REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

6746

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On January 30, 2020, the Philippines reports its first case of COVID-
19 in the country.! COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel
coronavirus and originated from Wuhan, China. The first local transmission
of COVID-19 in the country was confirmed on March 7, 2020. ? The World
Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as a pandemic on March
11, 2020.

Preparedness under this proposed bill refers to activities and measures
taken in advance to ensure the effective response to the impact of a pandemic,
including the issuance of timely and effective health warnings and subsequent
management. A preparedness plan that would be put in place will greatly
reduce transmission should another virus result to another pandemic, which
may result in lower cases of hospitalization and deaths, as well as ensure that
essential services, medical supplies and equipment are readily available for
use, especially by medical frontliners.

‘This bill gives the Department of Health the mandate to undertake
measures, such as evaluation, planning, organizing, and training to improve
national preparedness for public health emergencies.

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

STRELLITA B. St

Ps . SUANSING, JR.
1st District, Nueva

é Sultan Kudarat

2 CNN Philippines (cnnphilippines.com)
2 World Health Organization (https:/ /www.who.int)


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Bit No, 746 _

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES

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 the “Pandemic
Preparedness Act.”

SEC. 2. Creation of a National Health Strategy for Public Health
Emergencies. - The Secretary of Health shall spearhead the creation of a
national health strategy to address public health emergencies. This strategy
shall provide for integrated policy coordination and strategic direction with
respect to all matters related to national public health and medical
preparedness and execution and deployment of national response before,
during, and following public health emergencies.

SEC. 3. Components of a National Health Strategy. -The National Health
Strategy shall include:

(A) Provisions for increasing the preparedness, response capabilities, and
surge capacity of ambulatory care facilities, dental health facilities,
and critical care service systems;

(B) Plans for optimizing a coordinated and flexible approach to the
medical surge capacity of hospitals, other health care facilities, critical
care, and trauma care and emergency medical systems;

(©) Provisions taking into account the unique needs of individuals with
disabilities in a public health emergency;

(D) Strategic initiatives to advance countermeasures to diagnose,
mitigate, prevent, or treat harm from any biological agent or toxin or
any chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents, whether
naturally occurring, unintentional, or deliberate;

1


(E) Conduct of periodic evaluations of national and local preparedness
and response capabilities which shall include drill and exercises to
ensure medical surge capacity for events without notice.

SEC. 4. Creation of Task Force on Public Emergencies. - (A) A task force
under the control of the Secretary of Health shall be established in order to
conduct research necessary for the creation of the Strategy. The Task Force
shall be composed of representatives from:

(1) The Department of Health (DOH);

(2) The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG);

(3) The National Security Adviser; and

(4) The Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

(B) The Task Force shall:

(1) Monitor emerging issues and concerns as they relate to medical and
public health preparedness and response for at-risk individuals in the
event of a public health emergency;

(2) Identify and minimize gaps, duplication and other inefficiencies in
medical and public health preparedness and response activities and the
actions necessary to overcome these obstacles;

(3) Disseminate and update novel and best practices of outreach to and
care of at-risk individuals before, during, and following public health
emergencies in as timely a manner as is practicable, including from the
time a public health threat is identified; and

(4) Ensure that public health and medical information distributed by the
government during a public health emergency is delivered in a manner
that takes into account the range of communication needs of the
intended recipients, including at-risk individuals.

SEC. 5. Creation of Medical Reserve Corps. ~The Secretary of Health shall
establish a medical reserve corps composed of volunteer health professionals.
The Medical Reserve Corps shall be called into duty if needed during public
health emergencies.

SEC. 6. Medical Supplies and Equipment During Public Health
Emergencies. - The Department of Health (DOH) shall identify the medical
supplies and equipment, such as pharmaceutical agents (e.g. medicines,
vaccines, serums and anti-toxins), personal protective equipment (PPE), and
other related innovations it considers advisable in the interest of preparing
for or controlling a pandemic. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
shall ensure that such medical supplies and equipment are readily available
during a public health emergency.


The DTI shall also ensure that there are local manufacturers available
in the country to meet the supply demands of such medical supplies and
equipment.

SEC. 7. Control of Pharmaceutical Agents and Medical Supplies. - In the
event of a pandemic, the Department of Health may control, restrict and
regulate the use and rationing of pharmaceutical agents and/or medical
supplies and equipment it considers essential during a public health
emergency.

SEC. 8. Authorization of Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of
this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for each fiscal year.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. -If any provision or part thereof is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 10. 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. 11. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or at least a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,