constitutional mandate that the State shall adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall 
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other services available to all the 
people at affordable cost.
Medical practitioners emphasize that breast cancer is preventable and curable 
disease. Thus, an early detection is still considered the best weapon in fighting the 
disease.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
1 http://psmo.org.ph/the-abcs-of-breast-cancer/
2 http://www.mb.com.ph/fighting-breast-cancer/
3 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/291078/breast-cancer-is-the-most-prevalent-in-ph


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
< S l f i r t  nf t h e  V f r r f t  ir
• i r y
'16 OCT 12 P3:29
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No. 
1 2 0 1
Ki
r»Y:
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar 1 2
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS 
IN EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
1 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the
2 
Phiiippines in Congress assembled:
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26 
27
SECTION 1. Establishment o f Breast Care Centers. - A breast care center, 
known in this Act as "Center", shall be established in every region of the country to 
spearhead the fight against breast cancer. It shall be a new department in existing 
regional hospitals of the National Government. Should there be no regional hospital 
in the region, the Center shaii 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 Centers 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 
Surveiilance, Breast Imaging, Breast Diagnostic and Surgery, Breast Cancer 
Chemotherapy and Breast Cancer Awareness and Protection.
SEC. 3. Function. -  The Centers shaii, in coordination with local government 
units, local health offices, the Philippine Information Agency and other government 
agencies, shaii 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.
The centers shaii 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. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the 
Department of Health shall issue 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
1


1 
Health for being the most accessible to the highest number of constituents in a
2 
region where there is no existing regional hospital; for the acquisition of the
3 
necessary equipment, tools, implements, devices and apparatus for the hiring of
4 
personnel, for the fixing of reasonable fees for the services of the Centers and to
5 
carry out the provisions and purposes of this Act.
6 
SEC. 5. Operationalization and Appropriations. - To fully implement the
7 
provisions of the Act, the Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the
8 
Department's program the operationalization of the Centers, the funding for which
9 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
10 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its
11 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
12
Approved,