SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1 3 ^ )
of i;,r ji ififjurp
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MAR 13 
P 4  51
RECtIVtU L:'; 
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO
AN ACT
PROVIDING A STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF 
PERSONS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS, ESTABLISHING TREATMENT 
CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Constitution Section 15 of Article II mandates that:
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them.
Furtliermore, Section 11 of Article XIII, thereof, specifically 
provides:
The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health 
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and 
other social sendees available to all the people at affordable cost. There 
shall be prioriti/ for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, 
women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care 
to paupers.
The prevalence of bleeding disorders in the country is disturbing. 
A bleeding disorder is a condition that affects the way your blood normally


clots.1 The most common types of bleeding disorders includes Hemophilia A and 
B, Factor II, V, VII, X, or XII deficiencies and von Willebrand's disease.
According to the report of the World Hemophilia Federation, roughly 
around 400,000 people in the world have hemophilia A, which accounts for 85% 
of people with hemophilia, but only 25% is presently receiving adequate 
treatment.2 In the Philippines, there is approximately 10,000 Filipinos affected 
with hemophilia and around one million others with von Willebrand Disease 
and other clotting factor deficiency disorders.3
The country still has a lot to do in order to address the harm of bleeding 
disorder. There is an absence or lack of awareness by both medical practitioners 
and patients regarding the disease, there is a high cost of treatment and the 
inadequate treatment provided to the patients.
It is in this light that the bill proposes the establishment of hemophilia 
treatment facilities in key cities and regions nationwide in designated hospitals 
with Cancer and Hematology Departments. The bill seeks to provide free of 
charge blood clotting products, room exclusively for hemophilia patients and 
clinical coagulation laboratory.
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO
1 http://umm.healthline.eom/iieaUh/bleedinfi-disorders#Ovenncicl.
http\//wum'.philstaT.com/health-and-family/S17517/life-love-(md-bleeding-hearts-hcnu’philm-eamp
3 http://neiosmfo.inipiireT.net/6Sb539/many-fUipinos-unth-hcmophilia-cant-fet-treatmcnt


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1389
of l i i f : i  rt,irp
x s r j'. v
‘ 17 
MAR 13 
P 4  51
RECEIi/luEV; 1
/ ^
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO
AN ACT
PROVIDING A STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF 
PERSONS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS, ESTABLISHING TREATMENT 
CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.
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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 "Bleeding Disorder 
Standards of Care Act of 2017".
SECTION. 2. Declaration of Policy.- It is hereby declared the policy of tlie State;
(a) To ensure tlie adequate treatment of hemophilia at the lowest possible 
cost and endeavor to make them available for free to indigent patients;
(b) 
To ensure the establishment of treatment centers in public hospitals; 
and.
(c) To establish a standard of care so that patients with severe bleeding 
disorders can receive necessary and appropriate medical care.
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SECTION. 3. Definition- The following words and phrases when used in this
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Act shall have the meanings given to them in this Section unless the context
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clearly  in d ic a te s o th e rw ise:


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(1) "Bleeding Disorder" - A medical condition characterized by a severe 
deficiency or absence of one or more essential blood clotting proteins in 
the human blood, often called factors, including all forms of 
hemophilia, von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders 
which result in uncontrolled bleeding or abnormal blood clotting.
(2) "Blood Clotting product" - An intravenously administered medicine 
manufactured from human plasma, recombinant biotechnology 
techniques and other processes, approved for distribution by the BFAD 
and which is used for the treatment and prevention of symptoms 
associated with bleeding disorders. The term includes, but is not 
limited to:
(A) 
Factor Vila, Factor Vlll and Factor IX products;
(B) Von Willebrand Factor products;
(C) Prothrombin complex concentrates;
(D) 
Activated prothrombin complex concentrates
(E) Other products approved by the BFAD for the treatment of 
bleeding disorders and associated inhibitors.
(3) " Indigent Patient"- Any patient deemed unable to pay for services and 
or medical treatment, laboratory testing of blood and/or coagulation 
studies, or blood coagulating product and/or ancillary infusion 
equipment.
(4) " DOH"- refers to the Department of Health.
(5) "BFAD"- refers to the Bureau of Food and Drugs.
(6)" Hemophillia"- A human bleeding disorder caused by a hereditary 
deficiency of the Factor VIII, Factor XI or Factor XI blood clotting 
protein in human blood.
(7) " von Willebrand disease" - A human bleeding disorder caused by a 
hereditary deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand Factor in 
human blood.


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SECTION. 4. State Treatment Facilities.- The state shall establish hemophilia 
treatment facilities in key cities and regions nationwide in designated hospitals 
with Cancer and Hematolog), Departments.
Each Hemophilia Treatment Facilities shall provide to all hemophilia 
patients:
(1) Care by qualified hematologists and medical doctors and shall also 
provide free of charge the necessary blood clotting products and 
ancillary infusion equipment necessary for the infusion of such blood 
clotting products;
(2) A room exclusively for hemophilia patients; and
(3) A clinical coagulation laboratory for the screening, diagnosis, 
provisional diagnosis and treatment of bleeding disorders or suspected 
bleeding disorders and such services shall be provided free of charge to 
all indigent patients.
SECTION. 5. Funding. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of 
this Act shall be sourced from the current budget of the Department of Health. 
Thereafter, the funds necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act in 
the ensuing years shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.
The treatment facilities are allowed to use five percent (5%) of the amount given 
to it for the maintenance of the rooms that will be used exclusively for 
hemophilia patients. However, ninety percent (90%) of the amount shall be used 
exclusively for necessary blood clotting products and ancillary infusion 
equipment nece.ssary for the infusion of such blood clotting products to 
hemophilia patients. The remaining five percent (5%) shall be used for blood 
screening of hemophilia patients.
Each treatment facility shall submit an annual report to the DOH on how 
the amount given to it is used.
SECTION. 6. Regulations- Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, 
the Department of Health (DOH) shall, in consultation with hemophilia groups.


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promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to carry out the 
provisions of this Act.
SECTION. 7. Separability Clause- If for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
declared un constitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions hereof which 
are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SECTION. 8. Effectivitij Clause.- Tliis Act shall take effect on the fifteenth day 
following its publication in at least two (2) daily papers of national circulation.
Approved,