Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING A STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF 
PERSONS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS, ESTABLISHING TREATMENT 
CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Bleeding disorders are group of conditions where the blood cannot clot 
properly. People suffering from bleeding disorder experience longer bleeding, 
and random bleeding in muscles, joints, and other areas of the human body.1 
There is an estimated number of 10,000 Filipinos that have Hemophilia 
but only 1,500 have been registered under the Philippine Hemophilia 
Foundation. About one million Filipinos suffer from Von Willebrand disease 
(VWD), a genetic caused by missing or defective clotting protein known as the 
von Willebrand factor (VWF). This disease is known to affect both sexes, but 
women have higher chances to experience VWD due to menstrual periods, 
pregnancies, and post-childbirths. Unfortunately, only 20 individuals have 
been registered to have VWD in the Philippines.  
According to the Hemophilia Advocates Philippines, majority of the 
patients suffer from the disorder are living below the poverty line, and 
experience limited to no access to medicines, facilities, and professional help 
leaving them undiagnosed1. For some, this is also caused by the lack of 
awareness of the symptoms due to the lack of education.  
1 www.hemophilia.ph/bleeding 
August 8, 2022
5:34 pm
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The minimal access to medical care of people with bleeding disorder is 
a grave concern, and the treatments for the disorders are expensive. A case of 
mild bleeding in the joints can cost around Php 30,000 to Php 50,000 per 
treatment. While treating severe cases would cost hundreds of thousands to 
millions of pesos. 
 
Furthermore, the lack of treatment facilities that cater to this disease 
force patients from rural areas to travel to urban centers for aid. As it is the 
mandate of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people 
(Article II) and prioritize the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, 
disabled, women and children (Article XIII), there is an urgent need for the 
State to include hemophilia care in the national health agenda.  
 
This bill provides for the establishment of hemophilia treatment 
facilities in key cities, regions in the Philippines to provide a more accessible 
and affordable medical care.  
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING A STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF 
PERSONS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS, ESTABLISHING TREATMENT 
CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted 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.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State: 
(1) To ensure the adequate treatment of hemophilia at the lowest possible
cost and endeavor to make them available for free to indigent patients;
(2) To ensure the establishment of treatment centers in public hospitals;
and
(3) To establish a standard of care so that patients with severe bleeding
disorders can receive necessary and appropriate medical care.
SECTION 3. Definitions. – For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) Bleeding Disorder refers to a medical condition characterized by 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
uncontrollable bleeding or abnormal blood clotting.
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(2) Blood Clotting Product refers to an intravenously-administered 
medicine 
manufactured 
from 
human 
plasma, 
recombinant 
biotechnology 
techniques 
and 
other 
processes, 
approved 
for 
distribution by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) and which is used 
for the treatment and prevention of symptoms associated with bleeding 
disorders. This term includes, but is not limited to: 
a. Factor VIIa, Factor VII 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 refers to any Filipino citizen afflicted with any serious. 
Illness and/ or injury needing immediate confinement and treatment in 
a. hospital and whose income is below the subsistence level 
 
(4) DOH refers to the Department of Health. 
 
(5) BFAD refers to the Bureau of Food and Drugs. 
 
(6) Hemophilia refers to a human bleeding disorder caused by a hereditary 
deficiency of the Factor VIII, Factor IX or Factor Xl blood clotting protein 
in human blood. 
 
(7) Von Willebrand Disease refers to a human bleeding disorder caused by 
a hereditary deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand Factor in 
the human blood. 
 
SECTION 4. State Treatment Facilities. – The State shall establish 
hemophilia treatment facilities in key cities and regions nationwide in 
designated hospitals with Cancer and Hematology Departments. 
 
Each Hemophilia Treatment Facility shall provide to all hemophilia patients: 
 
(1) Care by qualified hematologists and medical doctors shall be provided 
free of charge, including 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 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 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 is used. 
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days 
from the approval of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) shall, in 
consultation with hemophilia advocacy groups, 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 unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts of provisions hereof 
which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and 
regulations or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation in the Philippines. 
 
Approved,