HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
RECCIVED
Date: {9 gas
Vasc:
BY:

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONG}
First Regular Session — | FeISTRATION UNIT

BILLS AND INDEX SERVI
HOUSE BILL NO. 1743 sacaameae ie

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT CANCER PATIENTS AND
ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A CANCER ASSISTANCE FUND

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the Institute of Human Genetics, National Institutes of Health,
University of the Philippines, Manila, cancer has become a serious public health issue
and both a clinical as well as economic burden for Filipinos, Cancer has claimed
thousands of lives each year and several billions of pesos in healthcare and treatment
cost were spent because of the disease.

The Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology in an article entitled, “Cancer and the
Philippine Cancer Control Program”, stated that cancer is the third leading cause of
morbidity and mortality in the country where leading cancer sites/types are lung, breast,
cervix, liver, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, oral cavity, ovary and leukemia.
Presently, there is a low cancer prevention consciousness and most cancer patients seek
consultation only at advanced stages. Cancer survival rates in the Philippines are
relatively low.

The incidence and mortality rate of cancer in the country is expected to rise if
organized and sustained specialized care and preventive measures are not initiated. The
chemotherapy for cancer patients may cost about Php100,000 per session. The cost of
treatment by radiation, or even examination by MRI, is burdensome even to middle-
income patients, and often beyond the reach of the poor, the reason why cancer has
gained a reputation as the disease for the rich.

In view of the foregoing, this bill seeks to establish a Cancer Assistance Fund
aimed at providing financial aid for costly medicines and treatment to poor cancer
patients. The proposal is in light of the social justice provision of the Constitution, which
mandates for the adoption of 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.

For this reason, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

4
ANGELINA vamaltl TAN, M.D.
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1743
HOUSE BILLNO.

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT CANCER PATIENTS AND
ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A CANCER ASSISTANCE FUND

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. It is a declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right to
health of the people. For this purpose, the State shall implement a system of providing
premium care and assistance to indigent cancer patients.

‘The State shall automatically appropriate the amount of One Billion Pesos (Php
1,000,000,000.00) annually to support the cancer medicine and treatment assistance
program to be administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(Philhealth). The Program shall prioritize indigent and underprivileged cancer patient
beneficiaries to be identified by the Philhealth in coordination with the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The Philhealth in consultation with the DSWD and the representatives from
hospital association, medical practitioners and marginalized organizations shall
formulate relevant rules and regulations within six (6) months from the approval of this
Act.

SEC 2. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.