EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution, Article 2, Section  15 provides:
".I.h.e S|ete shall_ protect and promote the right to health of the people
and instill health consciousness among them."
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne pathogen that is a major cause of chronic liver disease,
which according to the American Liver Foundation,  is common among emergency response
employees and volunteers due to the unique nature of their jobs.
Since there is no known cure for hepatitis C, the government should expend efforts to
prevent emergency response employees from getting infected with the disease.
Hence, this bill seeks to provide for a study to determine the prevalence of hepatitis
C  among  firefighters,  paramedics,  emergency  medical  technicians  and  other  emergency
response employees and  undertake demonstration  projects to provide training, testing,  and
treatment regarding cases of the disease among such employees and volunteers.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS                  )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                            )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Rufus a. Rodriguez
House Bill No.  53 4 9
AN ACT
TO  PROVIDE  FOR  A  STUDY  AND  FOR  DEMONSTRATION  PROJECTS  REGARDING
CASES   OF   HEPATITIS   C   AMONG   FIREFIGHTERS,   PARAMEDICS,   EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES
Be it ep?ct.ed  by the Senate and  House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION   1.  Shah  I/.I/e.  -  This  Act  shall  be  known  as  the  "Emergency  Response
Employees Disease Protection Act."
SEC. ?.  Study and  Demonstration  Projects Regarding  Cases of   Hepatitis C among
certain emergency response employees. -
(A) Study Regarding Prevalence Among Certain Emergency Response Employees -
(1 ) /n Genera/ -The Secretary of Health (referred to in this Act as the "Secretary"), in
consultation   with   the   Secretary   of   Labor  and   Employment,   shall   conduct   a   study   to
determine -
(a)                an  estimate  of the  prevalence  of  hepatitis  c  among  designated
(b)
emergency response employees; and
the  likely means through which such employees  become  infected
with such disease in the course of performing their duties as such
employees.
(2). .Designated Emergency Response Employees - For purposes Of lhiis sectiion,
the term "designated emergency response employees" means firefighters,  paramedics, and
emergency medical technicians.
(3)   Submission. Of  Completion   Report  to  Congress  -The  Secretary  shall
commence the study under paragraph (1 ) not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the
enactment  of  this  Act.  Not  later  that  one  (1)  year  after  such  date,  the  Secretary  shall
complete the study and submit to the Congress a report describing the findings of the study
and   the   recommendations   of  the   Secretary   for   administrative   or   legislative   initiatives
regarding the activities described in paragraph (1 ).
(+) Pemo.pstrati_on Projects_ Rpgarding Training and Treatment -The Seorctany,
in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall carry out each of the following activities:
a)   Training  designated  emergency  response  employees  in  minimizing  the  risk  of
infection with hepatitis C in performing their duties as such employees.
b)   Testing such employees for infection with the disease.


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c)   Treating the employees for the disease.
(5) Eva/uafi.on - The Secretary shall provide for an evaluation of each demonstration
project under paragraph (1)  in order to determine the extent to which the  project has  been
effective in carrying out the activities described in such paragraph.
SEC  3.  Authorl.zati.on  of Approp".afi'ons.  - The  appropriation  of such  sums  as  may  be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized.
SEC   4.   Separab/-/i.fy   C/ause.   -   If   any   provision   or   part   hereof,   is   held   invalid   or
unconstitutional,  the  remainder  of  the  law  or  the  provision  not  otherwise  affected  shall
remain valid and subsisting.
SEC 5. Repea//.ng C/ause, -Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of  instruction,  administrative  order,  rule  or  regulation  contrary  to  or  inconsistent  with  the
provisions this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
SEC 6.   Effect/-vi-fy C/ause.  -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,