EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 1407
Senate
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20 MAI?-9 P5 21
RfCEIVCS 8'i'
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "the State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them."
In 1981, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Executive Order No. 674, 
creating the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RTTM), intended to be the 
prime biomedical research institute for the control of communicable diseases in the 
country. Its function was two-tiered: primarily, to conduct research on endemic 
communicable diseases in the country and to provide quality tertiary care to both in­
patients and out-patients suffering from such tropical diseases.
Today, a forty-year (40) old Executive Order, it hardly contemplates the slew of 
pandemics that have plagued the country in the past decade, such as the severe 
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Middle East respiratory syndrome corona 
virus (MERS-CoV), and the corona virus disease (COVID-19).
In the absence of a law clearly addressing the now-global epidemic of COVID- 
19 and other tropical communicable diseases, a level of confusion has pervaded


government's response strategies and plagued its information dissemination. The 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was suddenly compelled to 
issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-023 on 06 February 2020, requiring the 
identification and designation of a barangay isolation unit (BIU) for each barangay in 
the country, a near-impossible order for these tiny LGU's. Many observers have lately 
decried DOH's laissez-faire attitude in the handling of COVID-19 cases in the country, 
exemplified by its decision to delegate to LGU's the handling of passengers of the 
Diamond Princess cruise ship inspite of confirmed COVID-19 cases on board.
As the research hospital specialized in communicable diseases, the RITM 
should finally be institutionalized and expanded to the regions in order to undertake 
a more proactive role, providing scientific bases, treatment protocols, and detailed 
implementing rules and regulations to LGU's, other national agencies, and the 
general public. Given the magnitude of the impact of COVID-19, this bill asserts the 
urgency of RTTM establishing regional branches in the key population centers of the 
country such as Cebu and Davao.
Thus, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
IMEE R. MARCOS


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 1407
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20 MAH “9 P5 21
RECEIVES fr
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Tide. - This act shall be known as the "Research Institute for
2 
Tropical Medicine (RTTM) Act."
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the health
4 
and well-being of its citizens. Given that communicable diseases constitute most of
5 
the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country, the State prioritizes
6 
national development in the field of health and shall endeavor to create a strong
7 
biological research component necessary for the effective pursuit of programs for the
8 
control of communicable diseases.
9 
SEC. 3. The Research Institute for Tropica! Medicine. - There is hereby created a
10 
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RTTM) that will provide the biomedical
11 
research support and treatment for communicable disease control program in the
12 
Philippines to be established in Metro Manila. There shall also be RTTM regional
13 
centers to be established in places as may be determined by its Advisory Board.
14 
SEC. 4. Scope and Coverage. - For purposes of this Act, the scope and coverage of
15 
tropical medicine shall pertain to diseases that are specific to the tropics, which is


1 
the geographical area between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn, and
2 
for diseases that present differently in this geographical region as compared to other
3 
regions, whether it originated or has been transmitted to the country, to wit: corona
4 
virus disease (COVID-19), Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS-
5 
CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), ebola virus, influenza A virus
6 
subtype (MINI), gastrointestinal infections, viral hepatitis, bacterial and non-
7 
bacterial respiratory Infections, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis, filariasis, malaria,
8 
pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, meningitis, meningismus, measles, mumps, herpes,
9 
chicken pox, rocky mountain spotted fever, encephalitis, echo-viral diseases, coxa-
10 
chie-viral diseases, and Philippine hemorrhagic fever: Provided, That the Secretary of
11 
the Department of Health (DOH) may include such other pertinent diseases in
12 
consultation with the Advisory Board herein created.
13 
SEC. 5. Organization. - The RTTM shall be directly under the control and supervision
14 
of the DOH. It shall be headed by a Director who shall be assisted by an Assistant
15 
Director, to be appointed by the Secretary of Health. The Director shall be
16 
responsible for the implementation of policies and the immediate management of
17 
the programs and operations of the Institute.
18 
It shall also have technical and administrative support staff as well as
19 
consultants, as may be necessary. Such consultants may be drawn from the private
20 
sector on consultancy or contractual basis and shall be granted honoraria or
21 
allowances at such amounts as may be determined in accordance with existing rules
22 
and regulations.
23 
It may also call upon experts in the public sector in the performance of its
24 
mandate.
25 
SEC. 6. Advisory Board. - The RTTM shall have an Advisory Board composed of the
26 
following:
27 
a. The Secretary of Health as the Chairman;
28 
b. The Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and
29 
Development (PCHRD) as Member; and


1 
c. A designated representative from the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) as
2 
Member.
3 
SEC. 7. Powers and Functions. - The RTTM shall have the following powers and
4 
functions:
5 
a. Undertake research activities in the diagnosis, control, and prevention of tropical
6 
diseases that are major causes of mortality and morbidity in the Philippines;
7 
b. Conduct clinical trials aimed at better understanding and control of tropical
8 
disease;
9
10
11
c. Conduct regular training courses for medical and paramedical personnel in the 
control of common tropical diseases in the country;
d. Provide high quality tertiary care and treatmet to both inpatients and out-patients
12 
suffering from tropical diseases included within the scope of RITM's research
13 
activities;
14 
e. Arrange for the participation of the PCHRD and the PMA in the planning and
15 
implementation of the programs of RTTM;
16 
f. Apply for, receive, and accept bequests, grants, and donation of funds, equipment,
17 
materials and services needed for the attainment of its objectives; and
18 
g. Perform such other related activities as may be assigned by the Secretary of
19 
Health.
20 
SEC. 8. Authority to Use Income. - TTie RUM shall be authorized to generate its
21 
income and use the same pursuant to its mandate under this Act.
22 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this
23 
Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
24 
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health
25 
(DOH), together with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the
26 
Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and the
27 
Philippine Medical Association (PMA), shall promulgate the necessary


1 
implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days upon the effectivity
2 
of this Act.
3 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If for any reason any provision of this Act is declared
4 
unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall remain
5 
in full force and effect.
6 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
7 
presidential proclamations, letters of instruction, rules and regulations or parts
8 
thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
9 
modified accordingly.
10 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
11 
publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2) newspapers of general
12 
Circulation.
Approved,