SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2653 
By Senator Teofisto "TG" L. Guingona III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
'I) FEB 16 Al0:46 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE PHILIPPINE 
PLAN OF ACTION TO ELIMINATE TUBERCULOSIS AS A PUBLIC 
HEALTH PROBLEM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
"Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world's deadliest communicable diseases. In 
2013, an estimated 9.0 million people developed TB and 1.5 million died from the 
disease, 360000 of whom were HIY-positive. TB is slowly declining each year and it 
is estimated that 37 million lives were saved between 2000 and 2013 through 
effective diagnosis and treatment. However, given that most deaths from TB are 
preventable, the death toll from the disease is still unacceptably high and efforts to 
combat it must be accelerated if 2015 global targets, set within the context of the 
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are to be met "(Global Tuberculosis Report 
2014, WHO) 
Even with the high success rate of treatment of new TB cases, the Philippines ranked 
second in Asia when it came to the prevalence ofTB per 100,000 population in 2012. 
In response to the emerging threats brought about by the TB disease, this bill was 
crafted to provide for the establishment of a Philippine Plan' of Action to Eliminate 
Tuberculosis which shall consist, among others, of the countly's targets and strategies 
in addressing the disease; prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and support, and 
other components of the country's response; and development and application of 
appropriate technologies to diagnose and treat the disease among many other 
important factors 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this proposal is ,,"rn".,th 
GUINGONAHI 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2653 
By Senator Teofisto "TG" L. Guingona III 
'15 
FEB 16 A10:46 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE PHILIPPINE PLAN OF 
ACTION TO ELIMINATE TUBERCULOSIS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH 
PROBLEM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SEC. 1. 
Title. -
This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive Tuberculosis 
2 
Elimination Plan Act." 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -
The State is mandated to adopt an integrated and 
4 
comprehensive approach to health development. Towards this end, the State shall support and 
5 
expand efforts to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem by increasing investments 
6 
for its prevention, treatment and control, and adopting a multi sectoral approach in responding 
7 
to the disease. 
8 
SEC. 3. Definition 0.1 Terms - As used in this Act: 
9 
(a) Comprehensive Philippine Plan 0.1 Action to Eliminate Tuberculosis refers to the 
10 
program of the national government for the elimination of tuberculosis in the country; and 
11 
(b) Tuberculosis or TB refers to an infectious but curable disease caused by bacteria 
12 
called Mycobacte/,Illm tuberculosis. It is transmitted from a TB patient to another through 
13 
coughing, sneezing and spitting and while the bacterium usually affects the lungs, it may also 
14 
affect the bone and other organs like the kidney and the liver. 
15 
SEC. 4. Comprehensive Philippine Plan of ActIOn to Eliminate Tuberculosis. 
- The 
16 
Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) shall establish a Comprehensive Philippine Plan 


of Action to Eliminate Tuberculosis in consultation with appropriate public and private 
2 
entities. The Philippine Plan of Action shall consist of the following: 
3 
(a) The country's targets and strategies in addressing the disease, 
4 
(b) The prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and support, and other components of the 
5 
country's response; 
6 
(c) The development and application of appropriate technologies to diagnose and treat 
7 
the disease; 
8 
(d) The strengthening of linkages with local and international organizations for possible 
9 
partnership in education, advocacy, research and funding assistance; 
10 
(e) The establishment of a review and monitoring system to gather data and monitor the 
11 
progress made in the elimination of tuberculosis; and 
12 
(t) The immediate mobilization of anti-TB services during and after natural and man-
13 
made disasters through collaborative efforts of national and local governments and other 
14 
entities. 
15 
SEC. 5. Strengthening of the National and Regional Coordinating Committees. - The 
16 
National Coordinating Committee (NCC) and the Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) of 
17 
the DOH shall serve as the National TB Control Program's (NTP's) arm in strengthening and 
18 
supporting nationwide capacity for program operations and bridging collaborative efforts 
19 
between the public and private sector. 
20 
The Secretary of Health shall continue to improve the capability of the existing NCC and 
21 
RCC in ensuring efficiency in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Philippine 
22 
Plan of Action and in the coordination of efforts of various sectors. 
23 
SEC. 6. Research, Demonstration Projects, Education and Training. 
The 
24 
Secretary of Health shall, directly or through grants to public or nonprofit private entities, 
25 
perform the following activities: 
26 
(a) Conduct basic and clinical research based on the health agenda to be developed by 
27 
partners in the academe, health professional groups and other local health partners with 
28 
possible support from foreign organizations; 
29 
(b) Develop demonstration projects to generate evidence for responsive policies and to 
30 
develop regional capabilities for the prevention, detection, control, and elimination of 
31 
tuberculosis; 
32 
(c) Conduct nationwide public information campaign and education programs; 
2 


1 
(d) UndeI1ake education, training and clinical skills improyement activities for health 
2 
care providers, 
3 
(e) Provide support for model centers to sustain their initiatives under subparagraphs 
~ 
(b), (c) and (d); and 
5 
(f) Collaborate with local and foreign organizations for partnership in various activities 
6 
and in providing technical and funding support. 
7 
SEC. 7. Strengthening of the Regional Centers for Health Development ill the 
8 
Provision of Health Services to Eliminate TB. - The Secretary of Health shall strengthen the 
9 
Regional Centers for Health Development in the provision of health services to eliminate TB 
10 
by undertaking the following activities: 
11 
(a) Provide free laboratory services through the DOH retained hospitals; 
12 
(b) Provide reliable supply of drugs to patients for free by ensuring that local health 
13 
centers, through coordination with local government units (LGUs) concerned, have sufficient 
14 
supply of medicines for the communities they serve; 
15 
(c) Undertake public information and educational programs to train the public on basic 
16 
ways and means to prevent the spread of tuberculosis; 
17 
(d) Train and enhance the capability of health providers in both public and private 
18 
hospitals; 
19 
( e) Ensure the proper monitoring of tuberculosis cases in the country; and 
20 
(f) Ensure that monitoring services are extended as far as practicable, at the lowest local 
21 
level health unit. 
22 
SEC. 8. Education Programs. - The Secretary of Health, in coordination with the 
23 
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shall encourage the faculty of schools of medicine, 
2~ 
nursing or medical technology and allied health institutions, to intensify information and 
25 
education programs, including the development of curricula, to significantly increase the 
26 
opportunities for students and for practicing providers to learn the principles and practices of 
27 
preventing, detecting, managing, and controlling tuberculosis 
28 
SEC. 9. Inclusion in Basic Education. - The Secretary of Health, in coordination with 
29 
the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepED), shall work for the inclusion of 
30 
modules on the principles and practices of preventing, detecting, managing and controlling 
31 
tuberculosis in the health curriculum of every public and private elementary and high school 
32 
SEC. IO.Media Campaign. 
The Secretary of Health, in coordination with the 
33 
Philippine Information Agency (PIA), shall encourage local media outlets to launch a media 
3 


campaign on tuberculosis control, treatment and management, using all forms of multimedia 
2 
and other electronic means of communication 
3 
The media campaign shall include materials that would discourage the general public 
4 
from spitting in public places and exhibiting unhygienic behavior that tend to undermine the 
5 
overall effort of preventing the spread of the disease. 
6 
SEC II. Regulation on Sale and Use of TB Drugs 
The Food and Drug 
7 
Administration (FDA) shall strengthen its implementation of the 
"No prescription, No 
8 
anti-TB drugs" to regulate the sale and use of anti-TB drugs in the market. It shall also ensure 
9 
the quality of TB drugs distributed in the market. 
10 
SEC. 12.Notiflcatiol1 on TB Cases. -
All public and private health centers, hospitals 
11 
and facilities shall observe the national protocol on TB management and shall notifY the DOH 
12 
of all TB cases as prescribed under the Manual of Procedures of the National TB Program and 
13 
the Philippine Plan of Action on Tuberculosis Control. 
14 
SEC 13. PhilHealth TB Package. 
-
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, 
15 
otherwise known as the PhiIHealth, shall, as far as practicable, expand its benefit package for 
16 
TB patients to include new, relapse and 
return-after-default cases, and extension of 
17 
treatment. 
18 
The PhiIHealth shall enhance its present outpatient Directly Observed Treatment Short 
19 
Course (DOTS) package to make it more responsive to patients' needs. It shall likewise 
20 
increase the number of accredited DOTS facilities to widen target beneficiaries who may avail 
21 
of reimbursements. 
22 
SEC. 14. Report. 
-
The Secretary of Health shall submit an annual report to the 
23 
Committees on Health of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the activities carried 
24 
out to comply with the provisions of this Act. 
25 
SEC. IS.Appropriations. -
The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this 
26 
Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the DOH, DepED, CRED and the PIA 
27 
under the General Appropriations Act. 
28 
SEC 16.lmplel11enting Rules and Regulations. - The DOH, in consultation with the 
29 
DepED, CRED, PIA, LGUs, nongovernment organizations and other concerned entities, shall 
30 
issue the rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days 
31 
from its effectivity. 
4 


SEC. 17. Separability Clause. 
-
If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
2 
declared unconstitutional, the other provisions which are not affected thereby shall continue to 
3 
be in full force and effect. 
4 
SEC. 18. Repeallllg Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
5 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with 
6 
the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
7 
SEC. 19.EjJectivity -
This Act shall take effect fifteen (\5) days after its publication in 
8 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
9 
10 
Approved, 
5