TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No.
857
of t!j? ■ rrt'1 rp
25 AUG -4 P5 :40
Rl-CEIVLD BV:
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE BLOOD DISEASE AND TRANSFUSION 
CENTER, DEFINING ITS OBJECTIVES, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Addressing blood-related illnesses like leukemia, hemophilia, and anemia is a 
major public health concern for the Philippines. The National Nutrition Council claims 
that these illnesses rank among the most common blood problems that Filipinos face. 
Fatigue and other health issues are caused by anemia, which is defined by a lack of 
hemoglobin or red blood cells. Hemophilia is a genetic condition that causes excessive 
bleeding because it affects the blood's capacity to clot. Leukemia, a type of cancer 
affecting blood and bone marrow, poses severe health risks and requires specialized 
treatment.
Recognizing the impact of these diseases. Proclamation No. 1833, s. 2009, 
declared September as Blood Diseases Month to raise awareness and promote 
understanding of blood-related health issues. Despite this initiative, there remains a 
pressing need for a dedicated institution to provide comprehensive care, conduct 
research, and offer specialized training in hematology and transfusion medicine.


This proposed legislation seeks to establish the Philippine Blood Disease and 
Transfusion Center, a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) that will 
serve as a national specialty hospital dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, 
treatment, and research of blood diseases. The Center will be strategically located 
within the Lung Center of the Philippines compound in Quezon City to leverage existing 
medical infrastructure and expertise.
To ensure effective governance, the Center will be managed by a Board of 
Trustees composed of representatives from the Department of Health, medical 
experts, and stakeholders from the private sector and non-governmental 
organizations. The Board will oversee policy formulation, operational management, 
and strategic planning to fulfill the Center's mandate.
The establishment of the Philippine Blood Disease and Transfusion Center 
represents a significant advancement in the country's healthcare system, addressing 
the critical need for specialized services in hematology and transfusion medicine. By 
providing comprehensive care, fostering research, and enhancing public awareness, 
the Center will play a pivotal role in improving the health outcomes of Filipinos affected 
by blood-related diseases.
A similar version of this measure was filed by Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. 
Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay as co-author, during the Nineteenth Congress. Hence, 
the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
Y EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
857
L' 
ilit ! L
' \ , .
'S'tiicr of ilio £-•. ft
25 AUG -4 P5 :4l
received BV;
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE BLOOD DISEASE AND TRANSFUSION 
CENTER, DEFINING ITS OBJECTIVES, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Blood Disease
2 
and Transfusion Center Act.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and
4 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.
5 
Towards this end, the State shall establish a Philippine Blood Disease and Blood
6 
Transfusion Center which shall offer comprehensive care for patients with blood
7 
diseases, including blood transfusion services, for public welfare.
8 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
9 
a) Apheresis Facility refers to a blood service facility where blood collection
10 
procedure is done in which whole blood is removed, a selected component
11 
separated and the remainder returned to the donor;
12 
b) Blood refers to the human blood for transfusion;
13 
c) Blood Center vetevs to the Philippine Blood Disease and Transfusion Center
14 
established pursuant to this Act;


1 
d) Blood Component refers, but is not limited, to whole blood, red cells,
2 
granulocytes, plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate, and cryosupernate
3 
prepared in the Blood Center;
4 
e) Blood Disease refers to a blood condition that involves problems with the
5 
red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, blood vessels, bone marrow,
6 
lymph nodes, spleen, or the proteins involved in bleeding and clotting
7 
(hemostasis and thrombosis). Blood diseases and blood disorders are used
8 
interchangeably in this Act;
9 
f) Blood Product refers to a therapeutic substance derived from whole blood
10 
or plasma;
11 
g) Blood Transfusion refers to the process of transferring blood or blood-based
12 
products from one person into the circulatory system of another;
13 
h) Hematology refers to the branch of medicine that is concerned with the
14 
study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases; and
15 
i) Voluntary Blood Donor refers to a donor who gives blood freely and
16 
voluntarily without any form of payment.
17 
Sec. 4. Philippine Blood Disease and Transfusion Center. - There is hereby
18 
established a Philippine Blood Disease and Blood Transfusion Center, hereinafter
19 
referred to as the Blood Center, a government corporate entity that will offer
20 
comprehensive care for patients with blood diseases, including blood transfusion
21 
services, for public welfare. The Blood Center shall also undertake teaching programs
22 
and research activities to successfully accomplish its mandate.
23 
The Blood Center shall be located at the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP)
24 
Compound, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
25 
Sec. 5. Purposes and Objectives. - The Blood Center will have the following
26 
purposes and objectives:
27 
a) To construct, establish, operate, and maintain a specialty hospital, with at
28 
least two hundred fifty (250) bed capacity, which shall offer comprehensive
29 
care for patients with blood diseases;
30 
b) To establish and operate a blood transfusion center and a state-of-the-art
31 
hematology laboratory (which should be able to offer more services than a
32 
regular medical center), including a molecular laboratory for public welfare;


1 
c) To establish and operate a Hematopoietic Stem Cell transplant program and
2 
donor registry;
3 
d) To collect blood from qualified voluntary blood donors, and process whole
4 
blood into blood components;
5 
e) To ensure the safety, as well as the adequate supply, of blood and blood
6 
products delivered to hospitals and other health facilities;
7 
f) To promote, encourage, and engage in medical and scientific research on
8 
the prevention and treatment of blood diseases, on the care and/ or
9 
treatment of patients with blood diseases, and on the proper operation of
10 
blood bank technology and blood transfusion services to ensure the safety
11 
of both blood donors and donees;
12 
g) To gather, compile, and publish the findings of its medical and scientific
13 
research;
14 
h) To conduct studies and develop teaching programs, in collaboration with
15 
universities, hospitals, and/or research institutions, on the prevention and
16 
treatment of blood diseases; encourage and grant scholarships for
17 
advanced training and specialization in hematology; and support
18 
educational programs of value to general public health;
19 
i) To finance, sponsor, hold, or participate in congresses, conventions,
20 
conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs on the prevention
21 
and treatment of blood diseases; and
22 
j) To encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, nurses,
23 
health officers, social workers, and medical and technical personnel in the
24 
practical and scientific implementation of services to patients with blood
25 
diseases.
26 
Sec. 6. Powers and Functions. - The Blood Center will have the following
27 
powers and functions:
28 
a) To have the attribute of perpetual succession and shall be vested with the
29 
powers of a corporation;
30 
b) To adopt and use a corporate seal which shall be a matter of judicial notice;
31 
c) To enter into contracts with any person or entity, whether public or private,
32 
domestic or foreign;


1 
d) To acquire assets, real or personal, or any interest therein, and encumber
2 
or otherwise dispose the same, under any mode of encumbrance or
3 
conveyance, as it may deem proper and necessary in the conduct of its
4 
business;
5 
e) To invest its excess funds, subject to, applicable laws, rules and regulations,
6 
in any activity related to the Blood Center, as well as in any bonds or
7 
securities issued and guaranteed by the Government of the Philippines;
8 
0 To collect reasonable fees from the public for its services;
9 
g) To solicit and accept any gifts, contributions, endowments, grants, bequests
10 
and devices of any kind of real or personal property which are necessary
11 
and proper for the attainment of the purpose of the hospital; and
12 
h) To perform such acts and exercise such functions as may be necessary and
13 
proper for the attainment of the purposes and objectives herein specified.
14 
Sec. 7. Board of Trustees. - The affairs and business of the Blood Center shall
15 
be directed, its properties managed, and its corporate powers exercised, unless
16 
otherwise provided in this Charter, by its own Board of Trustees, which shall be
17 
composed of seven (7) members, as follows:
18 
a) The Secretary of the Department of Health as Chairman of the Board, or his
19 
duly authorized representative;
20 
b) The Department of Health Undersecretary in charge of supervising specialty
21 
hospitals;
22 
c) One (1) member from the private sector, preferably with experience in
23 
finance, administration or management;
24 
d) One (1) representative who is an expert in hematology;
25 
e) One (1) representative who is an expert in blood transfusion;
26 
f) One (1) representative from an NGO involved in health advocacy; and
27 
g) The Blood Center Executive Director.
28 
The terms of office, maimer of appointment of the trustees and other matters
29 
pertaining to the governance of the Blood Center shall be determined in accordance
30 
with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act
31 
of 2011.


1 
Sec. 8. Powers and Functions of the Board. - The Board of Trustees, which
2 
shall be the policy-making body of the Blood Center, shall have the following powers
3 
and functions:
4 
a) Set the policies and directions of the Blood Center in order to accomplish its
5 
mandate;
6 
b) Adopt a set of by-laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and procedures
7 
consistent with law and the provisions hereof to govern the administration
8 
and operation of the Blood Center;
9 
c) Establish the organizational structure of the Blood Center, define the duties
10 
and responsibilities of its officials and employees, and adopt a compensation
11 
and benefit scheme, subject to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No.
12 
10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011;
13 
d) Establish and maintain professional and technical educational systems for
14 
the sustained development of the necessary manpower to manage and
15 
operate its affairs and business;
16 
e) Authorize the expenditures of the Blood Center as may be necessary or
17 
proper for its efficient and effective management, operation, and
18 
administration;
19 
f) Send the personnel of the Blood Center to research institutes, medical
20 
institutes, or universities for advance training or observation and to attend
21 
international or regional conventions, conferences, congresses or seminars
22 
as the Board of Trustees may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes
23 
and objectives of the Blood Center;
24 
g) Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical or similar
25 
institutions, domestic or foreign, as it may deem desirable toward promoting
26 
the purposes and objectives of the Blood Center;
27 
h) Appoint, remove, suspend, or otherwise discipline the Executive Director
28 
and other officers of the Blood Center occupying executive and senior
29 
management positions; and
30 
i) Undertake such other acts and things as are or may be necessary for or
31 
incidental to the accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of the
32 
Blood Center.


1 
Sec. 9. Executive Director of the Blood Center. - The Blood Center shall be
2 
headed by the Executive Director, whose rank and emoluments shall be approved by
3 
the Board, taking into account the prevailing practice in other specialty hospitals, and
4 
subject to the pertinent guidelines issued by the Governance Commission for GOCCs.
5 
The Executive Director shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
6 
a) Direct and supervise the operations and administration of the Blood Center;
7 
b) Execute, administer, and implement the policies and measures approved by
8 
the Board;
9 
c) Prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Board, and submit for
10 
consideration of the Board such policies and measures as he/she believes
11 
necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act;
12 
d) Represent the Blood Center in all dealings, i.e. meetings, contracts,
13 
negotiations, etc., with all other offices, agencies, and instrumentalities of
14 
the government and with all persons and other entities, domestic or foreign;
15 
e) Appoint, remove, suspend, or otherwise discipline all other officers
16 
employees of the Blood Center; and
17 
0 To exercise such other powers and perform such other duties provided in
18 
the by-laws and as vested to him/her by the Board.
19 
Sec. 10. Program for Indigents. - The Blood Center shall adopt and enforce a
20 
program for indigents needing blood or blood products, as well as for indigent patients
21 
with blood diseases, in accordance with the implementing guidelines on the
22 
classification of patients and Availment of Medical Social Services in Government
23 
Hospitals. The Department of Health shall ensure that this program for indigents is
24 
effectively implemented.
25 
Sec. 11. Income Retention. - The Blood Center is hereby authorized to retain
26 
and utilize its income derived from its operations for the continuous improvement of
27 
its services and facilities, subject to auditing rules and regulations. No amount from
28 
such income, however, shall be used to augment the salaries and other compensation
29 
of the Blood Center personnel beyond the amounts determined by the Governance
30 
Commission for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GCG), as provided
31 
for in Republic Act No. 10149.


1 
Sec. 12. Exemption from Taxes. - The Blood Center shall be exempt from the
2 
payment of taxes on all contributions thereto and all accruals on its income and
3 
investment earnings.
4 
Any donation, contribution, bequest, subsidy or financial aid which may be
5 
made to it shall constitute an allowable deduction from the income of the donor for
6 
income tax purposes and shall be exempt from the donor's tax subject to such
7 
conditions as provided in the National Internal Revenue Code.
8 
The Blood Center shall be exempt from all other taxes, whether direct or
9 
indirect, on its income, properties, and operations.
10 
Sec. 13. Supervision. - The Blood Center shall be under the direct supervision
11 
of the Department of Health for purposes of policy direction and control. It shall submit
12 
an annual report to the Department of Health, pursuant to the pertinent provisions of
13 
Republic Act No. 10149.
14 
Sec. 14. Assistance from other Government Offices. - The Blood Center may
15 
call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the
16 
government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, for such
17 
assistance as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes and objectives.
18 
Sec. 15. Impiementing Ruies andReguiations. - The Department of Health shall
19 
issue the necessary Rules and Regulations to implement the provisions of this Act
20 
within sixty (60) days from its effectivity.
21 
Sec. 16. Appropriations. - The amount of Eight hundred fifty million pesos
22 
(P850,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation and maintenance of
23 
the Blood Center. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued
24 
operation of the Blood Center shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
25 
Act.
26 
Sec. 17. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of the Act is declared
27 
void or unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be
28 
affected by such declaration.
29 
Sec. 18. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, executive orders, administrative
30 
orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith, are hereby repealed, amended or
31 
modified accordingly.


1 
Sec. 19. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
2 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,