REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7682

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15 of Article II under the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. However,
reports on prostate cancer showed the opposite. Philippine Council for Health Research and
Development reported that prostate cancer is the "third most common male cancer in the entire
world and half a million new cases continue to be diagnosed every year.” Moreover, it is one of
the top five cancers among men in the Philippines.

Cancer of the prostate does not show early symptoms. Even without symptoms, this form of
cancer that may be detected during a medical examination while in its early stage. This is the
reason why men, particularly those who are 40 years and older, should be educated on the
importance of a regular check-up, including a digital (finger) rectal prostate examination once or
twice a year, even those without symptoms, to catch prostate cancer before it spreads. If treated
arly, ten years after the treatment, 65 out of a hundred are still alive and well. In consonance
with this, the Department of Health is hereby mandated to carry out the provisions of this bill.

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

.

;ARWC. ALEJANO
Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7682

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ON PROSTATE CANCER:

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the "Prostate Cancer Public
Awareness Act".

SEC. 2. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, the term "Director" means the Director of
the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the Department of Health.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Program for Public Education on Prostate Cancer. - The
Director shall carry out a program on prostate cancer. Through the program, he shall conduct or
support activities —

(a) To educate males who are forty (40) years of age or older on the need to periodically undergo
physical examinations for such cancer, including education on the frequency and type of such
examinations that are appropriate for various age groups of such men; and

(b) To educate males on the availability and appropriateness of procedures for detecting the
cancer in its early stages, including the procedure known as prostate ultrasound.

SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - \f any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SEC. 5. 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.

SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,