1 
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, ERIC G. YAP, 
and EDVIC G. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the leading cause of death 
worldwide. In the Philippines alone, cancer is the third leading cause of death 
accounting for 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos, with 4 Filipinos dying of the said disease 
every hour or 96 cancer patients every day, as per the study conducted by the 
University of the Philippines' Institute of Human Genetics. 
In 2019, Republic Act No.  11215 or The National Integrated Cancer Control Act was 
enacted to establish a framework on the cancer control initiatives of the government. 
Under the said legislation, a cancer assistance fund is allocated to provide financial 
help to cancer patients for his/her screening, diagnosis, specialized treatment and/or 
rehabilitation, palliative and supportive care to survivorship, and cancer medicines. 
Despite such enactment, at present, a lot has still been burdened by the financial 
demand of this cancer treatment, especially the indigent and underprivileged 
patients.  
Hence, in order to strengthen the said cancer assistance fund, this bill seeks to establish 
a Ten Billion Cancer Fund that can be availed by indigent and underprivileged cancer 
patients. The Cancer Treatment Program, which the fund will be used, will be 
established and administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation 
(Philhealth) through its accredited government hospitals in each particular 
congressional district, to be known as the health district. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
       ERIC G. YAP 
EDVIC G. YAP         
March 20, 2023
9:00 am
7687


1 
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, ERIC G. YAP, 
and EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A CANCER MEDICINE AND TREATMENT ASSISTANCE 
FUND FOR INDIGENT AND UNDERPRIVLEGED FILIPINOS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Cancer Medicine and 
Treatment Fund for Filipinos". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby a policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and to adopt and implement a system of 
effecting the delivery of free medicine and free treatment to indigent and 
underprivileged cancer patients. 
SEC. 3. Establishment of a Php 10 Billion Cancer Fund and Free Medicine 
Assistance Program. - There is hereby created a Ten Billion Cancer Fund that can be 
availed by indigent and underprivileged cancer patients. For the purpose, a Cancer 
Treatment Program, hereinafter referred to as the "Program", is established and to be 
administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) through its 
accredited government hospitals in each particular congressional district, to be known 
as the health district. 
The program shall be limited to indigent and underprivileged cancer patient 
beneficiaries to be identified by the Philhealth in close coordination with the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health 
(DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). 
The Philhealth, jointly with the DSWD, DOH and DILG and the relevant 
private groups including the association of hospitals and medical institutions and 
groups of patients, shall prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to 
carry out the provision of this Act within six (6) months from the effectivity hereof. 
SEC. 4. Appropriations. - There is hereby appropriated the sum of Ten Billion 
Pesos (P10,000,000,000.00) for the implementation of the Program. The National 
7687


 
2 
Government shall subsequently include in the budget of the Department of Health in 
the General Appropriations Act such amount as may be necessary to carry out the 
objectives of this Act. 
 
SEC. 5. Repealing clause. - All provisions of laws, orders, decrees, including 
rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in 
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
 
Approved,