Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2072

Introduced by: HOI

‘KUYA” JOSE ANT:

|O R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT)
CENTER AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The greatest wealth that a man can have is good health. It shall not be denied just because
of poverty. Unfortunately, the cases of ear, nose, throat, head and neck diseases (ENTHN) are
exponentially growing which decreases the quality and productivity of the life of many Filipinos.
Among these respiratory tract infections are colds, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis, and laryngitis,

Given the air pollution in the Metro Manila diseases are growing rapidly, and if left
untreated, may cause permanent physical disabilities or deformities to both the young and adult
Filipinos. ‘The recurrence of this sickness to an individual will definitely hamper his performance
and productivity in the work force which will collectively affect the country’s economy.

The State is mandated by the law to provide quality health care for those afflicted with
diseases especially for the underprivileged. However, there is no existing law which directly
addresses ENTHN diseases despite its dreadful effects on the health of Filipinos.

This bill seeks to establish Philippine ENT Center that will specialize in diagnosis and

._ treatment of ENTHN related illness and shall be equipped with specialized medical equipment that
is accessible and available for the general public especially for the sien al also be

manned by qualified medical and technical personnel to provide the public qyglify health care

A

“KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADOK™
Representative
First District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2072
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON, “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT)
CENTER AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote and
protect the right of the people to health by providing specialized health and medical services that
will secure their well-being. Towards this end, the State shall establish an ear, nose, and throat
(ENT) center that will provide comprehensive, control and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head and
neck (ENTHN) diseases.

SECTION 2. Philippine Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Center. The Philippine Ear, Nose and
‘Throat (ENT) Center, hereinafter referred to as the Philippine ENT Center, is hereby establish
under the supervision of the Department of Health to intensify and consolidate the efforts and
programs of the government in the prevention diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN diseases and

+ provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and specialized medical services to citizens
afflicted with ENTHN disease.

‘The Philippine ENT Center shall have the following objectives:

a) Conduct, establish, equip, operate and maintain a medical institution which shall specialize
in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN diseases, and provide medical care,
rehabilitation and relief of persons suffering from it.

b) Undertake medical and scientific researches relative to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment
of ENTHN diseases and create public awareness on its prevention and control through
information dissemination;

©) Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions, conferences, seminars,
work-shops and training programs on ENTHN diseases, diagnosis and management;

d) Facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchanged of ideas and information on the
prevention, control and treatment of ENTHN diseases;

e) Encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, nurses, health officers,
social workers and other medical and technical personnel in the practical and scientific
‘conduct and implementation of ENTHN diseases prevention and treatment programs:


(Coordinate and consolidate’ Various efforts and activities of the government in delivering
more effective medical services to treat and prevent ENTHN diseases; and

| 8) |Help in the promotion of Philippine medical tourism by offering top quality and world
class medical services in training ENTHN disorders,

SECTION 3. Scope of Services. — Consistent with its objectives, the Philippine ENT Center
provide the following services,

8) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and equipment
necessary to provide treatment of ENTHN disease:
b) Community-based services to develop and implement community-based programs in
| Partnership, with local goyernment units, conduct research and external resource
outsourcing to implement community-based diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN diseases.
¢) Education programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of practice in the specialized
field of ENTHN diseases and other related fields, conduct post-graduate training and short-
term courses for medical doctors and allied medical professionals; and
d) Program development and research to develop cutting edge research and programs to
combat diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck. "

SECTION 4. Board of Trustees. — The Philippine ENT Center shall be administered by a Board
of Trustees, hereinafter referred to,as the Board, to be composed of seven (7) members to be
appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health,

The members of the Board shall serve for a period of three (3) years. All members shall
‘Serve without compensation other than actual and necessary expenses, in accordance with the
existing ‘laws, policies and rules and regulations on the matter, incurred either for attendance in
meetings of the board or upon official business authorized by a resolution of the board.

SECTION 5, Powers and Functions. ~The Board shall have the following powers and functions
in addition to their general powers of administration,

a) Formulateand adopt the by-laws, rules and regulations, policies, guidelines and procedures
+ Consistent with law. and the) provisions of this Act to govern the administration and
operations of the Philippine ENT Center;

b) Formulate and develop programs for the prevention, control and treatment of ENTHN
diseases and adopt measures which are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act:

©) Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical institutions, domestic or
foreign, as may be necessary in attaining the purposes and objectives of the Philippines
ENT Center;

d) Receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real or personal property of all kinds and
to administer the same for the benefit of the Philippine ENT Center, in accordance with the
directions and instructions of the donor, and in default thereof, in such manner as in its
discretion the Board may determine

| @), Acquire and hold property of whatever nature or description, and to dispose such properties
under any mode of encumbrance and conveyance;



) Invite foreign ENTHN specialists and similar experts in the various medical fields to train
the personnel of the Philippine ENT Center or send personnel to research or medical
institutes or universities for advance training or observation or to attend international or
regional conventions, conferences, congresses and seminars as the Board may deem
necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the Philippine ENT Center, and

8) Perform all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary or incidental to the
accomplishment of the objectives of the Philippines ENT Center.

SECTION 6. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern - The Board shall determine the
organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Philippine ENT Center subject to the evaluation
by the Civil Service Commission and of the organization Position Classification and
Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and Management. The Board may recognize
said structure, modify the staffing pattern and create or abolish divisions, sections or units in the
Philippine ENT Center.

SECTION 7. Appointment by the Board. ~ The Board shall have the authority to appoint,
promote, transfer, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline the officers and employees of the

' Philippine ENT Center upon the recommendation of the Executive Difector, subject to civil
Service laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 8. Executive Director. ~ The Philippine ENT Center shall be administered by an
Executive Director who shall be administered by an Executive Director who shall be appointed by
the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees.

‘The Executive Director shall exercise the following powers and functions:

a) Executive the policies, guidelines and programs approved by the Board, and be responsible
for the efficient discharge of management and operational functions;

b) Submit for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed measures, policies and
guidelines and programs as may be necessary for the effective implementation of the
purposes and objective of this Act.

©). Direct and supervise the management, operation, and administration of the Philippine ENT
Center, and may delegate this power and any or some of the administrative responsibilities
and duties to the other officers of the Philippine ENT Center;

d) Recommend to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal and suspension
of the officers and employees of the Philippine ENT Center;

e) Execute on behalf of the Board all contracts and agreements which the latter may enter
into, and to execute, accomplish and deliver any and all documents relative to such
contracts and agreements; and

f)_ Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be vested by the board.

SECTION 9. Program for Indigents. — The Board hall ensure that the Philippine ENT Center
shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for indigent patients
shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of hospital beds.


SECTION 10. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. — The provision of any general or special law to
the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions, gifts or endowments received by
the Philippine ENT Center pursuant hereto, shall be exempt from income, gift and all other kinds
of taxes, and shall be further considered as allowable deductions from the gross income of the
donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
amended

The Philippine ENT Center is hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal
revenue taxes, tariff and customs duties and all other kinds of taxes, fees, charges and assessments
levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities.

‘The Philippine ENT Center may request and receive assistance from the different agencies,
bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in pursuit of its
purposes and objectives.

SECTION 11. Annual Report. - The Philippine ENT Center shall submit an annual report to the
President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the House
‘Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments and recommendations to better improve
their delivery of specialized medical services.

SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The Secretary of Health shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of budget and Management, promulgate such rules and regulations
necessary for the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 13. Appropriations. — The amount of Three Hundred million pesos (PHP
300,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation and maintenance of the Philippine
ENT Center. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued operation of the
Philippine ENT Center shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act,

SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or
parts thereof which are in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 15. Effectivity. ~This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in tor) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,