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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 2141
 Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to modernize the country's capabilities for public health 
emergency preparedness and strengthen the current bureaucracy that is mandated to 
prevent the spread of communicable diseases in the country through organizational 
and institutional reforms. 
To better prepare against public health emergencies, the proposed measure 
seeks to advance two essential initiatives: 1) health modernization, and 2) 
institutional reforms. The author acknowledges the need to modernize and 
reorganize our health system to protect the public from health risks. 
In terms of organizational restructuring, the proposal is for the Center for 
Disease Control (CDC) to absorb the following DOH units or their divisions or 
functions: Epidemiology Bureau; Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM); 
Sexually Transmitted Disease - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (STD-.\IDS) 
Cooperative Central Laboratory; Select functions of the International Health 
Surveillance Division of the Bureau of Quarantine such as the passive international 
health surveillance and development of communication methods for wider and more 
effective delivery of critical public health information with international importance; 
Technical and standard setting functions of the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau 
including that of the Mental Health Division, Cancer Division and Oral Health Division. 
Under this bill, the CDC will perform the following powers, functions, and duties: 
Policy and Standards Development; Capacity Building and Technical Assistance; Sectoral 
and Local Engagements: Surveillance; Technical guidance on the monitoring and 
evaluation framework for disease prevention and control; and Certify the existence of an 
epidemic which shall be treated as a public health emergency, among other functions as 
may be mandated by law, or as may be duly delegated by relevant authorities. It also 
seeks to establish Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control or RCDCs in all 
regions of the Philippines. 
In terms of modernization, the bill proposes the crafting of modernization program 
which will include the acquisition and upgrading of appropriate technologies, 
laboratories, facilities, equipment, other needed resources and the needed relocation 
and acquisition of additional land or location that would house the CDC. 
The bill provides for the submission of the modernization program for the 
consideration and approval of Congress. The modernization program shall be 
implemented over a period of five (5) years. 
Recognizing the enormous investments that the country needs to put in place if 
we are to protect and promote the right of our people to health and ultimately keep 
them safe from future health threats and emergencies, the bill proposes that the CDC 
be mandated to solicit, negotiate with, and receive from any public or private domestic 
or foreign sources legacies, gifts, donations, grants, endowments, contributions or 
other transfers of ownership and/or possession of real or personal properties of all 
July 21, 2025
2:30 pm


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kinds, which shall be exempt from donor's tax and shall all be part of the special 
account in the general fund managed by the Department of Finance. 
Under the bill, the Department of Finance shall prescribe the measures 
necessary for the proper use, maintenance and safekeeping of said donations, grants, 
endowments, contributions or transfers and the compliance of the terms and 
conditions thereon, if any, in accordance with pertinent accounting and auditing laws, 
rules, and regulations. 
The immediate approval of this urgent bill is earnestly sought. 
CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 2141
 Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, ESTABLISHING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE THE CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress assembled· 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine 
Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Act." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them. The State also mandates the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health development. 
Towards this end, the State shall give high priority to the allocation of 
material and institutional resources to protect public health by ensuring that the 
Philippine health system is well-prepared to forecast, prevent, monitor, and control 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms -As used in this Act: 
(a) Communicable disease, also known as contagious disease, refers to an illness
resulting from an infection, or a disease, which can be transmitted from an infected 
host individual or group to a particular individual or group. It spreads through 
direct, bodily contact with an infected person, their discharges, or an object or 
surface they have contaminated; 
(b)
Disease refers to an illness due 
to a specific toxic substance,
occupational exposure or infectious agent, which affects a susceptible individual, 
either directly or indirectly, from an infected animal or person, or indirectly 
through an intermediate host, vector, or the environment; 
(c) Disease surveillance refers to a systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and
dissemination 
of outcome and specific data 
for use in 
the planning, 
implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. A disease surveillance 
system includes the functional capacity for data analysis as well as the timely 
dissemination of these data to persons who can undertake effective disease 
prevention and control activities; 
(d) Epidemic or outbreak refers to an occurrence of more cases of disease
than normally expected within a specific place or group of people over a given period 
of time; 
(e)
Infectious disease refers to a clinically manifested disease of humans or
animals 
resulting from an infection which can be communicable or non-
communicable; 


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(e) Public health emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an 
illness or health condition that: 
 
Is caused by any of the following: 
(1)  Bio terrorism; 
(2)  Appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated   
 
    
infectious agent or biological toxin; 
(3)  Natural disaster;  
(4)  A chemical attack or accidental release;  
(5)  A nuclear attack or accident; or 
(6)  An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and, 
 
Poses a high probability of any of the following: 
 
(1)  A large number of deaths in the affected population; 
(2)  A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the affected 
population; 
(3)  Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people in the affected 
population; 
(4)  International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk to the health of citizens of other countries; or, 
(5)  Trade and travel restrictions; 
 
(f) Quarantine refers to the physical separation and confinement of an 
individual or groups of individuals, who are or may have been exposed 
to a c o n t a g i o u s  or possibly contagious disease and who do not 
show signs or symptoms of a contagious disease, from non-
quarantined individuals, to prevent or limit the transmission of the 
disease. 
 
SEC. 4. Creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and 
C ontrol.  The Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) is 
hereby created as an attached agency to the Department of Health (DOH) for policy 
and program coordination. 
 
SEC. 5. Powers, Functions, and Duties. - The CDC shall be the technical 
authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control. To carry out 
the provisions of this Act, the CDC shall have the following powers, functions, 
and duties: 
 
a. 
Policy and Standards Development: 
 
(1)  Provide technical guidance 
to the development 
of policies, 
programs, standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation systems on 
the forecasting, prevention, monitoring, and control of diseases, injuries, and 
disabilities both of national and international concern; 
(2)   Set the standards and the process for the establishment of 
Epidemiology 
and Surveillance Units or its corresponding surveillance 
reporting units, pursuant to law; 
(3)   Provide quality assurance programs to ensure the quality of testing 
for laboratories; 
(4)   Conduct researches for development in support of the CDC 
mandate to forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, injuries, and 
disabilities both of national and international concern; 
(5)   Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the 
declaration of a state of public health emergency, in case of an epidemic of 
national or international concern; and, 


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(6)   Set the parameters for the declaration of the existence as well as 
the end of an epidemic. 
 
b. 
Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: 
 
(1)  Develop, implement, and maintain training programs on specialized 
fields such as field epidemiology, health emergency of biological concern, 
laboratory services, infectious and tropical diseases, and non-communicable 
diseases; 
(2)  Assess and support the capabilities of health facilities and local 
government units LGUs) on forecasting, preventing, monitoring, and controlling 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern; 
and, 
(3)  Provide  technical assistance and expert services to DOH offices, and 
collaborating and implementing agencies or offices on matters pertaining to 
forecasting, preventing, monitoring, and controlling diseases, injuries, and 
disabilities both of national and international concern. 
 
c. 
Sectoral and Local Engagements: 
 
(1)  Promote coordination and collaboration with partner agencies 
and organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate; 
(2)  Coordinate, collaborate, and disseminate relevant scientific and 
technical information in a timely manner with partner agencies 
and international and local organizations on matters pertaining 
to CDC mandate; and,  
(3)  Disseminate relevant scientific and technical information in a 
timely manner with partner agencies, and international and local 
organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate. 
 
d. 
Surveillance: 
 
(1)  Develop, 
implement, and maintain 
an integrated surveillance 
system of diseases, injuries, and disabilities;  
(2)  Provide technical guidance on the development implementation 
and maintenance, and monitoring of health system capacity such 
as operational capacities of health facilities, and performance 
management of the response systems, in terms of contact tracing, 
quarantine, isolation, and other significant population-based health 
services; 
(3)  Investigate 
and 
respond 
through 
surveillance 
and disease 
notification, investigation, and conduct 
of 
field 
studies 
and 
research to outbreaks, epidemics, and other public health threats as 
the need arises; 
(4)  Develop and maintain a network of public health laboratories 
support of epidemiology and surveillance activities; 
(5)  Facilitate the issuance of appropriate warnings to the regional 
CDC and health facilities in anticipation of impending public 
health threats and infectious disease outbreak; 
(6)  Utilize various information and communication technologies (ICT) 
in management of data and dissemination of early warning and 
other appropriate information to stakeholders and the public; and 
(7) Develop communication methods for wider and more effective and 
unified delivery of critical public health information with national or 
international importance.  
 
e. Provide technical guidance on the procurement of vaccines, drugs, and 
diagnostics; 


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f. Provide technical guidance on the monitoring and evaluation framework for 
disease prevention and control; 
 
g. 
Certify to the existence of an epidemic which shall be treated as a public 
health emergency; and, 
 
h. 
Perform such other functions as may be mandated by law, or as may be 
duly delegated by relevant authorities. 
 
SEC. 6. Director General. - The CDC shall be headed by a Director 
General with a rank of Undersecretary, who shall be assisted by two (2) Deputy 
Directors General with a rank of Assistant Secretary. The Director General and the 
Deputy Directors General shall be appointed by the President from a list of at 
least three (3) nominees for each position to be submitted by the DOH Secretary. 
The Director General and Deputy Directors General shall have at least ten (10) 
years of relevant experience and proven expertise in the fields of public health and 
epidemiology.  
 
The Director General shall have the following powers and functions: 
 
(a) Manage and direct the activities and functions of the CDC; 
 
(b) Advise the DOH Secretary on policy matters concerning the Center's  
 
   activities;  
 
(c)  Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the exercise 
of special powers in case of an epidemic, including the declaration of a public 
health emergency; 
 
(d) Act as the national International Health Regulations Focal Point, 
subject to consultation with DOH; and, 
 
(e) Perform other functions and powers that may be assigned by the DOH 
Secretary. 
 
SEC. 7. Transfer of DOH Units and Functions.  The following DOH units and 
their concerned divisions and functions are hereby transferred to the CDC: 
 
 
(a) Epidemiology Bureau; 
 
 
(b) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; 
 
(c) Sexually Transmitted Disease - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 
Cooperative Central Laboratory; 
 
(d) Select functions of the International Health Surveillance Division of 
the Bureau of Quarantine as follows: 
 
(1) Passive international health surveillance; and, 
(2) Development of communication methods for wider and more 
effective delivery of critical public health information with 
international importance; and, 
 
(e) Technical and standard setting functions of the Disease Prevention and 
Control Bureau including that of the Mental Health Division, Cancer 
Division and Oral Health Division. 
 
All powers, functions, assets, capital, records, funds, receivables, equipment 
and facilities of the transferred DOH units or its division or function 


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enumerated herein shall be transferred to the CDC. The Department of Heath 
shall conduct an audit and inventory of assets, liabilities and human 
resources of the transferred agencies to CDC without need of conveyance 
or transfer of assignments. 
 
SEC. 8. Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control - There shall 
be established Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (RCDCs) in all 
regions of the country. Each Regional CDC shall be headed by a Regional Director, 
who shall be under the supervision of the CDC Director General. 
 
The functions of RCDCs include: 
 
(a)  Prevention, control, and surveillance of diseases; 
(b)  Provision of laboratory services for detection and identification of 
infectious disease agents from human, environmental samples, and food; 
(c)  Maintenance of an integrated data management system; 
(d)  Implementation of quality assurance programs 
for 
clinical 
and 
environmental laboratories through training, consultation, certification and 
proficiency testing; 
(e) Policy development; 
(f)  Emergency response; 
(g)  Public health-related research; 
(h)  Training and education; 
(i)   Maintenance of infectious disease hospitals for referral and management of 
cases; 
(j)   Establishment of strong communication networks; and, 
(k)  Other functions that may be assigned by the Director General. 
 
The RCDCs shall be composed of specialists in the fields of infectious 
diseases, public health, epidemiology and similar fields. 
 
SEC. 9. Structure and Staffing Pattern. - 
 
(a) 
The CDC shall initially have the following offices, each to be headed by 
an officer with the salary and rank of Director IV: 
(1) Center for Epidemic Intelligence and Disease Surveillance; 
(2) Center for Research, Training, and Reference Laboratory; 
(3) Center for Infectious Disease Emergency Preparedness and 
Response; 
(4) Center for Policy and Program Development; 
(5) Communications Office; and 
(6) Administrative and Finance Office. 
 
(b) The CDC Director General, subject to the issuance of an executive 
order by the President and approval of the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM), may create or abolish units, offices, or centers as 
needed to carry out all provisions of this Act. 
 
(c) The CDC Director General, in consultation with the DOH and the DBM, 
shall: 
 
(1)  Develop the organizational structure of the CDC at the national, 
regional, and local levels; 
(2)  Determine the divisions and specific functions of each unit, center, 
or office of the CDC; and 
(3)  Determine 
the 
staffing 
pattern, 
qualification 
standards, 
compensation, and position classification plan for the CDC subject 
to the approval of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the 
DBM. 


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SEC. 10.  Qualifications Standards for Appointment and Promotion. - The 
DOH shall, in consultation with the CSC, and pertinent agencies as may be 
necessary, develop the qualification standards in terms of education, training and 
experience for all technical and non-technical positions in the CDC, and the system 
for promotion and succession plan in the CDC. 
 
SEC. 11. Continuing Competency Development Program. -  The CDC shall, 
through the Director General, devise and implement a continuing competency 
development program whereby all core personnel shall be required to update 
and enrich competencies through attendance in programs, studies, researches, 
fellowships, workshops, seminars, including training opportunities in reputable 
foreign CDCs. Compliance with the Continuing Competency Development Program 
shall be the mandatory basis for promotion within the CDC. The CDC shall develop 
mechanisms to tap funding opportunities to implement its Continuing Competency 
Development Program. 
 
SEC. 12. Modernization Program. - The Director General shall, in 
consultation with the DOH 
and other concerned agencies of government and the private sector, 
develop a modernization program that will strengthen the human health resource 
of the CDC, which is the key component of the country's disease prevention and 
control policy. The modernization program shall include the acquisition and 
upgrading of appropriate technologies, laboratories, facilities, equipment, other 
needed resources, and the needed relocation and acquisition of additional land 
or location that would house the CDC. 
 
Within one hundred eighty (180) days after the effectivity of this Act, the 
Director General shall upon the recommendation of the DOH and DBM Secretaries, 
submit the modernization program for the consideration and approval of Congress. 
 
The modernization program shall be implemented over a period of five (5) 
years. 
 
Appropriations for the modernization program shall be provided in the 
annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
SEC.  13. Strengthened Epidemiology, Public Health Surveillance, 
and 
Research Capacities.  To ensure that epidemiology and public health surveillance 
services are efficient and responsive, and public health surveillance and research 
capacities are strengthened and updated to international standards, the CDC shall: 
(a)  Prioritize investments in upgrading of ICT and adequate and capacitated 
human resources for epidemiology, public health surveillance, and public health 
and clinical research; 
 
(b) Have a premier facility for clinical laboratory, epidemiologic and 
implementation research, and training on infectious and tropical diseases; 
 
(c) Develop performance-based incentives to private health facilities with 
established epidemiology and surveillance functions; 
 
(d) Re-nationalize local epidemiology and surveillance units (LESUs) that will 
solely provide epidemiology and disease surveillance services and provide assistance 
to the LGUs in the establishment and maintenance of surveillance systems, data 
management, and generation of strategic epidemiologic information: Provided, That 
the DOH, CDC, and DBM, shall develop the staffing pattern and qualification standards: 
Provided, further, That LESUs shall be under the direct supervision and control of the 
Regional CDCs; 
 


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 (e) Retain and provide incentives to technical experts, practitioners and 
scientists, whereby the scientific career system is adopted, allowing them to 
continue their respective clinical and professional practice to pursue 
research studies and receive grants and honoraria, in consultation with 
the CSC. Qualified employees of the CDC and its attached units shall be 
covered by Republic £\ct No. 8439, otherwise known as "Magna Carta for 
Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and Other Science and Technology 
Personnel in Government;" 
 
(f)  Develop and implement training and research programs to develop 
more experts and practitioners in the field of epidemiology, and disease prevention 
and control; and, 
(g)  Develop a mechanism to ensure interoperability and accessibility of 
surveillance systems. 
 
SEC. 14. Strengthened Disease Surveillance and Response.  The CDC 
shall establish integrated disease surveillance and 
response systems utilizing, 
whenever necessary, all technological means available while ensuring that data 
privacy and patient confidentiality are maintained. The CDC and authorized public 
health authorities shall have complete access and right to collect personal 
information and other data, as may be deemed necessary in fulfillment of their 
mandate. All data or information and samples collected pursuant thereto shall be 
used for public health concern purposes only and shall be exempted from the 
provisions of R.A. No. 10173, otherwise known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012" on 
accessibility of data. 
 
SEC. 15. National Reference Laboratories.- The CDC shall establish a new, 
state of the art facility that will serve as the National Reference Laboratory 
(NRL), unifying all 
NRLs 
for biological, chemical, nuclear and radiologic 
emergencies under one roof, within 5 years from the effectivity of this Act: 
Provided, That the existing NRLs in the East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine 
Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney Transplant Institute 
and San Lazaro Hospital shall continue to be under the respective hospitals: Provided 
further, That these existing NRLs shall serve as referral laboratories of the CDC and be 
included in the Modernization Program of the CDC. 
 
The NRL shall provide technical recommendations, laboratory confirmatory 
services, training, and external quality assurance, and perform surveillance, 
outbreak response, kit evaluation, and research. It shall oversee the functions 
and performance of the network of subnational laboratories (SNL). 
 
SNLs shall be established in all regions, with the capability of conducting 
confirmatory testing for routine surveillance samples and performing specialized 
tests. 
SNLs, 
whose functions 
include testing 
for 
routine 
surveillance and 
specialized tests, shall be under CDC administratively. Hospitals housing the SNLs 
shall create a separate unit for their regular hospital laboratory needs. 
 
The CDC, through the NRLs and SNLs, shall provide technical guidance and 
quality assurance programs to biosafety levels 2, 3 and 4 laboratories in the country, 
which shall be registered with, and regulated by the DOH. 
 
SEC. 16. Authority to Solicit, Negotiate, and Receive Donations, Grants, 
Gifts, Legacies, Endowments, and Contributions.  The CDC may solicit, negotiate 
with, and receive from any public or private domestic or foreign sources 
legacies, gifts, donations, grants, endowments, contributions or other transfers of 
ownership and/ or possession of real or personal properties of all kinds in favor 
and for the benefit of the CDC, which shall all be part of the special account in the 
general fund managed by the Bureau of Treasury. 
 


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The Director General shall prescribe the measures necessary for the 
proper use, maintenance safekeeping, and compliance with the terms and 
conditions, if any, of said donations, grants, endowments, contributions or 
transfers in accordance with pertinent accounting and auditing laws, rules and 
regulations. 
 
SEC. 17. Tax Exemptions. - Donations, grants, gifts, endowments, legacies, 
and contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for the purpose of the CDC 
shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable 
deduction from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the 
donor, in accordance with Sec. 34 (H)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code 
of 1997, as amended. Likewise, such other transfers of ownership and/ or 
possession of real or personal properties of all kinds shall be exempt from all taxes. 
 
SEC. 18. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee - There shall be a Joint 
Congressional Oversight Committee on Disease Prevention and Control, jointly 
chaired by the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, 
and the House of Representatives Committee on Health. It shall be composed of 
five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of 
Representatives, to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, respectively. 
 
SEC. 19. Appropriations. - The initial amount needed for the implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the offices 
and the RITM herein absorbed by the CDC. Thereafter, the funding of which shall be 
included in the annual GAA. 
 
SEC. 20. Transitory Provisions. - 
 
(a) Upon effectivity of this Act, the CDC shall develop a Framework for 
Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness, and prioritize the strengthening of 
the following functions: 
(1)  Integrated disease surveillance and response 
(2)  Sentinel surveillance; 
(3)  Laboratory-based surveillance; 
(4)  Periodic population-based surveillance; and, 
(5)  Preventing transmission of communicable diseases. 
 
(b)  The CDC  shall initially prioritize disease surveillance and prevention 
and control of infectious  diseases.  Within  five  (5)  years  from  its  creation,  
and  upon  positive recommendation by an independent study or body 
commissioned by the DOH, the surveillance, prevention and control of non-
communicable diseases shall be included in its mandate; 
(c)  For the year during which this Act was approved, the unexpended 
portion of the budget of the offices and units transferred shall be utilized for 
establishing the CDC and initiating its operations, including the formulation of the 
rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this Act; 
(d)  To the greatest extent possible and in accordance with existing laws, all 
employees of the affected offices, agencies and units shall be absorbed by the CDC. 
Personnel hired on a permanent basis and with appointments attested by the CSC 
who may be affected by the transition of DOH units to CDC, or who will not be 
absorbed in the new positions of the new staffing pattern of the different offices in 
the CDC, shall have the option to: 
 
(1) Be transferred to other units or offices within the DOH without 
reduction in pay; or 
(2) Avail of the applicable retirement benefits as provided under R.A. 
6656, entitled "An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil 


1
 
Service Officers and Employees in the Implementation of 
Government Reorganization" and other relevant laws; 
 
(e) Incumbent DOH officials and employees of affected DOH offices may 
apply for and be transferred to the CDC, subject to an evaluation of their 
competency and CSC regulations; 
 
(f)  Research grants acquired during the transition of DOH transferred units 
to CDC shall be utilized solely for the grants' intended purposes for each of the 
affected units or offices, and shall not be made available for budget realignments; 
 
(g) Existing contracts and agreements entered into by the affected offices with 
third parties prior to the enactment of this Act shall remain valid. 
 
  The DBM, DOH, and CSC shall issue the implementing guidelines to ensure 
fair, orderly, and transparent implementation of paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. 
 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations.  Within one hundred 
and twenty (120) working days from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH Secretary 
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its implementation. 
 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause.  If any portion or provision of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause.  All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 24. Effectivity.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,