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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5378

House Bill No.

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article II Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution declares that the State recognizes the vital role of
the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual,
intellectual and social well-being. Moreover, Section 15 of the same article affirms that the State
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
them. Notwithstanding such policy assertions, government efforts remain inadequate, in light of
the soaring statistics of children afflicted with and dying of cancer, to wit:

* 3,000 10 3,500 children are diagnosed with cancer often at an advanced stage every year.
Late diagnosis is a major problem with parents and local doctors unaware of the early
signs of childhood cancer.

* Around 80% of children fail to complete the full course of treatment. It can be assumed
that those who abandon treatment eventually die since cancer is ultimately fatal if not
treated.

Metro Manila cancer registry records in three hospitals show that eight kids, or one
every three hours, die everyday. Many more cases and deaths remain unreported?

In developed countries, childhood cancer survival rate is as high as ninety five percent
(95%). In the Philippines, sadly, it is only ten to thirty percent (10-30%). Of the ten (10)
who are diagnosed, only two or three will most likely survive. They die because they are
poor, unable to afford the high costs of medication and treatment.

It is against this alarming and bleak backdrop that this bill seeks to establish a government
hospital especially committed to the treatment and care of indigent Filipino children suffering
from cancer. Furthermore, this measure also provides that the hospital be the center for children's
research of the Government.

It is hoped that the passage of this measure shall provide a national model for the treatment and
care of children with cancer, and accordingly, reduce cancer morbidity and mortality among
children in the country.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5378

House Bill No.

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE CHILDREN'S CANCER HOSPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Children's Cancer Hospital
Act of 2017”.

SEC.2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building, thus the state shall promote and protect their physical well-being. To realize this, an
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make
essential health services available to all the people at the affordable cost especially the children
shall be adopted.

SEC. 3. Children’s Cancer Hospital. - There is hereby established, under the
Department of Health (DOH), a hospital for the benefit of Filipino children suffering from
cancer, to be known as the Children's Cancer Hospital (CCH), which shall be under the
management and supervision of a director who must be a physician of good reputation and of
recognized standing in the field of Oncology.

SEC. 4. Indigent Children with cancer. - \t shall be incumbent upon the CCH to render
free medical service and give accommodation gratuitously to indigent children afflicted with

cancer, subject to the rules and regulations of the DOH.

SEC. 5. Cancer Research. - The CCH shall be the center for children's cancer research
of the Government. The Director shall provide a venue for cooperation with private research

institutes.


SEC. 6. Government Contributions. - The Government shall constitute the necessary
land, building, equipment and facilities to the CCH and shall pay such obligations for real

personal and mixed properties arising from such undertaking.

SEC. 7. Assistance from Government Offices. - The CCH 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. All individuals, entities and institutions are hereby enjoined to render full
assistance and cooperation to the CCH in the accomplishment of its objectives and activities.

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

The CCH shall be exempt from the payment of taxes, charges and fees imposed by the
government or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof with respect to equipment
purchases made by, or for, the CCH.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH shall formulate the necessary

guidelines and promulgate rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 10. Appropriation. - Such sums as may be necessary for the immediate
implementation of the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any
funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, funds for its
implementation shall be included in the regular appropriations of the DOH.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause, - All laws, decrees, executive orders or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or any
unconstitutional, other provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,