FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 410 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
1 / 
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the country, next to breast 
cancer. Acco~ding to the 2005 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, 7, 277 new cases and 
3,807 deaths due to cervical cancer were estimated to have occurred. This means that there were 
approximately ten (10) Filipino women dying each day due to cervical cancer. This is mainly due 
to late detection and lack of awareness of the disease among Filipino women. I As with all 
cancers in developing countries, cervical cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. This 
is in part because ofthe paucity of effective screening programs.2 
It is in this light that this bill seeks to create a breast and cervical cancer diagnostic and treatment 
fund which shall provide financial assistance for the medical care of indigent patients. The bill 
provides for the composition and administration of the fund, the covered services, eligibility of 
patients, and the dispersement of funds. It is hoped that this measure would alleviate the struggle 
of women and their families who have to cope with the life threatening disease. Moreover, as a 
proactive measure, it seeks to encourage women to undergo screening to protect them ti'om the 
same. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measme is eamestly sought. 
~~i I 
~JT6~no \SON~Y" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
'Information retrieved from: h!lP-.JI}'LW_",.doh.gov.!lh!nQ,I..~Ll'!I~. Retrieved on 25 November 2008. 
'Information 
retrieved 
Ii'mn: 
http://72.14.235.132/custom'lg=cachc:0983pl-
.....Ji41;\A''''w·Ill!!h&rgifiles/RJL,gmllorti!lL.womell.liQJldf+~.\Lryj~ll!+cancerItrei!!lill')Il:'J~_nd+b~nefi~La)~hJ~'.~&!:t-:: 
clnk&cd=3&cJiltIltC'[lJ!11:899]7QJ45]j852(jQ. Retrieved on 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
Fit'st Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
.! 
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL CERVICAL CANCER OIAGNOSTIC AND 
TREATMENT FUND 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the HOllse of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Cervical Cancer 
2 
Diagnostic and Treatment Fund Program . .. 
3 
4 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
5 
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
6 
7 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this mticle: 
8 
1. "rund" means the breast and cervical cancer diagnostic and treatment tund. 
9 
2. ,"Qualified applicant" means a female who meets the finmIcial and medical eligibility 
10 
guidelines of this Act pursuant to Article 5 hereof, 
II 
3, "Provider" means a physician, hospital or medical provider cUlTently licensed under 
12 
the state. 
13 
14 
SEC. 4. Establishment of Cervical Cancer Diagnostic (tnd Treatment Fund. - There is 
15 
hereby established a cervical cancer diagnostic and treatment fund which shall provide financial 
16 
assistance for the medical cm'e of indigent patients for diagnostic mId treatment services t'Or 
17 
breast and cervical cancer, 


I 
The nmd shall be comprised of money appropriated to the fund by the Legislature, 
2 
allocated to the fund by the national govemment and all other sums designated for deposit in the 
3 
fund from any source, public or pJivate. 
4 
The fund shall be administered by the University of the Philippines - Department of 
5 
Health Cervical Cancer Screening Research Group (hereinafter referred to as the UP-DOlo! 
6 
CCSRG). 
7 
8 
SE~: 5. Covered Services. - The Secretary of the DOH shall appoint a committee of four 
9 
physicians from the UP-DOH CCSRG to promulgate the rules and regulations for the 
10 
administration oflhe fund. 
II 
The committee shall include one physician whose specialty is gynecological oncology, 
12 
one physician whose specialty is surgery, one physician whose specialty is radiology and one 
13 
physician whose specialty is pathology. 
14 
Responsibilities of the committee include, but are not limited to, the following: 
IS 
I. Establishing a list oj covered services approved Jor payment through the fimd . . -
16 
Covered services include diagnostic and treatment services for cervical cancer or a 
17 
condition suggestive of cancer. An ancillary diagnostic study may be authorized only 
18 
when it is determined by the UP-DOH CCSRG to be directly related to the confiImation 
19 
of a diagnosis of cancer or is necessary for treatment planning; 
20 
2. Setting a limitation on days oj service covered by the fimd. - The PGH shall authorize 
21 
the number of days for reimbursement based on the medical condition of the patient and 
22 
the procedure to be performed; and 
23 
3. 
Reviewing requests and providing authorization Jor payment oj diagnostic or 
24 
treatment services covered by the Jund. 
25 
26 
SEC. 6. Patiellt Eligibili(y. - To be eligible for assistance in payment of services under 
27 
the fund, the:following conditions shall be met: 
28 
29 
I. 
The patient is not eligible for nor covered by medical insurance other than the 
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (hereinafter referred to as PhilHealth); and 
2 


2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
\0 
2. 
The patient's income must be at or below the National Povelty Threshold or 
Poverty Line based on the data provided by the National Statistical Coordination Board 
(NeSS); and 
3. 
The patient has a condition clinically indicative of cancer that requires diagnostic 
services to confirm the preliminary diagnosis and only those services determined to be 
medically necessary for that diagnostic confinuation may be authorized by the committee 
for payment from the fund; or 
4. 
The patient has received diagnostic confirmation through a positive pathology report 
and is requesting payment of treatment services by the fund. 
11 
SEC. 7. Applicatioll Process. - The PGH shall develop authorization request forms and 
12 
make the forms available to the provider upon request. 
13 
An application for inpatient diagnostic services shall be accompanied by a written, signed 
14 
statement from the attending physician which includes the medical basis for required inpatient 
15 
services and explains why the services may not be perfoffi1ed on an outpatient basis. 
16 
17 
SEC. 8. Reimbursemetlt Process. - The fund is the payor of last resort. Payment for 
18 
procedures shall be made at the cun'ent rate established by PhilHealth. 
19 
A claim for authorized services rendered shall be processed in accordance with rules 
20 
promUlgated by the UP-DOH CCSRG. 
Approved, 
3