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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9452 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Blood is an indispensable bodily fluid, transporting vital components such as 
oxygen and essential minerals necessary for the proper functioning of the human 
body. It is often overlooked until emergencies, traumas, impending surgeries, or life-
threatening situations arise, and unfortunately, the shortage of blood is an ongoing 
issue faced by our country’s healthcare system. 
Currently, the Philippine National Red Cross stands as the primary provider of 
donated blood, operating 100 blood service facilities nationwide. The remaining 
blood supply is sourced from government hospitals, private healthcare facilities, non-
hospital-based establishments, and national reference laboratories such as the 
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the National Kidney and 
Transplant Institute (NKTI). 
The National Blood Services Act of 1994, also known as Republic Act No. 
7719, aimed to reinforce voluntary blood services across the nation in response to 
the emerging threats of blood-borne infections, including HIV and dengue fever. In 
tandem with this legislation, this bill aims to ensure that the adequate blood supply 
guaranteed by R.A. No. 7719 is complemented by a dedicated specialty hospital with 
research capabilities and laboratory centers for hematologic disorders. 
Thus, this bill strives to institute the Philippine Blood Center to provide 
comprehensive care for patients, offering state-of-the-art transfusion services and 
advanced management of blood-related conditions. The Philippine Blood Center will 
be attached to the Department of Health and will be managed by an appointed 
Executive Director. It is also entrusted with the task of developing and implementing 
a program to assist indigent patients afflicted with blood diseases or those in need of 
blood or blood products. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RON P. SALO   
KABAYAN Party List 
November 7, 2023
1:28 pm


 
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9452
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
THE 
PHILIPPINE 
BLOOD 
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: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Blood 
Center Act of 2023”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them by making health services available, accessible, and affordable for all. 
Towards this end, the State shall establish a specialty hospital providing 
comprehensive, affordable, equitable, effective, and efficient care for patients with 
blood diseases. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
be defined as follows: 
a) Blood – shall refer to the human blood for transfusion;
b) Blood Component – shall refer, but not limited to, whole blood, red cells,
granulocytes, plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate and cryosupernatant prepared
in the Blood Center;
c) Blood Disease – shall refer to a blood condition that involves problems with
the red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, blood vessels, bone marrow,
lymph nodes, spleen, or other proteins involved in bleeding and clotting
(hemostasis and thrombosis). Blood diseases and blood disorders are used
interchangeably in this Act;
d) Blood Product – shall refer to a therapeutic substance derived from whole
blood or plasma;
e) Blood Transfusion – shall refer to the process of transferring blood or blood-
based products from one person into the circulatory system of another;
f)
Hematology – shall refer to the branch of medicine that is concerned with the
study of blood, the blood-forming organs and blood diseases; and


 
 
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g) Voluntary Blood Donor – shall refer to a donor who gives blood freely and 
voluntarily without any form of payment. 
 
SEC. 4. Mandate. – There is hereby established a Philippine Blood Disease 
and Transfusion Center, hereinafter referred to as the Blood Center, a government 
corporate entity and specialty tertiary hospital that shall offer comprehensive care for 
patients with blood diseases, including blood transfusion services. The Blood Center 
shall also undertake teaching programs and research activities in furtherance of its 
mandate. It shall be attached to the Department of Health for coordination and policy 
direction. The existing unchartered Philippine Blood Center located adjacent to the 
Lung Center of the Philippines shall now be the Philippine Blood Disease and 
Transfusion Center created under this Act. 
 
SEC. 5. Purposes and Objectives. – The Blood Center shall have the 
following purposes and objectives: 
 
a. To construct, establish, operate and maintain a specialty hospital, with at 
least two hundred (200) bed capacity, which shall offer comprehensive 
care for patients with blood diseases; 
b. To be the country’s apex hospital on blood diseases;  
c. To establish and operate a blood transfusion center and a state-of-the-art 
hematology laboratory (which should be able to offer more services than a 
regular medical center), including a molecular laboratory for public welfare; 
d. To establish and operate a Hematopoietic Stem Cell transplant program 
and donor registry; 
e. To establish extension specialty hospitals in the various regions of the 
country; 
f. To collect blood from qualified voluntary blood donors, and process whole 
blood into blood components; 
g. To ensure the safety, as well as the adequate supply, of blood and blood 
products delivered to hospitals and other health facilities; 
h. To promote, encourage and engage in medical and scientific research on 
the prevention and treatment of blood diseases, and on the proper 
operation of blood bank technology and blood transfusion services to 
ensure the safety of both blood donors and donees; 
i. To gather, compile and publish the findings of its medical and scientific 
researches; 
j. To conduct studies and develop teaching programs, in collaboration with 
universities, hospitals and/or research institutions, on the prevention and 
treatment of blood diseases; encourage and grant scholarships for 
advanced training and specialization in hematology, and support 
educational programs of value to general public health; 
k. To finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions, 
conferences, seminars, workshops and training programs on the 
prevention and treatment of blood diseases; and  
l. To encourage and assist in the education and training of physicians, 
nurses, health officers, social workers and medical and technical 
personnel in the practical and scientific implementation of services to 
patients with blood diseases. 
 


 
 
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SEC. 6. Powers and Functions. – The Blood Center shall have the following 
powers and functions: 
 
a. To have the attribute of perpetual succession and shall be vested with the 
powers of a corporation; 
b. To adopt and use a corporate seal which shall be a matter of judicial 
notice; 
c. To enter into contracts with any person or entity, whether public or private, 
domestic or foreign; 
d. To own, possess, and/or acquire assets, real or personal, or any interest 
therein, and encumber or otherwise dispose the same, under any mode of 
encumbrance or conveyance, as it may deem proper and necessary in the 
conduct of its business; 
e. To collect reasonable fees from the public for its services; 
f. To solicit and 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 hospital; 
and 
g. To perform such acts and exercise such functions as may be necessary 
and proper for the attainment of the purposes and objectives herein 
specified. 
 
SEC. 7. Board of Trustees. – The affairs and business of the Blood Center 
shall be directed, its properties managed, and its corporate powers exercised, unless 
otherwise provided in this Charter, by its own Board of Trustees, which shall be 
composed of seven (7) members, as follows: 
 
a. The Secretary of the Department of Health as ex officio Chairman of the 
Board, or his duly authorized representative; 
b. The Department of Health Undersecretary in charge of supervising 
specialty hospitals; 
c. The Blood Center Executive Director  
d. One (1) representative from the private sector, preferably with experience 
in finance, administration or management. 
e. One (1) representative who is an expert in hematology; 
f. One (1) representative who is an expert in blood transfusion; and  
g. One (1) member representing the patients;  
 
The terms of office, manner of appointment of the trustees and other matters 
pertaining to the governance of the Blood Center shall be determined in accordance 
with the pertinent provisions of R.A. No. 10149, otherwise known as the “GOCC 
Governance Act of 2011”. 
 
SEC. 8. Powers and Functions of the Board. – The Board of Trustees, 
which shall be the policymaking body of the Blood Center, shall have the following 
powers and functions: 
 
a. Set the policies and direction of the Blood Center in order to accomplish its 
mandate; 


 
 
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b. Adopt a set of by-laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and procedures 
consistent with existing laws and the provisions hereof to govern the 
administration and operation of the Blood Center; 
c. Establish the organizational structure of the Blood Center, defines the 
duties and responsibilities of its officials and employees, and adopt a 
compensation and benefit scheme, subject to the pertinent provisions of 
RA 10149; 
d. Ensure greater access of the public to the services offered by the Blood 
Center;  
e. Ensure the reasonability of fees charged to paying patients for its services;  
f. Ensure that reimbursements from PhilHealth are used to improve the 
delivery of services to the public, and redound to the benefit of its 
personnel;  
g. Establish and maintain professional and technical education systems for 
the sustained development of the necessary manpower to manage and 
operate its affairs and business; 
h. Authorize the expenditures of the Blood Center as may be necessary or 
proper for its efficient and effective management, operation and 
administration; 
i. Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical or 
similar institutions, domestic or foreign, as it deems desirable toward 
promoting the purposes and objectives of the Blood Center; 
j. Appoint, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline the Executive Director 
and other officers of the Blood Center occupying executive and senior 
management positions; and 
k. Undertake such other acts as may be necessary for or incidental to the 
accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of the Blood Center. 
 
SEC. 9. Executive Director of the Blood Center. – The Blood Center shall 
be headed by an Executive Director, whose rank and emoluments shall be approved 
by the Board, taking into account the prevailing practice in other specialty hospitals, 
and subject to the pertinent guidelines issued by the Governance Commission for 
GOCCs (GCG). The Executive Director shall have the following duties and 
responsibilities: 
  
a. Direct and supervise the operations and administration of the Blood 
Center; 
b. Execute, administer and implement the policies and measures approved 
by the Board; 
c. Prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Board, and to submit for 
consideration of the Board such policies and measure as he/she believe(s) 
are necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act; 
d. Represent the Blood Center in all dealings, i.e. meetings, contracts, 
negotiations, etc., with all other offices, agencies and instrumentalities of 
the government and with all persons and other entities, domestic or 
foreign; 
e. Appoint, remove, suspend or discipline all other officers and employees of 
the Blood Center, the authority of which not having been vested with the 
Board; 


 
 
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f. Approve the participation of the personnel of the Blood Center to research 
institutes, medical institutes or universities for advance training or 
observation and to attend international or regional conventions, 
conferences, congresses or seminars; 
g. Engage the services of consultants and other necessary personnel, whose 
engagement or appointment are not vested with the Board; and 
h. To exercise such powers and perform such other duties provided in the 
by-laws and as vested to him by the Board. 
 
SEC. 10. Program for Indigents. – The Blood Center shall ensure that at 
least 40% of its total bed capacity is dedicated to providing medical care and 
services to indigent patients with blood diseases or needing blood or blood products, 
in accordance with the implementing guidelines on classification of patients and on 
Availment of the Medical Social Services in Government Hospitals.  
 
The Board shall have the authority to increase the percentage of bed capacity 
allocated to indigent patients based on evolving healthcare needs and socio-
economic conditions. 
 
The Department of Health shall ensure that this program for indigents is 
effectively implemented. 
 
Sec. 11. Income Retention.  – The Blood Center is hereby authorized to 
retain and utilize the income derived from its operation for the continuous 
improvement of its services and facilities, subject to auditing rules and regulations. 
No amount from such income, however, shall be used to augment the salaries and 
other compensation of the Blood Center personnel beyond the amounts determined 
by 
the 
Governance 
Commission 
for 
Government-Owned 
and 
Controlled 
Corporations (GCG), as provided for in R.A. No. 10149. 
 
SEC. 12. Tax Exemptions. – The Blood Center shall be exempted from the 
payment of taxes on all contribution thereto and all accruals on its income and 
investment earnings. 
 
Any donation, contribution, bequest, subsidy, or financial aid which may be 
made to it shall constitute allowable deduction from the income of the donor as 
provided in the National Internal Revenue Code. 
 
The Blood Center shall be exempt from all other taxes, whether direct or 
indirect, on its income, properties and operations. 
 
SEC. 13. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current budget of the 
Department of Health. 
 
For the succeeding years, the amount necessary for the efficient and effective 
operation of the Philippine Blood Center shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 


 
 
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SEC. 14. Annual Report. – The Blood Center shall submit an annual report 
to the DOH, the Office of the President, the Senate of the Philippines and the House 
of Representatives on its performance and accomplishments. 
 
SEC. 15. Transitory Provisions. – The existing Philippine Blood Center shall 
be given a period of three (3) months from the date of implementation of this law to 
wind down its activities. 
 
Pertinent pieces of equipment, supplies and existing facility will be transferred 
to the new Blood Center supported with appropriate inventory. 
 
All personnel of the Philippine Blood Center shall be transferred to the new 
Blood Center subject to their qualification and availment of plantilla positions under 
the new Blood Center approved Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern 
(OSSP). 
 
Those affected by this law shall be provided with the appropriate benefits 
provided under existing laws. 
 
The DOH shall appoint in transition the officers and staff of the new Blood 
Center while complying with the OSSP for continuity of health services to the public. 
 
SEC. 16. Implementing Guidelines. – The DOH shall draft the implementing 
guidelines in consultation with various relevant stakeholders within thirty days (30) 
from the approval of this Act. 
 
SEC. 17. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provision of this Act that may 
be declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying the other 
portions or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portion or provision can still 
subsist and be given effect in their entirety. 
 
SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and 
regulations or other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 19. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or any two (2) newspapers of general circulation in 
the Philippines. 
 
Approved.