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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
At its forty-ninth session in September 1998, the Regional Committee of the 
World Health Organization reported that there is a high incidence and prevalence of 
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the Western Pacific Region, thus, there is the 
potential for increased HIV transmission in many countries. 
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) or venereal disease (VD), is an illness that 
has a significant probability of transmission between humans or animals by means of 
sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. Increasingly, the 
term sexually transmitted infection (STI) is used, as it has a broader range of meaning; a 
person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of 
diseuse. Some STIs can also be transmitted via use of an IV drug needle after its use by 
an infected person, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding. Some common STDs 
include HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), Gonorrhea and Syphilis. HIV attacks the 
body's T-cells, and which damages the body's ability to fight off invading germs and 
disease. People with HIV become more susceptible to other inkctions and they may get 
certain types of cancer that a healthy body would normally be able to fight off. This 
weakened immunity (or immune deficiency) is known as AIDS and can result in severe 
life-threatening infections, some forms of cancer. Gonorrhea may cause sterility, arthritis, 
or heart problems if untreated. Women may develop pelvic inflammatory disease 
(infection of the reproductive organs that can cause infertility) and men may develop 
epididymis (inflammation a€ testicular tubes). Syphilis, if untreated, damage caused 
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during later stages cannot be undone. Untreated syphilis may damage the nervous system, 
heart, brain, or other organs, and in some cases cause death. 
The 1987 Constitution, Article 2, Section 15, provides: 
Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health 
of the people aud instill health consciousness among them. 
Further, we are a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social 
and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Under Article 12 of this treaty, our obligations include 
the following: 
Article 12. 
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyoiie to 
the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. 
2. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present Covenant to achieve 
the full realization of this right shall include those necessary for: 
(c) The prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and 
other diseases; 
This bill requires the Department of Health and local health departments to 
provide information to the public and health care professionals about the health 
consequences of untreated sexually transmitted diseases; medical options for treatment 
of sexually transmitted diseases; and 
services and medical benefits that are available 
for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. 
In addition to this a government- 
sponsored website will be provided to help minimize the risks of STDs and to make 
medical support accessible and available to anyone needing help. 
This bill is meant to complement R.A.8504 which concentrates on the prevention 
and control of HIV/AIDS, as well as existing programs of the DOH on the prevention and 
control of HIViAIDS and STIs. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO 
PREVENT AND ADDRESS SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS 
IMPLEMENTING A NATIONWIDE AWARENESS PROGRAM, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
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 “STD Prevention Act 
of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - 
(a) The State shall promote public awareness about the causes. modes of transmission, 
consequences, means of prevention and control of “/AIDS 
through a comprehensive 
nationwide educational and information campaign organized and conducted by the State. 
Such campaigns shall promote value formation and employ scientifically proven 
approaches, focus on the family as a basic social unit, and be carried out in all schools 
and training centers, workplaces, and communities. This program shall involve affected 
individuals and groups, including people living with “/AIDS. 
(b) The state shall extend to every person suspected or known to be infected with 
“/AIDS 
full protection of hidher human rights and civil liberties. Towards this end, 
compulsory HIV testing shall be considered unlawful unless otherwise provided in this 
Act; 
(c) The State shall promote utmost safely and universal precautions in practices and 
procedures that carry the risk of HIV transmission. 
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SECTION 3. DeJinition of Terms. -- For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms: 
(1) “DOH’ - shall refer to the Department of Health. 
(2) “PIA” - Philippine Information Agency 
(3) “STD” - shall refer to sexually transmitted diseases, or infectious diseases 
acquired through sexual contact. The term shall include but is not limited to 
the following: 
1. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) 
2. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus which causes AIDS) 
3. Herpes 
4. Gonorrhea 
5. Syphillis 
6. Chlamydia 
7. Genital warts 
8. Trichomoniasis 
SECTION 4. National Program for STD and STI Prevention. - The DOH shall 
distribute to the public and to health care professionals: 
A. medically accurate information about sexually transmitted including: 
1. the probable side effects resulting from an untreated sexually 
transmitted disease, including infertility and sterility; 
2. medically accepted treatment for sexually transmitted diseases; and 
3. the medical risks commonly associated with the medical treatment of 
sexually transmitted diseases. 
B. public and private services and agencies available to assist individuals with 
obtaining treatment for the sexually transmitted disease; 
C. medical assistance benefits that may be available to the individual with the 
sexually transmitted disease; and 
D. The information referred to above shall be distributed 
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1, free of charge; 
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2. provided in English, Pilipino as well as other dialects that may be 
appropriate for the geographic area. 
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SECTION 5. Establishment of a website - The DOH, in cooperation with the PIA, 
shall establish an information site on the Internet, which shall serve as a public resource 
for Sexual Health information. It shall include facts on STD symptoms, prevention, 
treatment, testing and all other topics. 
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SECTION 6. Testing and Rehabilitation Services. - The DOH is hereby 
mandated to establish testing centers for early detection of STDs. The centers must also 
provide referral services to patients, identifying medical expertise and facilities that are 
most appropriate to the needs of the patients. 
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SECTION 7. 
Medical Conjdentiality - All health professional, medical 
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instructions, workers, employers, recruitment agencies, insurance companies, data 
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encoders, and other custodians of any medical record, file, data, or test results as directed 
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to strictly observe confidentiality in the handling of all medical information, particularly 
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the identify and status of persons with STD. 
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SECTION 8. Implementing Agency. - The Department of Health (DOH), in 
cooperation with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), is hereby authorized and 
directed to adopt a system to implement and carry out the provisions of this Act. The 
DOH shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and 
regulations to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 9. Penalties 
for Misleading Information - Misinformation on 
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HIV/AIDS prevention and control through false and misleading advertising and claims in 
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any of the tri-media or the promotional marketing of drugs, devices, agents or procedures 
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without prior approval from the Department of Health and Bureau of Food and Drugs and 
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the requisite medical and scientific basis, including markings and indications in drugs and 
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devices or agents, purporting to be a cure or a fail-safe prophylactic for HIV infection is 
punishable with a penalty of imprisonment for two (2) months to 2 (2) years, without 
prejudice to the imposition of administrative sanctions such as fines and suspension or 
revocation of professional or business license. 
SECTION 10. Penalties for Violations of Con$dentiality - Any violation of 
medical confidentiality as provided in Section 6 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of 
imprisonment for six (6) months to four (4) years, without prejudice to administrative 
sanctions such as fines and suspension or revocation of the violator's license to practice 
hidher profession, as well as the cancellation or withdrawal of the license to operate any 
business entity and the accreditation of hospitals, laboratories or clinics. 
SECTION 11. Appropriations. - A special fund amounting to fifty million pesos 
(Php 50,000,000.00) which shall be sourced from the funds of the Philippine Amusement 
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is hereby created. 
Other amounts as may be 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, are hereby authorized to be appropriated 
from the National Treasury. 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 13. 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 is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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lacs 
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