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Second Regular Session 
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INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VlLI.AR 
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EXPLANATORY MOTE 
The rapid spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS across 
international boundaries and the short period of lime it t;!;es 
to kill its victim has givin 
the disease notoriety. 
SARS has caused .paranoia and made countries clcse their borders and iestrict 
the movement of people. China, Singapore and Hong Kang have been hzro'c:;( hi;, and 
even advanced countries such as Canada were not spared. Though advanced science 
and technology are being used to combat the disease, it is modem technolcgy itself that 
also caused its spread with the ease of cross border travel ofiei:.u' 
by n:odem 
transportation and the new world order of globalization. 
Though there is no outbreak of SARS in '.he Ph'!ippines, the smd! nurnhnr of 
victims in the country have made us vulnerabie. In :>is regard, we shou!d be sli. ed kto 
action and prepare for the next contagion. SARS was no; the first end will dcfir?ely not 
be the last biological agent to wreak havoc in our society. !ts r;eve-;!y is jus; a sampling 
of things to come, for as medical science comes up with medicines or vi.ccines :o 
counter the disease, viruses have a way of adapting to survive. The eslablislment of a 
set plan to counteract such emergence or resurgence of contagions is a must. 
This bill seeks to establish a Public Health Emergency Council which would have 
the primary responsibility to draw up a battle plan ayahst a public healih emergency 
and implement the same. If seeks to give us a fighting chance against biologicsi, 
chemical or nuclear health threats through preparation, macagement and disposal. 
For these reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sou@. 
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REPUBLIC O'F THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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(A) "BigJ,ogical 
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  agent? means a: microor 
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naturally pc&ihg~ or 'tioen,&i+r 
prodici,. br, 0th; 
death, disease',! )dr~ other harm to .a :human; a 
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(C) ,"Chemic$ agent" mea 
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'klisaise, &ther 
a h,uhan,,'a 
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weapons emploging ctG&ii~al,.agents. 


(I) "Infectious disease" is a disease caused by a tiving G ; - ~ c .  .ism or virus. An 
infectious disease may, or, may not, be transmishle from]pbr&n to persbn, an!nia! to 
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Th& C~uncjl",shall, 
also advise; 
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Public. Health EniergenGy. :plan that may. b,e'.taken 
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,Emergency OCcUfs. 
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The State of Public~'~ealth:Em~rgency 
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extended or terminated earlier by the PHEC. 
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'(I) to .cIo&.+& 
a6$.cbhp.ii, 
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be ,decont,ghiii$ed 'any -fa,$lity of 'whi& the 
e&an.g& the p,uublic,.l&dth,, and 
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to,decontami$afe: or cause: to :be. deconta$n@& 
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is rea,sonable cagseto,,beiieve~ 
that .if'may,endarig~r~the. 
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Section 
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:declaration of ,a,' public health ,e 
antitbxins, serums, 
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agents or medical supplies-that .it considers ,a 
contcollin,g a public health emergency, ,with 
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The PHEC 
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individuals .or. groups ,of'indi'viduals'un$e&<lation .or' 
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(I) isolation 'and quarantine 'must,:be-by the 
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'prevent the kitead, of a contagi 
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(2) :indiiidh,ils, 
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disease must b&onfined' sep$rately from,quarantini?d' 
(3): the :heiitti 'statlj,:,of .isolaiid::knd .A 
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.regUl&y io 'de&kide .if 'they require jsolatioh or qW 
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infected with :a 'cbntagious:20r p6ssibly. 
removed to: iscilation; 
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(5).,i30jate,d .and: quarantined.. individuals, 
-pose nb' ,subst,$njial risk .of't&ismi&ng ,a,-&ntag/o& 
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syst&?tic and. cbhpet.ent&shi<n, inclu$ng,,,but, 
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cloth'ing; Shelter, 
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outside ttiese,settings, medication,: aKdlcomdetent medic 
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(7) premises used.:for :isolation .and quarantine'must~ 
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infection'or ,otherharms to ,persons is.ilatGd or quarantined. 
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comply with these provisions ,shall b,e.perqlized<vl/ith. 
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Only authorized physicians, health care workers, or other persons \,vi31 w: Wn 
permi+on from the PHEC shall have acc&s to i:i@jvikmk it7 :xktion & &.-;!;j:j;:~ 
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necessary ,to meet the needs of 'isol,$ed or 'quka,ntin+d' individuals:.: i?ailure.to 
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with ,or willful violation, c$ fhis provision shall, b:e; penalized 
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witti .a fi 
pesos 'G 
irhpsis,&&pt 
of not mor& than i i x  inbnth. 
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violate 'these &visions ':shall be: penalized, with 8',f 
i,mpyisonmen& not more than:six mtkths. 
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Any person enter g ,an :isolation ~ or quara:n:ini, ptemis 
authorization of the.P.HgC ay be~is<lated or'quaraniined'as $rovid 
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Goverrit$eii.'Roie - Wi&in, 
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'gealth (Emerggncy, 
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:During ' a, state of..  public^ health ' emergency, 
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incopcjitibnbt support and :dooperation, to" the' P 
Heaith Emergency 
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 13. Powers~ and. .DUt& Regardin,g:,$afe, 
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coordinat4,;with hospif&$0d 
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state Of public health emergency'exi ,;$ exercise,,in 
foll,owing powers 'regardini,'th&sak 
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posal, of human' 
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to order the. disposal :of 'human 
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prevent. or sto@'th@spread:.df. 
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shall.:$roplg,ate the implementing 
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may be ,necessary to ,implement an$ 'car 
p,rovi$ions .of thi,iACt. 
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held,,invajid, d;r :unconstitutional, oth:gr 
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force-and; effeci. 


Approved,