Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2334

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Rep. Wikfiide Mark M. Enverga

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For decades eye diseases have been a priority concern because of the
gradual increase of cases being treated in various eye clinics and hospitals due to.
aging population, improper eye care, and complication from’ other diseases,
environmental factor, accidents and other related factors.

Yet the more common eye diseases are, to a great extent, preventable, and _
curable with early and adequate medical care, prompt and intensive prevention
and health education programs.

Hence there is an urgent need to consolidate and reinforce existing programs,
strategies and efforts at preventing, treating and rehabilitating people affected by eye
diseases and to undertake research and training on the cure and prevention of eye
diseases, through the National Eye Center which will house and nurture the above and
related activities and provide tertiary-level care for more difficult and problematic cases.

In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is highly and

earnestly recommended.
Mario wisresRten


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2334

Introduced by Rep. Wilfride Mark M. Enwerga

AN ACT CREATING THE NATIONAL EYE CENTER AND APPROPRIATII
FUNDS THEREFOR

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

Congress assembled:

SECTION. 1. There is hereby created a National Eye Center which is a quasi-
government institution attached to the Office of the President.

‘SEC, 2. The Center shall have its principal office in Metro Manila, and may have
such branch offices, hospitals, clinics or subsidiaries in other areas in the Philippines as it may

deem proper and necessary.
SEC. 3, The Center shall have the following purposes and objectives:

(a) To specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and/or
relief of eye and allied diseases;
(b) To promote medical and scientific research relative to the prevention and
treatment of eye and allied diseases, and to encourage planning, invention and
development of artificial means of eye Support and transplantation;


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(c) To conduct fact finding investigations on eye diseases, and related field
throughout the country or elsewhere, and to report, publish and disseminate
information on eye and allied diseases;

(@) To finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions, conferencés,
seminars, work-shops and training programs on eye diseases and/or related field

in the Philippines or abroad; and
(c) To stimulate the formation of other organizations on the national, provincial,
city and/or local levels, and to coordinate the various efforts and activities of
such organization for the purpose of achieving a more effective approach to the
common problem relative to the purposes and objectives enumerated herein,

SEC. 4. For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above-enumerated purposes
and objectives, the Center as a body corporate acting through its Board of Trustees, shall have
the following powers and functions:

(a) To adopt and use a corporate seal;

(b) To sue and be sued in its corporate name:

(©) To adopt its by-laws, rules and regulations as it may deem proper and

necessary for implementation of the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(@) To succeed by its corporate name, and to acquire and possess properties,
rights and interests of whatever kind and nature, and mortgage, pledge,
alienate, encumber or otherwise dispose of the same;

(e) To award, enter into, make, execute, perform and carry out domestic or
foreign contracts of whatever kind and nature;

(f) To invest in, and purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, use, lease, grant,
mortgage, pledge, sell, assign, convey, transfer, exchange or otherwise deal
with, real and/or personal properties of every kind and nature, including
shares of stock, bonds, notes, securities and other evidences of indebtedness
or obligations of other corporations, whether domestic or foreign, and
whether government or private:
(g) To obtain loans, borrow funds and/or arrange financing or credit assistance
of whatever kind and nature from all sources, whether domestic or foreign
and whether government or private, and to mortgage, pledge or otherwise
encumber any of its properties and assets for the purpose of securing or


guaranteeing the performance or fulfillment of any obligation it may
undertake for itself or for other entities in which it may be interested;
(h) To levy, assess and collect such fees, charges and assessments as may be
necessary or proper to support, finance and maintain its operations; and
(i) To exercise such other powers and functions as may be incidental or
necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act.

SEC. 5. The Center shall be governed, and its activities and properties shall be
directed, controlled and managed, by a Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board,
which shall be composed of a Chairman and ten (10) members, all of whom shall be appointed
by the President of the Philippines. The Chief Executive Officer of the Center, who shall be
appointed from among the members of the Board in accordance hereof, shall be the ex-officio

Vice-Chairman of the Board.

The members of the Board shall serve for a term of three (3) years, with a right to
hold-over until their respective successors shall have been duly appointed and qualified. The
President of the Philippines may, however, remove any member of the Board for cause.
Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the Board, the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold
office for the unexpired term of the member replaced.

SEC. 6. The Board shall have the following powers and functions:
(@) To formulate policies, guidelines and programs to effectively implement and
carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(b) To prescribe, review and revise the amount of the fees, charges, and
assessments levied and collected for the support and maintenance of the
operations of the Center;

(c) To control the management, operation and administration of the Center;

(@) To promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper for
the effective exercise of power and functions as well as the discharge of the
duties, responsibilities of the Center, its officers and employees;

(©) To authorize such expenditures of the Center as may be necessary ot proper
for the effective management, operation and administration of the Center;

(f) To determine and organize the Center's organizational and administrative


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structure or pattern, and to establish and fix, review, revise and adjust the
appropriate compensation scheme of the officers and employees of the
Center, with reasonable allowances, bonuses and other incentives.
(g) To adopt the annual and supplemental budget of receipts and expenditures
of the Center;
(h) To appoint, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline officers of the Center

‘occupying executive and senior management positions;
(i) To exercise all the general powers necessary or incidental to the attainment
of the purposes and objectives of this Act; and
(i) To do any and all acts as may be necessary or proper for. the attainment of
the powers and functions of the Center.

SEC. 7. The’Center 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 the purposes and objectives of this Act..

SEC. 8 The Cenier is hereby authorized to solicit and receive donations, grants,
contributions, gifts or endowments from all sources whether foreign or domestic, and whether
government or private, without the need of securing a permit, approval or registration from any
government agency.

SEC. 9. The books and accounts of the Center shall be under the charge of a
Resident Auditor, subject to periodic auditing by the Chairman of the Commission on Audit, or

his duly authorized representative.

SEC. 10 The Center and its officers and employees shall be covered by the Civil
Service Law, rules and regulations.

SEC 11. The Center shall render to the President of the Philippines an annual report
on its operations and accomplishments.


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SEC. 12. The provisions of the general corporation law, insofar as they are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act of with the purposes and objectives for which the
Center is formed, shall apply to the Center.

SEC. 13. If for any reason, the Center is dissolved, its’ properties and assets shall

revert to the National Government for disposition in accordance with law.

SEC. 14. The amount of One Hundred million pesos (P100,000,000.00) is hereby
appropriated for the necessary initial operating expenses and maintenance of the National Eye
Center. Thereafter, such sum as maybe necessary for the continued operation of the Center shall

be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

APPROVED.