Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House ill No, 6482

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Heart diseases is the leading cause of death in the Philippines, with sudden cardiac
arrest (SCA) being half of the cause of deaths of patients suffering from cardiovascular
disease. Anyone can suffer from sudden cardiac arrest; it is unpredictable and can happen
anywhere and anytime.

Aside from sudden death, the effects of SCA can lead to long term severe mental
impairment due to the delays in facilitating cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. CPR is
“g life-saving procedure that involves breathing for the victim and applying external chest
compression to make the heart pump. In the early stages of a heart attack, death can often
be avoided if a bystander starts CPR within 5 minutes of the onset of ventricular
fibrillation.”!

Only about four to six percent of SCA victims survive because majority of the people
witnessing the arrest do not know how to perform CPR. According to the Council on
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of the Philippine Heart Association, Inc, effective and
immediate administering of CPR can double a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival.

This bill requires K to 12 students to undergo CPR training, Through this, we are
empowering our youth with the capability of saving the lives of their loved ones and
neighbors.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

‘REDO D. VAGGAS IIL

* MedicineNet.com. (undated). Definition of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Available at:
{http://wwnw.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2632] [Retrived 27 January 2016]


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO._ 6482

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas II

AN ACT
REQUIRING BASIC EDUCATION STUDENTS TO UNDERGO CARDIOPULMONARY
RESUSCITATION (CPR) TRAINING

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 “CPR Training in
Schools Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Pursuant to Section 15, Article II of the 1987
Philippine Constitution, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

Pursuant thereto, the State shall ensure that able-bodied citizens are equipped with the
necessary knowledge and basic skills to respond to certain health emergencies.

SECTION 3. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Instruction for Basic Education
Students. - It shall be the duty of all public and private basic education schools
operating nationwide to provide their students with at least one (1) training session in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through the use of psychomotor training in an
age-appropriate manner. The CPR instruction shall include programs which have been
developed by the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) or Philippine National Red Cross
(PNRC) using nationally-recognized, evidence-based guidelines for emergency
cardiovascular care, and psychomotor training, to support the instruction. As far as
practicable, basic education schools shall incorporate the CPR training as part of the
schools’ comprehensive health and physical education curriculum.

As used in this Act, psychomotor training refers to hands-on practice to support
cognitive learning.


SECTION 4. CPR Training as Prerequisite for Graduation. - Every student in
the primary and secondary levels shall be required to undergo at least one (1) CPR
training session as a requirement for graduation, All successful student-trainees shall be
certified to have undergone the training required by a competent school authority.

SECTION 5. Training Providers. - The school principal or administrator shall
coordinate with the Department of Health for its assistance in providing competent
instructors for the school’s CPR training program. The school principal or administrator
shall ensure that the instructors for CPR shall be utilized as trainers only if the
instruction is intended to lead to a certification for students.

School principals or administrators are encouraged to accept competent CPR
instructors from non-government organizations (NGOs) who are offering their services
for free.

SECTION 6. Exceptions. - Students suffering from any physical or mental
disability which may render them unable to perform a CPR procedure are exempted
from going through the CPR training program.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days
from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the
Secretary of Health, shall formulate the rules and regulations implementing the
provisions of this Act. The implementing rules and regulations issued pursuant to this
section shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in national newspaper of
general circulation,

SECTION 8. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,