Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

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RECEIVED

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. 8429

Introduced by Representative John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto

EXPLANATORY NOTE:

As a manifestation of support to this timely piece of legislation, this representation
respectfully refiles this measure, which has constantly been receiving support from the
past and present Congress.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to
the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 14 million new cases
and 8.2 million cancer related deaths. 60% of the world’s total new annual cases occur
in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. The following regions also account for
70% of the world’s cancer related deaths.

Cancer still remains as a national health priority in the country for it has significant
implications for individuals, families, communities, and the overall health system. In
this country, it ranked as the third leading cause of death and among Filipinos. The 6
most common sites of cancers according to the research done by Globocan, are:
breast, cervix, lung, colon/rectum, ovary, and liver. Moreover, 189 of every 100,000
Filipinos are afflicted with cancer and an estimated number of four Filipinos die of
cancer every hour.

This measure seeks to create a Philippine Cancer Center that will be specializing in
cancer treatments including the following: Chemotherapy, Radiation and Cobalt
Therapy. The Philippine Cancer Center shall also develop and implement programs that
would address the prevention and early detection of cancer to lower the risks of
developing cancer in the country. The aforementioned center shall also serve as the
center for research and training institution in regard to cancer prevention, detection,
and treatment.

In view of the foregoing reasons, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly
sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session
8429
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE CANCER CENTER, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Cancer Center Act
of 2018".

Section 2. Declaration of Policies. - It is hereby declared as the policy of the State
to secure the well-being of its people by providing them with specialized health
services and address the increasing incidences of deadly diseases like cancer in the
country. Towards this end, the State shall establish a specialized public hospital for the
prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.

Section 3. Philippine Cancer Center. - There is hereby created and established,
under the supervision of the Department of Health (DOH), a specialized center for the
benefit primarily of the Filipino people under the name and style of "Philippine Cancer
Center”.

Section 4. Board of Trustees. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall be administered
by a Board of Trustees composed of seven (7) members to be appointed by the
President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Health.
The six appointive members of the Board of Trustees shall serve for a period of four (4)
years until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified.

The Board of Trustees, as provided for in the preceding section, shall have the
following powers and functions:

(a) To elect a Chairman from among them who shall be the presiding officer of
the Board of Trustees;

(b) To appoint a Director of the Cancer Center who shall serve as Vice-Chairman
of the Board;


(c) To formulate policies and adopt measures which are necessary to carry out
the provisions of this Act;

(d) To prescribe, amend, and repeal its by-laws, rules, and regulations
governing the manner in which the general business of the Philippine Cancer
Center may be conducted and its power exercised; and

(e) To perform such other functions as maybe necessary to achieve the
objectives of this Act.

Four (4) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to transact
business and any decision made by all the members on any matter duly
presented to the Board of Trustees shall constitute a valid and binding act of the
Philippine Cancer Center.

Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled by appointment by the President of the
Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Health and the
appointee shall serve for the unexpired term.

Section 5. Director of the Cancer Center. - The Director of the Center shalll act as
the chief executive officer of the Philippine Cancer Center with the following powers
and functions:

(a) To appoint, remove, and the compensation of the personnel thereof subject
to the approval of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with existing relevant
laws;

(b) To prepare the agenda for the meeting of the Board and to submit policies
and other important measures for the consideration of the Board;

(c) To execute and administer the policies and measures approved by the Board;
and

(4) To direct and supervise the internal operations and administration of the
Philippine Cancer Center.

Section 6. Purposes and Objectives. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall have the
following purpose and objectives:

(a) To construct, establish, operate, and maintain a cancer center for the public
welfare including a specialized cancer hospital;

(b) To promote, encourage, and engage in scientific research on the prevention
of cancer and the care and/or treatment of cancer patients and related activities,
including sponsorship and conduct of relevant congresses, conventions,
seminars, and conferences,

(c) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological,
demographic, social, economic, physiological aspects of cancer, its abnormalities


and control; and gather, compile, and publish the findings of such researches for
public dissemination;

(d) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and
information on the prevention, treatment, and control of cancer; to raise,
enhance, and develop public interest on cancer awareness, general health, and
physical fitness;

(e) To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical
technicians, health officers, and social workers on the practical and scientific
conduct and implementation of cancer healthcare services and related activities;

(f) To assist universities, hospitals, and research institutions in their studies of
cellular anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of or affecting the
human cell and related field, and to support educational programs of value to
general health;

(g) To encourage the formation of other organization on the national, provincial,
city, municipal, or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and
activities foi the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic approach
on the common problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated; and

(h) To extend medical services to the general public especially the poor and less
fortunate in life who are suffering from cancer.

Section 7. Powers of the Philippine Cancer Center. - The Philippine Cancer Center,
as a corporate body acting through its Board of Trustees, shall have the following
powers

(a) To acquire and hold in any property of whatever nature or description and to
dispose of such property under any mode of encumbrance or conveyance;

(b) To contract and be contracted with;

(c) To mortgage, lease, sell, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of its
properties;

(d) To solicit and receive donations, endowments, and funds in the form of
contributions, whether in cash or in kind, from both the public and private
sectors;

(e) To open such accounts in banks and other financial institutions, and to
disburse such funds or invest the same as the Board may direct to accomplish or
advance the purposes or interest of the Philippine Cancer Center;

(f) To invite foreign cancer specialists and similar experts in the various medical
fields to train the personnel or trainees or residents of the Philippine Cancer
Center;


(g) To send the personnel of the Philippine Cancer Center to research institutes,
medical institutes, or universities for advance training or observation and to
attend international or regional conventions, conferences, congresses, and
seminars as the Board may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and
objectives of the Philippine Cancer Center;

(h) To develop or support patient care programs and other programs that would
provide pain relief and psycho-social support for the terminally-ill cancer patient
and his/her family;

(i) To adopt a set of by-laws, rules, and regulations not inconsistent with law
and the provisions hereof to govern the administration and operation of the
affairs of the Philippine Cancer Center; and

(j) To do all such other acts and things as are may be necessary or incidental for
the accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of the Philippine Cancer
Center.

Section 8. Research Programs. - The Philippine Cancer Center in coordination with
the Department of Health shall, directly or through grants to public or non-private
entities, carry out the following:

(a) Research with priority to research concerning
(i) Diagnosis and treatment of cancer;
(ii) Strains of cancer/s resistant to drugs;
(ili) Cases of cancer that affect certain populations, and
(iv) Clinical trials.
(b) Public information and education programs;

(c) Education, training, and clinical skills improvement activities for health
professionals;

(d) Support of model centers to carry out activities under Section 6 paragraphs
(a) to (c);

(e) Collaboration with international organizations and foreign countries in
carrying out such activities; and

(f) Enhancement of basic and clinical research on cancer and its relation to other
diseases.

Section 9. Education Programs. - The Philippine Cancer Center in coordination with
the Department of Health and the Commission on Higher Education, shall encourage
faculties of schools of medicine, nursing, osteopathic medicine and other related filed
to intensify their program for information and education programs, including the


development of their curricula, to significantly increase the opportunities for students
and for practicing providers to learn the principles and practices of preventing,
managing, and treatment of cancer.

Section 10. Government Contribution. - The Government shall constitute the
necessary land, building, equipment, and facilities to the Philippine Cancer Center, and
shall pay such obligations for real, personal, and mixed properties arising from such
undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within five (5) years at a preferred
rate of interest.

Section 11. Property of the Center. - The Property of the Philippine Cancer Center
shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of property, now owned or
reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired, transferred, or conveyed
to the Philippine Cancer Center by the Philippine Government, its branches and
instrumentalities, any foreign government, as well as by trust, foundations,
corporations, or persons, aliens, or domestic, in order to carry out its purposes and
objectives as set forth herein.

Section 12. Assistance from other Government Offices. - The Philippine Cancer
Center may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the
Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations for such
assistance as it may need in the pursuit of its purposes and objectives.

Section 13. Tax Exemptions. - All donations, contributions, or endowments which
may be made by entities or persons to the Philippine Cancer Center shall be exempt
from income and donor's taxes, and the same shall further be deductible in full for
purposes of computing the maximum amount deductible under Section 101 of the
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

The Philippine Cancer Center shall also be exempt from the payment of all taxes,
charges, and fees imposed by the Government or any political subdi
instrumentality thereof for a period of ten (10) years.

Section 14. Appropriation. - The amount of three hundred million
(P300,000,000.00) for the structure, equipment, initial operation, and maintenance of
the Philippine Cancer Center shall be sourced from the appropriations for the
Department of Health. Subsequent subsidy for the years thereafter shall be included in
the General Appropriations Act under the Budgetary Support for Government
Corporations.

Section 15. Audit. - The books and accounts of the Philippine Cancer Center shall be
subject to periodic auditing by the duly authorized representative of the Commission on
Audit.

Section 16. Annual Report. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall render to the
Department of Health and the President of the Philippines an annual report of its
activities, accomplishments. and recommendations.


Section 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health and the Department of Budge and
Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper
implementation of this Act.

Section 18. Effect of Dissolution of the Cancer Center. - If for any reason, the
Philippine Cancer Center is dissolved, its assets, and properties remaining at the time
of dissolution shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in accordance
with law.

Section 19. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation, contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly.

Section 20. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain
in full force and effect.

Section 21. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,