Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress

First Regular Session

959
HOUSE BILL NO. _ © =

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” DL. Tan, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘According to the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis Report 2012, the
Philippines is on the top 22 high-burden tuberculosis (TB) countries in the world. It ranks the
country at number nine out of 196 countries.

‘TB, an infection caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis that can be passed on 10 another
person through tiny droplets spread by coughing and sneezing, is the number six leading cause of
Heath in the country with 73 Filipinos dying everyday.

‘TB disease is highly contagious as each person with active TB can spread the disease 10
10 other Filipinos each year. Presently, an estimated 200,000 to 600,000 Filipinos have active
‘TB aside from the fact that an estimated 80 percent of them have latent TB.

Despite the efforts of government to improve the early detection and treatment of TB, the
country's benchmark figure on the case detection rate, treatment success rate and cure rate are
declining mainly because of various systemic and social factors, such as widespread poverty,

‘This measure seeks to eliminate the scourge of TB in the country by establishing 2
national plan for TB prevention, detection, treatment and control by increasing investment in
tuberculosis control and enjoining the government, non-governmental organizations, and other
concerned sectors to band together in putting an end to this nationwide epidemic

It is hoped that through this measure, the country will not only be able to achieve but
surpass its objective under the Global Plan on TB which seeks to reduce the prevalence and
mortality of TB in the country.

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought

ANGELINA can a. TAN, M.D.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

ong
HOUSE BILL NO. el

Introduced by: Hon, Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLAN FOR TUBERCULOSIS PREVENTION,
DETECTION, TREATMENT AND CONTROL AND PROVIDING RELIABLE DRUGS
SUPPLY AND FREE LABORATORY MONITORING SERVICE TO TB PATIENTS

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination
Act"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be a policy of the State to support and
expand efforts to eliminate tuberculosis in the country by inereasing investment in tuberculosis
Control programs and calling upon the government, non-governmental organizations and other
Concerned sectors to commit to putting an end to the nationwide TB epidemic,

SEC 3. National Plan for Tuberculosis Prevention, Treatment and Control. - The Secretary of
Faith (hereinafter known as "Secretary") shall, in consultation with appropriate public and
private entities, develop and implement a national plan to eliminate tuberculosis by considering
vee recommendations of said institutions and entities regarding the elimination of tuberculosis,
 uidressing the development and application of new technologies, tying up with international
reanizations, concerned with tuberculosis control for possible funding and assistance and
reviewing the extent to which progress has been made toward eliminating tuberculosis.

SEC. 4. Research, Demonstration Projects, Education and Training. -With respect to the
prevention, detection, control, and elimination of tuberculosis, the Secretary shall, directly of
through grants to public or non-profit private entities, carry out the following

1. Research, with priority given to research concerning - (a) diagnosis and treatment of latent
safection of tuberculosis: (b) strains of tuberculosis resistant to. drugs, (c) cases of tuberculosis
that affect certain populations, and (d) clinical trials, including a tuberculosis trials consortium,

2 Demonstration projects, including for the development of regional capabilities for the
prevention, detection, control, and elimination of tuberculosis,

3. Public information and education programs;


4, Education, training and clinical skills improvement activities for health professionals;

5. Support of model centers to carry out activities under paragraphs (2) through (4);

6. Collaboration with local and international organizations and foreign countries in carrying out
such activities;

7, Enhancement of basic and clinical research on tuberculosis; and

8, Research on the relationship between such disease and the HIV.

SEC. 5. Education Programs. - The Secretary, in coordination with the Commission on Higher
Education, shall encourage faculty of schools of medicine, nursing or osteopathic medicine to
intensify their program for information and education programs, including the development of
curricula, to significantly increase the opportunities for students and for practicing providers to
learn the principles and practices of preventing, detecting, managing, and controlling
tuberculosis.

SEC 6. Inclusion in the Curriculum. - The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of the
Department of Education, shall work for the inclusion of modules on the principles and practices
of preventing, detecting, managing and controlling tuberculosis in the health curriculum of every
public elementary and high school

SEC. 7. Media Campaign. - The Secretary, in coordination with the Philippine Information
Agency, shall encourage local media outlets, through a memorandum of agreement, to launch a
full-blast media campaign regarding tuberculosis control, treatment and management, which
shall be subject of print, television and radio broadcast and coverage

SEC. 8. Report. - The Secretary shall annually prepare and submit to the Committee on Health of
the Senate and of the House of Representatives, a report on the activities carried out under this
Act.

SEC. 9. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary shall formulate rules and regulations in order to
carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 10, Appropriations. ~The sum necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall
be taken from the appropriations of the Department of Health

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of
instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to. or inconsistent with the
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly

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

Approved,