1
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE  
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session 
 
 
) 
 
 
S E N A T E 
S. No. _______ 
 
 
Introduced by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa 
 
 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11332, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
MANDATORY REPORTING OF NOTIFIABLE DISEASES AND HEALTH OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN ACT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 
 
Republic Act No. 11332 (R. A. No. 11332 otherwise known as the Mandatory 
Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health of Public Concern Act was enacted into 
law on April 26, 2019. This was an act of Congress to update the 90-year old law Act 
No. 3573 on Reporting of Communicable Diseases. R. A. No. 11332 law ensured the 
establishment and maintenance of effective and efficient disease and surveillance and 
response system for rapid containment and implementation of measures for disease 
prevention and control. Further, it gives the Department of Health (DOH) the authority 
to identify what is a notifiable disease and jointly with the President, to declare public 
health emergency based on the criteria provided in the law. 
While R.A. No. 11332 keeps up with emerging diseases and health events, it 
was not able to anticipate the response of the people with regard to the 
implementation of disease prevention and control systems.  
In March 2020, the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 
government to implement extraordinary measures to slow down the spread of the 
virus after confirming local transmission. One of the non-medical interventions 
implemented was the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), a measure similar to 
what was implemented in other countries during the Spanish Flu in 1918.  
During the ECQ, everyone was advised to stay at home. Only persons 
authorized to conduct essential services were given exception and allowed to travel. 
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09:55 a.m.
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Health workers and law enforcers, collectively called as “frontliners”, were called upon 
to protect the health and security of the citizenry. Given the apparent travel 
restrictions and limitations on freedom of movement, many was caught violating the 
“stay at home advisory”. As of April 21, 2020, there are 136,517 ECQ violators1.  
Meanwhile, health workers and other frontliners were forced to overcome not 
only the hazards of fighting COVID-19 but more so the stigma and discrimination 
created by the assumption of some citizens that, because of their line of work, they 
might have  already been infected and hence, transmit the virus to their community. 
There were also instances where suspected COVID-19 patients provided false 
information to health workers that would consequently lead to health workers being 
infected by the virus. Almost 20% of the confirmed cases in the country are health 
workers. 1,694 health workers tested positive for COVID19 as of 1 May 2020. 
The proposed measure seeks to prevent any form of discrimination against our 
frontliners and update the law based on our country’s recent pandemic experience. 
To ensure the safety of our health workers while performing their duties, this bill 
proposes to expressly prohibit the willful act of providing inaccurate or false 
information to health workers. 
We do not wish for another COVID-19 pandemic during and even after our 
lifetime. However, we need to be prepared to ensure the safety of everyone at all 
times. As such, I earnestly seek the passage of this proposed measure. 
 
 
RONALD “BATO” DELA ROSA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/734926/number-of-ecq-violators-now-at-136-517-says-
pnp-chief-gamboa/story/ retrieved on 1 May 2020 


 
1
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE  
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session 
 
 
) 
 
 
S E N A T E 
S. No. _______ 
 
 
Introduced by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa 
 
 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11332, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
MANDATORY REPORTING OF NOTIFIABLE DISEASES AND HEALTH OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN ACT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
 
 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
 
Sec. 1. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 11332, otherwise known as the 
1 
“Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health of Public Health Concern Act” 
2 
is hereby amended as follows: 
3 
 
4 
“Sec. 9. Prohibited Act. – The following shall be prohibited under 
5 
this Act: 
6 
(a) Unauthorized 
disclosure 
of 
private 
and 
confidential 
7 
information pertaining to a patient’s medical condition and 
8 
treatment; 
9 
(b) [Tampering 
of 
records 
or 
intentionally 
providing 
10 
misinformation;] 
WILLFULLY 
PROVIDING 
11 
INACCURATE, 
FALSE 
OR 
MISLEADING 
12 
INFORMATION 
BY 
PERSON 
SUBJECT 
OF 
THE 
13 
MANDATORY REPORTING AS DEFINED IN THIS ACT;  
14 
(c) Non-cooperation of the disease surveillance and response 
15 
systems;  
16 
(d) Non-cooperation of persons and entities that should report 
17 
and/or respond to notifiable diseases or health of public 
18 
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2
concern; and 
1 
(e) Non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as 
2 
having notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of 
3 
public concern;  
4 
(f) ANY ACT THAT CAUSES INFLICTION OF STIGMA, 
5 
UNFAIR TREATMENT, REFUSAL OF ACCESS TO 
6 
GOODS AND SERVICES, HARASSMENT OR ANY FORM 
7 
OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HEALTH WORKERS 
8 
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND PERSONS 
9 
IDENTIFIED OR SUSPECTED TO BE INFECTED OF 
10 
NOTIFIABLE DISEASE; AND 
11 
(g) VIOLATION OF ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS 
12 
PROMULGATED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, 
13 
CONCERNED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND LOCAL 
14 
GOVERNMENT 
UNITS, 
IN 
RESPONSE 
TO 
THE 
15 
DECLARED 
EPIDEMIC 
OR 
PUBLIC 
HEALTH 
16 
EMERGENCY. 
17 
xxx.” 
18 
Sec. 2. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
19 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
20 
remain in force and effect. 
21 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules 
22 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
23 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
24 
 
Sec. 4. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
25 
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation. 
26 
 
Approved,