FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 15, provides: 
“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them.” 
Each year, thousands of poisonings are reported of the Department of Health. More than 
eighty-five percent (85%)of these poisonings happen in the home, while majority of poisoning 
victims are children younger than six (6) years of age. 
These poisonings would have been prevented if people have access to emergency medical 
services and efficient health care services. 
Unfortunately, the public cannot afford the high cost of medical and health care services, 
which private entities provide. 
Hence, this bill seeks to provide assistance for poison prevention and to establish 
government-funded pollution control centers that will produce life-saving and cost-effective 
public health services.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. No. sEYt% 3 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR POISON PREVENTION 
AND TO ESTABLISH POISON CONTROL CENTERS 
Be it enacted by Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be cited as the “Poison Control Center 
Enhancement and Awareness Act of 2007.” 
SECTION 2. Establishment of Nationwide Media Campaign. - 
(A) In General. - The Secretary of Health shall establish a national media campaign to 
educate the public and health care providers about poison prevention and the 
availability of poison control resources in local communities. 
(B) Contract with Entity. - The Secretary may carry out paragraph (A) by entering into 
contracts with one (1) or more nationally recognized media firms for the 
development and distribution of monthly television, radio, and newspaper public 
service announcements. 
SECTION 3. Establishment of Poison Control Centers. - 
(A) Regional Poison Control Centers. - The Secretary shall establish regional poison 
control centers for the purpose of providing the public with access to poisoning 
prevention and treatment. The regional poison control centers shall be attached 
centers of the regional offices of the department of health. 
(B) Programs. - The Secretary, though the established regional poison control centers, 
shall - 
1 


6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
(1) Develop standard patient management protocols for commonly encountered 
toxic exposures; 
(2) Improve and expand the poison control data collection system; 
(3) Improve national toxic exposure surveillance; and 
(4) Develop physiciadmedical toxicologist supervision of poison control centers. 
SECTION 4. Funding. - There is authorized such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If 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. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Cluuse. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
Section 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
2