Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.3600

Introduced by Representative Jeffrey P. Ferrer

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was filed in the nineteenth Congress by Representative Juliet Marie
Ferrer and was approved by the House Committee on Health.

It is a primordial duty of the State to ensure the health and well-being of its
citizens. As stated in Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution states 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.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2020, liver
disease deaths in the Philippines reached 7,076 or 1.05% of the total deaths. The age
adjusted death rate is 8.65 per 100,000 of population ranks the Philippines as No. 135
in the world. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) further show that, in
2020, liver cirrhosis constituted 31.8% of liver-related deaths, while malignant
neoplasms of the liver comprised 35.8%.

This representation would like to address such statistics and to further prevent
the raising concern on liver diseases by establishing a hospital specializing in all kinds
of liver diseases concerns.

Hence, this bill aims to establish the Liver Center of the Philippines, a
government institution, that shall offer comprehensive care for patients with liver
diseases rendering quality service to the Filipino people.

The creation of Liver Center seeks to provide a state-of-the art diagnosis,
management and treatment of liver diseases including the conduct of researches
thereof. It will serve as the lead hospital in training and teaching of medical and
paramedical professionals pertaining to liver disease treatment and transplant. Lastly, it
aims to provide a set of standards for scientific and professional establishment and
‘operation in treating liver diseases and liver transplant in the country.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought for.

P
4” District, Negros


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bit No, 3600

Introduced by Representative Jeffrey P. Ferrer

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE LIVER CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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

1 SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Liver Center of the
2 Philippines Act.”
3
4 SEC. 2. Establishment of the Liver Center of the Philippines. - There is hereby
5 established a national specialty center to be known as the Liver Center of the Philippines,
6 which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).
7It shall offer comprehensive care of patients with liver disorders, including liver transplant
8 services, strong teaching and training programs, and research capability to serve the
9 Filipino people.
10
ct SEC. 3. Purposes and Objectives. - The Liver Center of the Philippines shall have
12 the following purposes and objectives:

14a. Establish and operate a liver rehabilitation, treatment or transplant center for the
15 public welfare;

16 b. Offer comprehensive care for patients with liver diseases;

17 ¢. Conduct training and research on the prevention and treatment of blood liver

18 diseases and those related to liver regeneration and transplant services including
19 sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses, conventions, seminars and
20 conferences;

21 d._ Establish a state-of-the-art liver diseases laboratory including a molecular laboratory;
22 e. Establish a liver stem cell transplant program and donor registry;

23 f._ Recruit and retain voluntary liver donors;

24g. Collect liver organs from qualified voluntary liver donors;

25h. Process whole liver into liver components;

26 i. Collect liver components;

27, Store, issue, transport, and distribute whole liver to end-user hospitals and

28 non-hospital health facilities;


k. Ensure that safe supply of liver and liver products to all hospitals and other health
facilities are adequate in terms of distribution and delivery;

| Implement and monitor quality assurance to selected regional liver centers;

m. Test liver infections; and

n. Provide special and confirmatory tests and perform liver examinations.

‘SEC. 4. Powers and Functions. - The Liver Center of the Philippines shall have the
following powers and functions:

a. Serve as an apex hospital or end-referral facility which shall specialize in liver care
and diseases;

b. Establish and maintain professional and technical educational systems for the
sustained development of the necessary manpower to manage and operate its
affairs and business;

. Provide technical assistance and capacity building in the establishment of liver
specialty centers in accordance with Republic Act No. 11959, otherwise known as
the “Regional Specialty Centers Act,",

|. Invest its funds as it may deem proper and necessary, but subject to applicable rules
and regulations, in any activity related to the Liver Center of the Philippines,
including in any bonds or securities and guaranteed by the Govemment of the
Philippines;

Acquire assets, real or personal, interest therein and encumber or otherwise dispose
the same as it may deem proper and necessary in the conduct of its business;
Borrow money from local or foreign sources as may be necessary for its operations,
‘subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations;

Accept any gifts, contributions, endowments, grants, bequests and devices of any
kind of real or personal property which are necessary and proper for the attainment
of the purpose of the hospitals; and

. Perform such acts and exercise such functions as may be necessary and proper for
the attainment of the purposes and objectives herein specified.

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32 SEC. 5. Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Director. - The Liver Center
33 of the Philippines shall be headed by the Executive Director who shail have the following
34 duties and responsibilities:

35

36 a. Provide overall direction and strategic leadership to the Liver Center of the

7 Philippines toward the provision of high-quality health services;
38 _b. Oversee all managerial and administrative processes and operations of all
39 departments of the Liver Center of the Philippines;

4c. Supervise daily activities of functional units;

41d. Ensure high standards in clinical training for medical and allied medical personnel;

42 e. Execute, on behalf of the hospital, all contracts and agreements which the hospital
“a may enter into and accomplish and deliver any and all documents relative to such

contracts and agreements, subject to the approval of the DOH Secretary;
4s. Represent the hospital’ in all dealing with other offices, agencies, and
46 instrumentalities of the Goverment and all other persons or entities, whether
a domestic or foreign and whether government or private; and
48g. Exercise such other powers and perform such duties as may be vested or reposed
“9 by the DOH


a
2 SEC. 6. Program for Indigents. - The DOH shall ensure that the Liver Center of the
3 Philippines shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents needing liver! liver products and
4 patients with liver diseases in accordance to the implementing guidelines on classification of
5 patients on availment of Medical Social Services in Government Hospitals.

6

7 ‘SEC. 7. Exemption from Taxes. - All donations, endowments, contributions, grants
sand bequests used actually, directly and exclusively for and in accordance with the
9 purposes and functions of the Liver Center of the Philippines shall be exempt from donor's
1@ tax, and the same shall be considered as allowable deductions from gross income for
41 purposes of computing the taxable income of the donors, in accordance with the provisions
12 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
43
44 The Liver Center of the Philippines shall be exempt from income tax and customs
15 duty levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities
46 subject to the provisions of the National intemal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended and
17 Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the “Customs Modemization and Tariff Act.”
18
cc The Liver Center of the Philippines shall avail of the tax expenditure subsidy
20 administered by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board, subject to the provisions of Title XIII
21 (Tax Incentives) of the National Intermal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, Executive
22 Order No. 93, as amended, and the General Appropriations Act.
2B
a ‘SEC. 8. Contracts. - The Liver Center of the Philippines shall have the authority to
25 enter into contracts with any person or entity, domestic or foreign and with government for
26 the undertaking of the varied aspects of the Liver Center, including the acquisition, by way
27 of purchase, lease, rent or other deferred payment arrangements of equipment and/or raw
28 materials and supplies, as well as for services connected therewith under such terms and
29 Conditions as it may deem proper and reasonable.
3e
31 In the acquisition and disposal of property real or personal, a bidding process shail
32 be necessary to conform to the requirements of public bidding as provided for in Republic
33 Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Goverment Procurement Reform Act and related
34 laws.
35
6 SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from the
37 approval of this Act, the DOH shall, in consultation with other stakeholders, promulgate the
38 rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
39
a SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of
axthis Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the concemed
42 departments and agencies. Thereafter, such amount shall be included in the annual
43 General Appropriations Act.
a
45 SEC. 11. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid or
46 unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and
47 effect.
“a


a SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and
2 other issuances or parts thereof, which are contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are
3 hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

4

5 SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
6 publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.
7

8 Approved.