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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS ) TE.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriquez

House Bill No.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides:

“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people
and instill health consciousness among them.”

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne pathogen that is a major cause of chronic liver disease,
Which according to the American Liver Foundation, is common among emergency response
employees and volunteers due to the unique nature of their jobs.

Since there is no known cure for hepatitis C, the government should expend efforts to
prevent emergency response employees from getting infected with the disease.

Hence, this bill seeks to provide for a study to determine the prevalence of hepatitis
© among firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and other emergency
response employees and undertake demonstration projects to provide training, testing, and
treatment regarding cases of the disease among such employees and volunteers.

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ruFUg 8. RODRIGUEZ


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

__ Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
2736

House Bill No.

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE FOR A STUDY AND FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS REGARDING
CASES OF HEPATITIS C AMONG FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES

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 “Emergency Response
Employees Disease Protection Act.”

SEC 2. Study and Demonstration Projects Regarding Cases of Hepatitis C among
certain emergency response employees. ~

(A) Study Regarding Prevalence Among Certain Emergency Response Employees -

(1) In General - The Secretary of Health (referred to in this Act as the “Secretary’), in
consultation with the Secretary of Labor and Employment, shall conduct a study to
determine —

(a) an estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis C among designated
‘emergency response employees; and

(b) the likely means through which such employees become infected
with such disease in the course of performing their duties as such
employees.

(2) Designated Emergency Response Employees - For purposes of this section,
the term "designated emergency response employees” means firefighters, paramedics, and
‘emergency medical technicians.

(3) Submission of Completion Report to Congress - The Secretary shall
commence the study under paragraph (1) not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the
enactment of this Act. Not later that one (1) year after such date, the Secretary shall
complete the study and submit to the Congress a report describing the findings of the study
and the recommendations of the Secretary for administrative or legislative initiatives
regarding the activities described in paragraph (1).

(4) Demonstration Projects Regarding Training and Treatment — The Secretary,
in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall carry out each of the following activities:

a) Training designated emergency response employees in minimizing the risk of
infection with hepatitis C in performing their duties as such employees.

b) Testing such employees for infection with the disease.


c) Treating the employees for the disease.

(6) Evaluation - The Secretary shall provide for an evaluation of each demonstration
project under paragraph (1) in order to determine the extent to which the project has been
effective in carrying out the activities described in such paragraph.

SEC 3. Authorization of Appropriations. - The appropriation of such sums as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized.

SEC 4. Separability Clause. - if any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SEC 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,