REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _ 8392

Introduced by REPS. ENRICO A. PINEDA, MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD.,
RICARDO “RJ” T. BELMONTE, SABINIANO S. CANAMA, RON P. SALO,
BENHUR B. LOPEZ, JR., TOMASITO S. VILLARIN, ANICETO BERTIZ,
TEODORO G. MONTORO, SALVADOR B. BELARO, JR., BENHUR B. LOPEZ, JR.,
VIRGILIO S. LACSON, MAKMOD D. MENDING, CARLOS ROMAN L. UYBARRETA,
ORESTES T. SALON and MANUEL LUIS T. LOPEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Of alll the illnesses, cancer would be among the top if not the topmost one surely
dreads to be diagnosed with. This is because cancer is considered as one of the leading causes
of death in the world and is the most dreaded of all diseases. Roughly 14 million are
diagnosed to have it yearly and around 8 million people die of the disease annually
worldwide, according to a 2012 World Health Organization (WHO) report.

For us Filipinos, cancer needs no definition. We do not care that it is a disease that is
caused by an abnormal growth of certain cells called tumors which becomes invasive and
spreads throughout the other organs in the body, disrupting their normal functions. To many,
cancer equates to death and all we want to know is that we and none of our loved ones have
it.

Cancer is considered a priority amongst the many dreaded diseases in the country.
Along with cardiovascular disease, diabetis milletus and chronic respiratory illnesses, it is
considered by the Department of Health (DOH) as an epidemic, needing special attention for
comprehensive research and study. In response to that, the government revisited its
Philippine Cancer Control Program of 1990 which led to the development of the National
Cancer Prevention and Control Action Plan 2015-2020 which underlines among others the
importance of cancer awareness and treatment management.

However, without a dedicated institute that would oversee, the continuity of the
national program on cancer will be subject to the priorities of the dispensation at the helm of
the agency in charge of national health. Not that the proponents believe that not much
emphasis is being given to cancer prevention and cure by the present and previous
administrations, it is seen that there is a a need for an agency which specific and primary
focus is the advocacy of cancer awareness and treatment. In this regard, this bill proposes the
creation of the Philippine Cancer Center which will be responsible for the overall
management of the advocacies of the government related with cancer research, prevention
and treatment.

Immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

ENRICO A. PINEDA MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD
1-PACMAN 1-PACMAN y


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RICARDO “RJ” T. BELMONTE SABINIANO S. CANAMA
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TOMASITO S. VILLARIN ANICETO BERTIZ
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SALVADOR B. BELARO, JR.
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ORESTES T. SALON a VIRGILIO S. LACSON 4
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CARLOS ROMAN L. UYBARRETA
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MANUEL LUIS T. LOPEZ
1st District, MANILA


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Third Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No. 2

Introduced by REPS. ENRICO A. PINEDA, MICHAEL ODYLON L. ROMERO, PhD.,
RICARDO “RJ” T. BELMONTE, SABINIANO S. CANAMA, RON P. SALO,
BENHUR B. LOPEZ, JR., TOMASITO S. VILLARIN, ANICETO BERTIZ,
TEODORO G. MONTORO, SALVADOR B. BELARO, JR., BENHUR B. LOPEZ, JR.,
VIRGILIO S. LACSON, MAKMOD D. MENDING, CARLOS ROMAN L. UYBARRETA,
ORESTES T. SALON and MANUEL LUIS T. LOPEZ

AN ACT CREATING THE PHILILPPINE 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 2016”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared as the policy of the State
to secure the well-being of the people by providing them with specialized health services
that targets the eradication of deadly diseases in the country. Towards this end and
recognizing the threat of cancer to Filipinos, a center that would specifically focus on the
study of the prevention and treatment of this disease shall be established.

SECTION 3. Philippine Cancer Center. - There is hereby created a trust, for the
benefit primarily of the Filipino people, under the name and style of “Philippine Cancer
Center”.

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. The
Director of the center shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees.

The six appointive members of the Boards of Trustees shall serve without
compensation for a period of four (4) years and until their successors have been
appointed. Any vacancy in the Board shail be filled by appointment by the President of
the Philippines, and the appointee shall serve for the unexpired term. The Board of
Trustees of the Philippine Cancer Center shall elect a Chairman from among themselves,
who shall be the presiding officer of the Board of Trustees.

‘The Director of the Philippine Cancer Center shalll serve as Vice- Chairman of the
Board. The Director shall act as the Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Cancer
Center, with authority, among others, to appoint, remove and fix the compensation of the
personnel thereof, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with
Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known as the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011”.


Four (4) Members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum to transact

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

SECTION 4. Purpose and Objectives - the Philippines Cancer Center shall have the

following purpose and objectives;

a.

b.

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

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;

. 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;

. To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and

information on the prevention, treatment and control of cancer, to arouse, enhance
and develop public interest on cancer awareness, general health and physical
fitness;

. 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;

To assist universities, hospital and research institutions in their studies of cellular
anomalies, to encourage advance training on matters of, or affecting the human
cell, related fields and to support educational programs of value to general health;

.. To encourage the formation of other organizations on the national provincial city,

municipal or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and activities
for the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic approach on the
common problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated; and

. To extend medical services to the general public, especially the poor and less

fortunate in life who are suffering from cancer.

SECTION 5. 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;

. To contract and be contracted with;

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

|. 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;

. 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;

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;

. 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, seminars as the
Board may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes and objectives of the
Philippine Cancer Center;


h. To adopta 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

i. To doall such other acts and things as are or may be necessary or incidental for
the accomplishment of the purpose and objectives of the Philippine Cancer Center.

SECTION 6. 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 (6) years, at a preferred
rate of interest.

SECTION 7. 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, alien or domestic, in order to carry out its purposes and objectives as set forth
herein.

SECTION 8. 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 9. 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 be further 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 subdivision or
instrumentality thereof for a period of ten (10) years.

SECTION 10. Appropriation. - An amount of FIVE HUNDRED MILLION PESOS
(P500,000,000.00) shall be allocated for the initial operation and maintenance of the
Philippine Cancer Center which shall be sourced from the Contingent Fund. Subsequent
subsidy for the years thereafter shall be included in the General Appropriations Act
under the Budgetary Support for Government Corporations.

SECTION 11. Audit. - The books and accounts of the Philippine Cancer Center
shall be subject to periodic auditing by the Commission on Audit.

SECTION 12. Annual Report. - The Philippine Cancer Center shall render to the
President of the Philippines an annual report of its activities and recommendations.

SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety days (90) after
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health and the Department of Budget and
Management shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper
implementation of this Act.

SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is subsequently
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in
full force and effect.


SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
or parts thereof inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
is publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official
Gazette.

Approved,