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22 May 2014
Dy

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS..
First Regular Session

4463

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MARIANO MICHAEL M. VELARDE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Constitution provides that “the State shall protect and promote the right
to health of the people, and instill health consciousness among them.

According to the Department of Health, thyroid cancer is the 6th leading cancer in the
Philippines as of 2010 and almost 95% of thyroid cancer in the Philippines are well
differentiated carcinoma, and are highly curable by appropriate surgery alone. However,
radioactive iodine is the main,mode of treatment for persistent or metastatic lesions.

Patients affected by this type of cancer if not given the needed treatment like surgery
and radioactive iodine live with constant fear of death like found with other cancer
patients.

For the purposes of public education and awareness campaign, and to effect the
purpose of this Act, a national information campaign including, but not limited to, local
health agencies and olinics, physicians, health care facilities, pharmacies, libraries,
senior citizen centers, and other community-based outreach programs and
organizations to instill awareness among the public about thyroid cancer disease, to
generate full support for the special needs of thyroid cancer survivors affected by this
disease from both public and private sectors.

Due to the foregoing reasons, there is an urgent need to pass this bill to coincide with
the International Celebration of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month on September 2014.

LARDE, JR.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS |
First Regular Session

4463

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MARIANO MICHAEL M. VELARDE, JR.

“AN ACT DECLARING THE 4™ WEEK OF SEPTEMBER OF EVERY YEAR
AS THE “NATIONAL THYROID CANCER AWARENESS WEEK”

WHEREAS, the Philippine Constitution, provides that "the State shall protect and
promote the right to health of the people, and instill health consciousness among them

WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health, thyroid cancer is the 6th
leading cancer in the Philippines as of 2010. The incidence is three times more in
females than that in males. Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer of women at 15-
24 years of age.

WHEREAS, the warning signals are a hard mass or nodules in the anterior neck;
rapid enlargement of a long-standing goiter in older patients; cervical lymph node
enlargement; hoarseness, difficulty of swallowing; and difficulty of breathing associated
with goiter.

WHEREAS, early detection includes fine needle aspiration biopsy of solitary
nodules, or of unusually prominent, hard or rapidly growing nodules in multinodular
goiter.


WHEREAS, almost 95% of thyroid cancer in the Philippines are well
differentiated carcinoma, and,are highly curable by appropriate surgery alone. However,
radioactive iodine is the main mode of treatment for persistent or metastatic lesions.

WHEREAS, patients affected by this type of cancer if not given the needed
treatment like surgery and radioactive iodine live with constant fear of death like found
with other cancer patients.

WHEREAS, for the purposes of public education and awareness campaign, and
to effect the purpose of this Act, a national information campaign including, but not
limited to, local health agencies and clinics, physicians, health care facilities,
pharmacies, libraries, senior citizen centers, and other community-based outreach
programs and organizations to instill awareness among the public about thyroid cancer
disease, to generate full support for the special needs of thyroid cancer survivors
affected by this disease from both public and private sectors

WHEREAS, The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Thyroid Council
(PTC) will serve as the focal agencies for the purposes of commemorating this event to
the health sector and the public.

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to pass this Act to coincide with the
International Celebration of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month on September 2014.

WHEREAS, this Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.