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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
I 
S E N A T E  
, No. 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
“The State 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. 
LUISA 4 6 ~ 0 1 9 9  P.~JERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPDLIC ) 
’1j3 -I~;!J 30 
fi E 1~8 
OF THE PHILIPPWS 
) 
First Regular Session 
S E N  
S.B. No. 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITOESTBADA 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR A STUDY ANI) FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS 
REGARDING 
CASES 
OF 
HEPATITIS 
C 
AMONG 
FIREFIGHTERS, 
PARAMEDICS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND OTHER 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES 
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 ”Emergency 
Response Employees Disease Protection Act. ‘I 
SEC. 2. Study and Demonstration Projects Regarding Cases of Hepatitis C 
among certain emergency response employees. - 
(A) Study Regarding Prevalence Among Certain Emergency Response 
Employees - 
(1) In General - 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 
emergency response employees; and 
(b) the likely means through which such employees become infected 
with such disease in the course of pedorming their duties as such 
employees. 


. 
(2) Designated Emergency Response Employees - For purposes of this 
section, 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). 
(4) 
Demonstrations Projects Regarding Training and Treatment - The 
Secretary, 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. 
(c) Treating the employees for the disease. 
(5) Evaluation - 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. Azrfhorization of Appropriafions. - The appropriation of such sums as 
may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized. 


SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - 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. 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 this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SEC. 6. . Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifkeen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved 
GVLNELLO W disk2/hepatitisl