Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

a9
House Bill No._3820

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr. and William Irwin Tieng
(BUHAY Party List)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the country, cancer ranks as a third leading cause of mortality, claiming 103 lives a day or
about four (4) persons every hour. The estimated incidence rate is 189 persons per 100,000
Filipinos. One (1) out of five (5) Filipinos is expected to acquire cancer up to the age of 75.
Despite this fact, there is no specialized care for all cancer patients in the Philippines.
Although there are several specialized hospitals with complete facilities for cancer patients,
the same are concentrated or centralized in Metro Manila primarily catering to the needs of
cancer patients in the National Capital Region which is one of the regions with the highest
cases of cancer. However, the cancer incidents are not only prevalent in the NCR. According
to the 2004 Philippine Health Statistics, the other regions with the highest prevalence of
reported cases are Regions 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7. Apparently, these regions do not have cancer
hospitals with sufficient equipment and facilities to cater to the needs of patients suffering
from cancer.

The establishment and maintenance of the cancer center would primarily benefit the people
suffering from cancer and would also further enhance the noble undertaking of research in
cancer, provide a state-of-the-art training of medical and technical personnel and render
specialized medical services for the prevention, control and treatment of cancer.

‘Thus, this bill seeks to establish a national cancer center in the Province of Pampanga to be
known as Philippine National Cancer Center. It is imperative to decentralize the hospitals
providing services to these patients particularly in the regions outside Metro Manila. The
province of Pantpanga is accessible to the patients from the other areas with high prevalence
of cancer incidents. It is strategically located to provide services and address the cancer cases
in the regions with the highest reported cases particularly in Region 3.

fomeyont foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
PN

Hon. Mari ichael M. Velarde Jr.

Hon. in ‘ing,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2
House Bill No,_8820

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr. and William Irwin Tieng,
(BUHAY Party List)

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL CANCER CENTER TO BE KNOWN AS THE
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Establishment. - There shall be established, under the supervision of the
Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine National Cancer Center in the Province of
Pampanga, herein referred to as “Cancer Center.”

The Cancer Center shall be administered by a Board of Trustees, composed of seven (7)
members, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of
the Department of Health.

‘The members of the Board of Trustees shall serve for a period of four (4) years and until their
successors shall have been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled
by appointment by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the
Department of Health, and the appointee shall serve for the unexpired term.

SEC. 2. Board of Trustees. - The Board of Trustees, as provided for in the preceding section,
shall have the following powers and functions:

1. To elect a Chairman from among them, who shall be the presiding officer of the
Board of Trustees;

2. To appoint a Director of the Cancer Center who shall serve as Vice-Chairman of
the Board;

3. To formulate policies and adopt measures which are necessary to carry out the
provisions of this act;


4, To prescribe, amend, revise and repeal its by-laws, rules and regulations
governing the manner in which the general business of the Cancer Center shall be
conducted and its power exercised; and

5. To perform such other functions as maybe necessary to achieve the objectives of
this Act.

‘The four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum and may transact
business. Any decision of such four (4) members on any matter duly presented to the Board
of Trustees shalll constitute a valid and binding act of the Cancer Center.

SEC, 3. Director of the Cancer Center. - The Cancer Center shall have a Director who shall be
its chief executive officer. The Director shall have the following powers and functions:

1. To appoint the personnel of the Cancer Center and determine their compensation
and benefits, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees;

2. To prepare the agenda for the meeting of the Board and to submit for the
consideration of the Board, such policies and other important measures as may be
necessary in the operation and management of the Cancer Center;

3. To execute and administer the policies and measures approved by the Board; and

4, To direct and supervise the internal operations and administration of the Cancer
Center.

>. 4, Government Contributions. - The Government shall contribute the necessary land,
building, equipment and facilities necessary in the establishment and operation of the Cancer
Center.

SEC. 5. Property of the Cancer Center. - The Property of the Cancer Center shall consist of
such real, personal, mixed, and other types of property, now owned or reserved for, or may
hereafter be given, donated, acquired, transferred or conveyed to the Cancer Center by the
Philippine Government, any of its branches, agencies and instrumentalities, any foreign
governments or organizations, as well as by trust, foundations, corporations, or persons,
alien or domestic, in order to carry out its purposes and objectives as set forth herein.

SEC. 6, Purposes and Objectives. - The purposes and objectives of the Cancer Center are:

1. To construct, establish, operate and maintain a Cancer Center for the public
welfare, including a specialized cancer hospilal;

2. To create awareness of cancer prevention, control and treatment in the general
public, through film showings, lectures, congresses, conventions, seminars, and
conferences;

3. To promote, encourage, engage and assist m scientific research on the prevention,
control and treatment of cancer;


4. To create cancer control programs through the collection and recording of facts
about cancer incidence, and other data;

5. To gather,
compile, and publish the findings of scientific researches for public dissemination;

6. To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and
information on the prevention, treatment and control of cancer, and to arouse,
enhance and develop public interest on cancer consciousness or awareness;

7. To develop or support patient care programs and other programs that would
provide pain relief and psycho-social support for the terminally-ill cancer patient
and his family;

8. To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical
technicians, health officers and social workers on the practical and. scientific
conduct and implementation of cancer services and related activities;

9. To encourage the formation of other organizations on the national, provincial, city,
municipal or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and activities
for the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic approach on the
common problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated; and

10.

To extend medical services to the general public, to help prevent, relieve or
alleviate the innumerable afflictions and maladies of the people, especially the
poor and less fortunate in life, without regard to race, creed, color or political
belief.

SEC. 7. Powers of the Cancer Center. - For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above
purposes and objectives, the Cancer Center, as a body corporate, acting through its Board of
‘Trustees, shall have all the powers pertaining to a juridical person and is, therefore,
authorized, among other things:

. To acquire and hold any property of whatever nature or description, and to dispose
of such property under any mode of encumbrance or conveyance;

NV

. To contract and be contracted with;

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. To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, conveyor otherwise dispose of its properties;

s

|. To solicit and receive donations, endowments and funds in the form of
contributions, whether in' cash or in kind, from both the public and private sectors;

5. To open such accounts in banks and other financial institutions, and to disburse
such funds or invest the same as the Board may direct to accomplish or advance the
purposes or interest of the Cancer Center;


6. To send the personnel of the Cancer Center to research or medical institutes or
universities for advance training or observation and to attend international or
regional conventions, conferences, congresses, seminars as the Board may deem
necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the Cancer Center;

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‘To adopt a set of by-laws, rules and regulations not inconsistent with law and the
provisions hereof to govern the administration and operation of the affairs of the
Cancer Center; and To develop or support patient care programs and other
programs that would provide pain relief and psycho-social support for the
terminally-ill cancer patient and his family;

-

To perform and do all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary or
incidental for the accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of the Cancer
Center.

SEC. 8. Tax Exemptions. - All donations, contributions or endowments that may be made by
entities or persons to the Cancer Center shall be exempt from income and gift taxes.

‘The Cancer Center shall be exempt from the payment of alll taxes, charges and fees imposed
by the Government or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof.

SEC. 9. Assistance from government offices. - The Cancer Center may call upon any
department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the Government, including
government-owned or controlled corporations, for such assistance as it may need in the
pursuit of its purposes and objectives.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount of eight hundred million (P800,000,000.00) for the
structure, equipment and initial operation and maintenance of the Cancer Center shall be
charged to the appropriations for the Department of Health.

‘Thereafter, such funds as may be necessary for the continued operation and maintenance of
the Cancer Center shall be included in the Genera Appropriations Act.

SEC. 11. Auditing. - The books and accounts of the Cancer Center shall be subject to periodic
auditing by the duly authorized representatives of the Commission on Audit.

SEC. 12, Annual Report. - The Cancer Center shall render to the Department of Health an
annual report of its activities, accomplishments and recommendations.

SEC. 13. Effect of Dissolution of the Cancer Center. ~ If, for any reason, the Cancer Center is
dissolved, its assets and properties remaining at the time of dissolution shall revert to the
Philippine Government for disposition in accordance with law.

SEC. 14, Repealing Clause. - Any laws, decrees, ordinances or rules and regulations which
are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby amended or
repealed accordingly.



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

U,09)

el M. Velarde Jr.