FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SEN~TfI 
S.No. 11}72 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15, provides that: 
Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instil health consciousness among them. 
Umbilical cord blood is human blood from the placenta and umbilical cord, collected 
after the cord has been detached from the newborn 1;Jaby. Cord blood is utilized as a source of 
stern cells for transplantation, being rich in hematopoietic stern cells. Hematopoietic stern cells 
(HSCs) are stern cells that give rise to all the blood cell types including myeloid (monocytes and 
macrophages, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, erythrocytes, megakaryocytes/platelets, 
dendritic cells), and lymphoid lineages (T-cells, Bcells, NK-cells).2 Cord blood has more stern 
cells which can adjust themselves easily when injected into any organ, heart, spleen, nerves or 
any other body part. Stem cell is a new technology that uses human embryo cells to treat 
diseases. The embryo cells are called "stem cells" because they can be stimulated to develop into 
any type of tissue or system. Stern cells are nascent cells that can develop into replacement cells 
that researchers believe could help treat damaged organs and illnesses. 
Most cells can make copies of themselves, but only of the same type. In this respect, stern 
cells axe special. Unlike other cells, they don't have one specific job. They are like a "blank" 
cell. They don't die and can split to form several different types of cells: It is for this reason that 
umbilical cord blood is collected. The blood is rich hematopoietic stern cells. They can produce 
red blood cells, white blood cells and blood clotting cells. These stern cells can be saved and 
transplanted into other people to treat deadly diseases. Stern cells from umbilical cord blood can 
be used to treat a wide variety of blood, bone, genetic, and immune system diseases in children, 
including: Lymphoma, Leukemia, Adrenoleukodystrophy (a degenerative brain disease), 
Krabbe's Disease (genetic brain disease), Sickle Cell Anemia, and Osteopetrosis among others. 
Recently, there has been a lot of public debate on the collection of other types of stern 
cells. These cells corne from aborted fetuses or human embryos grown in a lab called embryonic 
stern cells. This debate does not include stern cells taken from umbilical cord blood which are 
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Adult or Non-Embryonic Stem Cells. There is absolutely no health risk associated with 
collection, and the process does not interfere with childbirth in any way. Usually, collection 
takes less than ten minutes. Most healthy women, 18 years of age or older, who undergo a 
complication-free pregnancy can donate their child's umbilical cord blood. Exceptions to 
donation of umbilical cord blood include: parents who have a family history of blood, immune 
system or genetic disorders; women who were prescribed certain medications during pregnancy; 
and parents who have tested positive for sexually transmitted infection. 
The umbilical cord blood that is not donated is merely thrown out as medical waste. 
Thus, it would be prudent to tell the patient that there is another use for the umbilical cord blood. 
This bill aims to give parents the option of donating their child's umbilical cord blood for the 
reasons previously stated. It also aims to establish storage facilities in all hospitals for storing 
umbilical cord blood. * 
• This bill was originally filed in the 14tl• Congress. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~T~ 
S.No. 1'172 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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REQUIRING HEALTH WORKERS TO ADVICE PREGNANT WOMEN OF THEIR 
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OPTION TO DONATE UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD AND ESTABLISHING CORD 
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BLOOD STORAGE FACILITIES IN ALL HOSPITALS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Umbilical Cord Blood 
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Collection Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Principle. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
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them. For this reason, the state aims to develop new technologies to provide cure for existing 
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diseases. 
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SECTION 3. Requirement to Advice of Option to Donate Umbilical Cord Blood. - All 
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health care practitioners, who provide health care services to a pregnant woman, during the last 
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trimester of her pregnancy, which services are directly related to the pregnancy, shall advise her 
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that she has an option to donate umbilical cord blood, following the birth of her child. 
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SECTION 4. Definition of Umbilical Cord Blood. - For purposes of this Act "umbilical 
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cord blood" means the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of a 
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child. 
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SECTION 5. Exceptions. -Nothing in this section shall impose an obligation to advise a 
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pregnant woman of her option to donate umbilical cord blood upon a health care practitioner if 
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the giving of such information would be contrary to the health care practitioner's bona fide 
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religious beliefs. 
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SECTION 6. Establishment of Cord Blood Storage Facilities. - One (1) year after the 
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effectivity of this act, al1 hospitals should have a facility where cord blood can be stored. 
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However, if existing hospital blood storage facilities are capable of storing cord blood, the 
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hospital involved is deemed to have complied with the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission Department of 
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Health shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act within sixty (60) 
, 
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days fol1owing its effectivity. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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