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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE and ERIC G. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the leading cause of death 
worldwide, accounting to approximately 10 million mortalities recorded in 2020 or 
nearly one in every six deaths. Moreover, a study undertaken by the University of the 
Philippines' Institute of Human Genetics shows that 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are 
affected by cancer, with four Filipinos dying of the disease every hour or 96 cancer 
patients every day.  
The government’s initiative in combatting the growing and unsettling cancer 
epidemic is apparent as it established a National Cancer Prevention and Control 
Action Plan (NCPCAP) in 2015 through the Department of Health and its partner 
agencies. This action plan addresses cancer prevention and rehabilitation through 
policy and standard development, advocacy and promotion, capacity building and 
resource mobilization, service delivery, research and development, and information 
management and surveillance. Regardless of such initiatives, cancer still remains 
widespread in the country in addition to lack of facilities that will carry out a concrete 
action plan in the preventing or treating the said illness, given the medical expenses 
incurred for its treatment. 
This bill seeks to institutionalize the National Cancer Center which duties include, but 
are not limited to, establishing a specialized hospital for diagnosis, treatment, care, 
rehabilitation and/or relief of cancer patients; promoting medical research relative to 
the prevention and treatment of cancer including sponsorship and conduct of relevant 
August 9, 2022
3:30 pm
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congresses, convention, seminars and conferences; and create awareness on cancer 
prevention, treatment and control through public information dissemination. 
 
While there are instances where the war on cancer seems an unwinnable battle, the 
government is tasked with the constitutional mandate to adopt an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make 
essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at 
affordable cost. 
 
 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE  
 
 
 
ERIC G. YAP


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE and ERIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL CANCER CENTER TO BE KNOWN AS THE 
NATIONAL CANCER CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Creation of the Philippine National Cancer Center. – There is 
hereby created, under the supervision of the Department of Health, the National 
Cancer Center of the Philippines. 
SEC. 2. Board of Trustees. - The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall 
be governed and its activities and properties be directed, controlled and managed, by 
a Board of Trustees, which shall be composed of a Chairman and six (6) members, all 
of whom to be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the 
recommendation of the Department of Health. 
The members of the Board of Trustees shall serve for a period of four (4) years 
and until their successors shall have been appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold office 
for the unexpired term of the member. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the Board, 
the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term of the 
member. 
The Board shall elect a Chairman from among themselves, who shall be 
presiding officer of the Board of Trustees. The Medical Director of the Philippine 
National Cancer Center shall serve as Vice-Chairman of the Board. 
Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to transact 
business and any decision of such four (4) members on any matter duly presented to 
the Board of Trustees shall constitute a valid and binding act of the National Cancer 
Center of the Philippines. 
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SEC. 3. Government Contribution. - The Government shall contribute the 
necessary land, building, equipment and facilities to the National Cancer Center of 
the Philippines. 
 
SEC. 4. Property of the Center. - The property of the National Cancer Center of 
the Philippines shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of property, 
now owned or reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired, transferred 
or conveyed to the National Cancer Center of the Philippines by the government, its 
branches and instrumentalities, any foreign government, as well as by trust, 
foundations, corporations, or persons, alien or domestic, in order to carry out its 
purposes and objectives as set forth herein. 
 
 
SEC. 5. Purposes and Objectives. - The National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines shall have the following purposes and objectives:  
 
a. To construct, establish, equip, maintain, administer and operate a 
specialized hospital for diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and/or 
relief of cancer patients; 
 
b. To promote medical research relative to the prevention and treatment of 
cancer including sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses, 
convention, seminars and conferences; 
 
c. To create awareness on cancer prevention, treatment and control through 
public information dissemination; 
 
d. To encourage the training physicians, nurses, medical technicians, health 
officers and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct and 
implementation of services, and related activities; 
 
e. To assist universities, colleges, hospitals and research institutions in their 
studies of cancer and encourage advanced training and specialization on 
matters of, or affecting cancer; 
 
f. To provide psychosocial support services and counseling to the patient and 
family members; and 
 
g. To consolidate the information from other related organizations for the 
purpose of aiding government's efforts, policies and programs relative to 
the purposes and objectives enumerated herein. 
 
 
SEC. 6. Powers. - For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above 
enumerated purposes and objectives, the National Cancer Center of the Philippines, 
acting through its Board of Trustees, shall have the following orders and functions, 
among other things: 
 
a. To contract and be contracted with; 
 


 
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b. To adopt by-laws, rules and regulations not contrary to law to govern the 
administration and operation of the affairs of the National Cancer Center of 
the Philippines; 
 
c. To purchase, receive, take or grant, hold, convey, sell, lease, pledge, 
mortgage and otherwise deal with such property of whatever nature the 
transaction of the lawful business of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines may reasonably and necessarily require subject to the 
limitations prescribed by law; 
 
d. To invite foreign cancer specialists and similar experts in the various 
medical fields to train the personnel or trainees or residents of the National 
Cancer Center of the Philippines; 
 
e. To advance the training of personnel of the Philippine conventions, 
conferences, congresses, seminars to accomplish the purpose and objectives 
of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines; 
 
f. To exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary to carry 
out the purposes of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines. 
 
 
SEC. 7. Tax Exemption on Donations. - All donations, contributions or 
endowment which may be made by entities or persons to the National Cancer Center 
of the Philippines shall be exempt from income and gift taxes. 
 
The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall be exempt from the 
payment of all taxes, charges and fees imposed by the government or any political 
subdivision or instrumentality thereof. 
 
SEC. 8. Assistance from Government Offices. - The National Cancer Center of 
the Philippines may call upon any department, bureau, offices, and agency or 
instrumentally of the Government, including government-owned or controlled 
corporations, for such assistance as it may need in the pursuit of purposes and 
objectives. 
 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. - The amount of one billion pesos is hereby 
appropriated for the initial operation of the National Cancer Center of the Philippines 
which shall be charged to the appropriations of the Department of Health under the 
current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, the necessary amount to support the 
continued operation and maintenance of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 10. Auditing. - The books of accounts of the National Cancer Center of the 
Philippines shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Commission on Audit. 
 
SEC. 11. Annual Report. - The National Cancer Center of the Philippines shall 
render to the Department of Health an annual report on its operations and 
accomplishments. 


 
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SEC. 12. Effect of Dissolution. - If for any reason, the National Cancer Center 
of the Philippines is dissolved, its properties and assets remaining at the time of such 
dissolution shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in accordance 
with law. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders and rules and regulations 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,