/S* RECEIVED “2
© oy? 8 NOV 2017
TIME:

BY:
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

20
HOUSE BILLNO._®”

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill, previously filed by Rep. Alfredo C. Marafion, III, during the
Fifteenth Congress, seeks to establish the Philippine Ear Nose and Throat
(ENT) Center which will provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and
specialized medical services for the prevention, control and treatment of ear,
nose throat, head and neck (ENTHN) disorders.

Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution provides, in part, that
"The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social
services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the
needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children."

The incidence of ENTHN diseases in the country has become more
prevalent and has affected the quality of life of most Filipinos. Respiratory
tract infections which include colds, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis, and laryngitis
are among the leading causes of morbidity in the Philippines. Study shows
that a ratio of 1-2 per 1000 live births were born with cleft lip or cleft palate
and more than a million Filipinos were estimated to have hearing
impairment. ENTHN diseases not only affect the productivity and
performance of a person but also cause permanent physical disabilities
and deformities. Despite the high prevalence rate of ENTHN diseases and
their tremendous effect on health, these conditions have not been given
enough attention and priority.


The establishment and maintenance of the Philippine ENT Center will
focus on the ENT diseases to primarily benefit persons suffering from ENTHN
diseases and those who are unable to secure the necessary medical treatment
because of the high cost of specialized medical services. The Philippine ENT
Center will ensure the accessibility and availability of specialized medical
services needed by ENT patients in the country. Also, it will enhance and
integrate the research undertakings of the government on these diseases.
Further, the Philippine ENT Center will be the venue for the advanced
training of medical and technical personnel to render high quality and state
of the art medical services for the prevention, control and treatment of ENTHN
disorders.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6720

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ

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. — Itis 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, high quality,
affordable and specialized medical services for the prevention, control
and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head and neck (ENTHN) diseases.

SEC. 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 established 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:

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a) Construct, 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;

c) 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 exchange 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;

f) Coordinate and consolidate various efforts and activities of the
government in delivering more effective medical services to treat
and prevent. ENTHN diseases; and

g) Help in the promotion of Philippine medical tourism by offering top
quality and world class medical services in treating ENTHN

disorders,

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

a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities
and equipment necessary to provide treatment of ENTHN diseases;

b) Community-based services to develop and implement community--
based programs in partnership with local government units, conduct

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research and external resource outsourcing to implement
community-based diagnosis and treatment of ENTHN diseases;

c) 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.

SEC. 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 authorizedpy a resolution of the Board.

SEC. 5. Powers and Functions. — The Board shall have the
following powers and functions in addition to their general powers of
administration:

a) Formulate and 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;

c) 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 Philippine ENT Center;

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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;

e) Acquire and hold property of whatever nature or description, and

to dispose such properties under any mode of encumbrance and

conveyance;

f) 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

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

SEC. 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 reorganize said structure, modify the staffing pattern and create
or abolish divisions, sections or units in the Philippine ENT Center.

SEC. 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 Director, subject to civil
service laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. 8. Executive Director— The Philippine ENT Center

shall be administered by an Executive Director who shall be appointed
by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Board

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of Trustees,

The Executive Director shall exercise the following powers and
functions:
a) Execute 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 deemed
necessary for the effective implementation of the purposes and
objectives of this Act;

c) 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.

SEC. 9. Program for Indigents— The Board shall 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.

SEC. 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

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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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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 effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. — The amount of Three hundred million
pesos (P300,000,000.00) 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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,

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