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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The spread of COVID-19 put to test the capability and preparedness of the 
Department of Health (DOH) to respond to a public health emergency of the 
magnitude of a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted institutional 
weaknesses in our healthcare system (e.g. disease surveillance, contact tracing 
capabilities, etc.) which need to be strengthened. 
At present, the responsibility for disease prevention and control is lodged with 
the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) of the DOH. While the DOH 
undoubtedly employed everything within its means to control the spread of the virus, 
the need to establish a separate institution attached to the DOH – especially with 
respect to handling surveillance in support of disease prevention and control, 
complemented with exemplary expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories 
and appropriate resources – is clearly the way forward in building the capacity and 
level of readiness of the government to respond to any public health emergency that 
could be chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear in nature. 
This bill, therefore, seeks to provide a framework for the control, prevention and 
appropriate scientific management of diseases and epidemics through the auspices 
of a Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). The CDC is an 
institution which is tasked to study, using available scientific data, the pathogenesis, 
management, and prevention of diseases, both infectious and non-infectious, as well 
as the timely and systematic approach to the management of outbreaks and 
epidemics, with the end in view of having a proactive approach in the management 
of public health systems and deviate from the reactive and defensive strategies that 
we are currently using to combat a pandemic. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RON P. SALO   
   KABAYAN Party List 
July 28, 2022
3:46 pm
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   Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
FOR 
THE 
MODERNIZATION 
OF 
THE 
PUBLIC 
HEALTH 
EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS 
AND 
RESPONSE 
CAPABILITIES, 
ESTABLISHING 
FOR 
THIS 
PURPOSE 
THE 
CENTER 
FOR 
DISEASE 
PREVENTION AND CONTROL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Center 
for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them. The State also mandates the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health development. 
Towards this end, the State shall give high priority to the allocation of material 
and institutional resources to protect public health by ensuring that the Philippine 
health system is well-prepared to forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, 
injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
(a) Communicable disease, also known as contagious disease, refers to an
illness resulting from an infection, or a disease, which can be transmitted from an 
infected host individual or group to a particular individual or group. It spreads through 
direct, bodily contact with an infected person, their discharges, or an object or 
surface they have contaminated; 
(b) Disease refers to an illness due to a specific toxic substance, occupational
exposure or infectious agent, which affects a susceptible individual, either directly or 
indirectly, from an infected animal or person, or indirectly through an intermediate 
host, vector, or the environment; 
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(c) Disease surveillance refers to a systematic collection, analysis, 
interpretation, and dissemination of outcome and specific data for use in the 
planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. A disease 
surveillance system includes the functional capacity for data analysis as well as the 
timely dissemination of these data to persons who can undertake effective disease 
prevention and control activities; 
 
(d) Epidemic or outbreak refers to an occurrence of more cases of disease 
than normally expected within a specific place or group of people over a given period 
of time; 
 
(e) Infectious disease refers to a clinically manifested disease of humans or 
animals resulting from an infection which can be communicable or non-
communicable; 
 
(f) Public health emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an 
illness or health condition that: 
 
(1) Is caused by any of the following: 
 
(i) Bio terrorism; 
(ii) Appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated 
infectious agent or biological toxin; 
(iii) A natural disaster; 
(iv) A chemical attack or accidental release; 
(v) A nuclear attack or accident; or 
(vi) An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and, 
 
(2) Poses a high probability of any of the following: 
(i) A large number of deaths in the affected population; 
(ii) A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the 
affected population; 
(iii) Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people in 
the affected population; 
(iv) International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk to the health of citizens of other countries; or 
(v) Trade and travel restrictions; 
 
(g) Quarantine refers to the physical separation and confinement of an 
individual or groups of individuals, who are or may have been exposed to a 
contagious or possibly contagious disease and who do not show signs or symptoms 
of a contagious disease, from non-quarantined individuals, to prevent or limit the 
transmission of the disease. 
 
SEC. 4. Creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and 
Control. – The Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) is 
hereby created as an attached agency to the Department of Health (DOH) for policy 
and program coordination. 
 


 
 
 
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SEC. 5. Powers, Functions, and Duties. – The CDC shall be the technical 
authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control. To carry out the 
provisions of this Act, the CDC shall have the following powers, functions, and 
duties: 
 
(a) Policy and Standards Development: 
 
(1) Provide technical guidance to the development of policies, 
programs, standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation 
systems on the forecasting, prevention, monitoring, and control of 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international 
concern; 
 
(2) Set the standards and the process for the establishment of 
Epidemiology and Surveillance Units or its corresponding 
surveillance reporting units, pursuant to law; 
 
(3) Provide quality assurance programs to ensure the quality of testing 
for laboratories; 
 
(4) Conduct researches for development in support of the CDC 
mandate to forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, 
injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern; 
 
(5) Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the 
declaration of a state of public health emergency, in case of an 
epidemic of national or international concern; and, 
 
(6) Set the parameters for the declaration of the existence as well as 
the end of an epidemic. 
 
(b) Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: 
 
(1) Develop, implement, and maintain training programs on specialized 
fields such as field epidemiology, health emergency of biological 
concern, laboratory services, infectious and tropical diseases, and 
non-communicable diseases; 
 
(2) Assess and support the capabilities of health facilities and local 
government units (LGUs) on forecasting, preventing, monitoring, 
and controlling diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national 
and international concern; and, 
 
(3) Provide technical assistance and expert services to DOH offices 
and collaborating and implementing agencies or offices on matters 
pertaining to forecasting, preventing, monitoring, and controlling 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international 
concern. 
 
(c) Sectoral and Local Engagements: 


 
 
 
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(1) Promote coordination and collaboration with partner agencies and 
organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate; 
 
(2) Coordinate, collaborate, and disseminate relevant scientific and 
technical information in a timely manner with partner agencies and 
international and local organizations on matters pertaining to CDC 
mandate; and, 
 
(3) Disseminate relevant scientific and technical information in a 
timely manner with partner agencies, and international and local 
organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate. 
 
(d) Surveillance: 
 
(1) Develop, implement, and maintain an integrated surveillance 
system of diseases, injuries, and disabilities; 
 
(2) Provide technical guidance on the development, implementation 
and maintenance, and monitoring of health system capacity such 
as operational capacities of health facilities, and performance 
management of the response systems, in terms of contact tracing, 
quarantine, isolation, and other significant population-based health 
services; 
 
(3) Investigate and respond through surveillance and disease 
notification, investigation, and conduct of field studies and research 
to outbreaks, epidemics, and other public health threats as the 
need arises; 
 
(4) Develop and maintain a network of public health laboratories m 
support of epidemiology and surveillance activities; 
 
(5) Facilitate the issuance of appropriate warnings to the regional CDC 
and health facilities in anticipation of impending public health 
threats and infectious disease outbreak; 
 
(6) Utilize various information and communication technologies (ICT) 
in management of data and dissemination of early warning and 
other appropriate information to stakeholders and the public; and, 
 
(7) Develop communication methods for wider and more effective and 
unified delivery of critical public health information with national or 
international importance. 
 
(e) Provide technical guidance on the procurement of vaccines, drugs, and 
diagnostics; 
 
(f) Provide technical guidance on the monitoring and evaluation framework for 
disease prevention and control; 


 
 
 
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(g) Certify to the existence of an epidemic which shall be treated as a public 
health emergency; and, 
 
(h) Perform such other functions as may be mandated by law, or as may be 
duly delegated by relevant authorities. 
 
SEC. 6. Director General. – The CDC shall be headed by a Director General 
with a rank of Undersecretary, who shall be assisted by two (2) Deputy Directors 
General with a rank of Assistant Secretary. The Director General and the Deputy 
Directors General shall be appointed by the President from a list of at least three (3) 
nominees for each position to be submitted by the DOH Secretary. The Director 
General and Deputy Directors General shall have at least ten (10) years of relevant 
experience and proven expertise in the fields of public health and epidemiology. 
 
The Director General shall have the following powers and functions: 
 
(a) Manage and direct the activities and functions of the CDC; 
 
(b) Advise the DOH Secretary on policy matters concerning the Center's 
activities; 
 
(c) Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the 
exercise of special powers in case of an epidemic, including the 
declaration of a public health emergency; 
 
(d) Act as the national International Health Regulations Focal Point, 
subject to consultation with DOH; and, 
 
(e) Perform other functions and powers that may be assigned by the DOH 
Secretary. 
 
SEC. 7. Transfer of DOH Units and Functions. - The following DOH units 
and their concerned divisions and functions are hereby transferred to the CDC: 
 
(a) Epidemiology Bureau; 
 
(b) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; 
 
(c) Sexually Transmitted Disease – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 
Cooperative Central Laboratory; 
 
(d) Select functions of the International Health Surveillance Division of the 
Bureau of Quarantine as follows: 
 
(1) Passive international health surveillance; and, 
 
(2) Development of communication methods for wider and more effective 
delivery of critical public health information with international 
importance; and, 


 
 
 
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(e) Technical and standard setting functions of the Disease Prevention and 
Control Bureau including that of the Mental Health Division, Cancer 
Division and Oral Health Division. 
 
All powers, functions, assets, capital, records, funds, receivables, equipment, 
and facilities of the transferred DOH units or its division or function enumerated 
herein shall be transferred to the CDC. The Department of Heath shall conduct an 
audit and inventory of assets, liabilities, and human resources of the transferred 
agencies to CDC without need of conveyance or transfer of assignments. 
 
SEC. 8. Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. – There 
shall be established Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (RCDCs) 
in all regions of the country. Each Regional CDC shall be headed by a Regional 
Director, who shall be under the supervision of the CDC Director General. 
 
The functions of RCDCs include: 
 
(a) Prevention, control, and surveillance of diseases; 
 
(b) Provision of laboratory services for detection and identification of 
infectious disease agents from human, environmental samples, and 
food; 
 
(c) Maintenance of an integrated data management system; 
 
(d) Implementation of quality assurance programs for clinical and 
environmental 
laboratories 
through 
training, 
consultation, 
certification and proficiency testing; 
 
(e) Policy development; 
 
(f) Emergency response; 
 
(g) Public health-related research; 
 
(h) Training and education; 
 
(i) Maintenance of infectious disease hospitals for referral and 
management of cases; 
 
(j) Establishment of strong communication networks; and, 
 
(k) Other functions that may be assigned by the Director General. 
 
The RCDCs shall be composed of specialists in the fields of infectious 
diseases, public health, epidemiology, and similar fields. 
 
SEC. 9. Structure and Staffing Pattern. – 
 


 
 
 
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(a) The CDC shall initially have the following offices, each to be headed by an 
officer with the salary and rank of Director IV: 
 
(1) Center for Epidemic Intelligence and Disease Surveillance; 
 
(2) Center for Research, Training, and Reference Laboratory; 
 
(3) Center 
for 
Infectious 
Disease 
Emergency 
Preparedness 
and 
Response; 
 
(4) Center for Policy and Program Development; 
 
(5) Communications Office; and 
 
(6) Administrative and Finance Office. 
 
 
(b) The CDC Director General, subject to the issuance of an executive order 
by the President and approval of the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM), may create or abolish units, offices, or centers as needed to carry out all 
provisions of this Act. 
 
(c) The CDC Director General, in consultation with the DOH and the DBM, 
shall: 
 
(1) Develop the organizational structure of the CDC at the national, 
regional, and local levels; 
 
(2) Determine the divisions and specific functions of each unit, center, or 
office of the CDC; and 
 
(3) Determine the staffing pattern, qualification standards, compensation, 
and position classification plan for the CDC subject to the approval of 
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the DBM. 
 
 
SEC. 10. Qualifications Standards for Appointment and Promotion. - The 
DOH shall, in consultation with the CSC, and pertinent agencies as may be 
necessary, develop the qualification standards in terms of education, training and 
experience for all technical and non-technical positions in the CDC, and the system 
for promotion and succession plan in the CDC. 
 
 
SEC. 11. Continuing Competency Development Program. - The CDC shall, 
through the Director General, devise and implement a continuing competency 
development program whereby all core personnel shall be required to update and 
enrich competencies through attendance in programs, studies, researches, 
fellowships, workshops, seminars, including training opportunities in reputable 
foreign CDCs. Compliance with the Continuing Competency Development Program 
shall be the mandatory basis for promotion within the CDC. The CDC shall develop 
mechanisms to tap funding opportunities to implement its Continuing Competency 
Development Program. 
 


 
 
 
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SEC. 12. Modernization Program. - The Director General shall, in consultation 
with the DOH and other concerned agencies of government and the private sector, 
develop a modernization program that will strengthen the human health resource of 
the CDC, which is the key component of the country's disease prevention and control 
policy. The modernization program shall include the acquisition and upgrading of 
appropriate technologies, laboratories, facilities, equipment, other needed resources, 
and the needed relocation and acquisition of additional land or location that would 
house the CDC. 
 
 
Within one hundred eighty (180) days after the effectivity of this Act, the 
Director General shall, upon the recommendation of the DOH and DBM Secretaries, 
submit the modernization program for the consideration and approval of Congress in 
a joint resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate. 
 
 
The modernization program shall be implemented over a period of five (5) 
years. 
 
 
Appropriations for the modernization program shall be provided in the annual 
General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
 
SEC. 13. Strengthened Epidemiology, Public Health Surveillance, and 
Research Capacities. - To ensure that epidemiology and public health surveillance 
services are efficient and responsive, and public health surveillance and research 
capacities are strengthened and updated to international standards, the CDC shall: 
 
(a) Prioritize investments in upgrading of ICT and adequate and capacitated 
human resources for epidemiology, public health surveillance, and public 
health and clinical research; 
 
(b) Have a premier facility for clinical laboratory, epidemiologic and 
implementation research, and training on infectious and tropical diseases; 
 
(c) Develop performance-based incentives to private health facilities with 
established epidemiology and surveillance functions; 
 
(d) Re-nationalize local epidemiology and surveillance units (LESUs) that will 
solely provide epidemiology and disease surveillance services and provide 
assistance to the LGUs in the establishment and maintenance of 
surveillance systems, data management, and generation of strategic 
epidemiologic information: Provided, That the DOH, CDC, and DBM, shall 
develop the staffing pattern and qualification standards: Provided, further, 
That LESUs shall be under the direct supervision and control of the 
Regional CDCs; 
 
(e) Retain and provide incentives to technical experts, practitioners and 
scientists, whereby the scientific career system is adopted, allowing them to 
continue their respective clinical and professional practice to pursue 
research studies and receive grants and honoraria, in consultation with the 
CSC. Qualified employees of the CDC and its attached units shall be 
covered by Republic Act No. 8439, otherwise known as "Magna Carta for 


 
 
 
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Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and Other Science and Technology 
Personnel in Government;" 
 
(f) Develop and implement training and research programs to develop more 
experts and practitioners in the field of epidemiology, and disease 
prevention and control; and, 
 
(g) Develop a mechanism to ensure interoperability and accessibility of 
surveillance systems. 
 
  
 
SEC. 14. Strengthened Disease Surveillance and Response. – The CDC 
shall establish integrated disease surveillance and response systems utilizing, 
whenever necessary, all technological means available while ensuring that data 
privacy and patient confidentiality are maintained. The CDC and authorized public 
health authorities shall have complete access and right to collect personal 
information and other data, as may be deemed necessary in fulfillment of their 
mandate. All data or information and samples collected pursuant thereto shall be 
used for public health concern purposes only and shall be exempted from the 
provisions of R.A. No. 10173, otherwise known as the "Data Privacy Act of2012" on 
accessibility of data. 
 
 
SEC. 15. National Reference Laboratories. – The CDC shall establish a new, 
state of the art facility that will serve as the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), 
unifying all NRLs for biological, chemical, nuclear and radiologic emergencies under 
one roof, within 5 years from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the existing 
NRLs in the East A venue Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of 
the Philippines, National Kidney Transplant Institute and San Lazaro Hospital shall 
continue to be under the respective hospitals: Provided further, That these existing 
NRLs shall serve as referral laboratories of the CDC and be included in the 
Modernization Program of the CDC. 
 
 
The NRL shall provide technical recommendations, laboratory confirmatory 
services, training, and external quality assurance, and perform surveillance, outbreak 
response, kit evaluation: and research. It shall oversee the functions and 
performance of the network of subnational laboratories (SNL). 
 
 
SNLs shall be established in all regions, with the capability of conducting 
confirmatory testing for routine surveillance samples and performing specialized 
tests. SNLs, whose functions include testing for routine surveillance and specialized 
tests, shall be under CDC administratively. Hospitals housing the SNLs shall create 
a separate unit for their regular hospital laboratory needs. 
 
 
The CDC, through the NRLs and SNLs, shall provide technical guidance and 
quality assurance programs to biosafety levels 2, 3 and 4 laboratories in the country, 
which shall be registered with, and regulated by the DOH. 
 
 
SEC. 16. Authority to Solicit, Negotiate, and Receive Donations, Grants, 
Gifts, Legacies, Endowments, and Contributions. - The CDC may solicit, 
negotiate with, and receive from any public or private domestic or foreign sources 
legacies, gifts, donations, grants, endowments, contributions or other transfers of 


 
 
 
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ownership and/or possession of real or personal prope1ties of all kinds in favor and 
for the benefit of the CDC, which shall all be part of the special account in the 
general fund managed by the Bureau of Treasury. 
 
 
The Director General shall prescribe the measures necessary for the proper 
use, maintenance safekeeping, and compliance with the terms and conditions, if any, 
of said donations, grants, endowments, contributions or transfers in accordance with 
pertinent accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations. 
 
 
SEC. 17. Tax Exemptions. - Donations, grants, gifts, endowments, legacies 
and contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for the purpose of the CDC 
shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable 
deduction from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the 
donor, in accordance with Sec. 34 (H)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 
1997, as amended. Likewise, such other transfers of ownership and/or possession of 
real or personal properties of all kinds shall be exempt from all taxes. 
 
 
SEC. 18. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There shall be a Joint 
Congressional Oversight Committee on Disease Prevention and Control, jointly 
chaired by the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, 
and the House of Representatives Committee on Health. It shall be composed of five 
(5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of 
Representatives, to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, respectively. 
 
 
SEC. 19. Appropriations. - The initial amount needed for the implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the offices 
and the RITM herein absorbed by the CDC. Thereafter, the funding of which shall be 
included in the annual GAA. 
 
 
SEC. 20. Transitory Provisions. –  
 
(a) Upon effectivity of this Act, the CDC shall develop a Framework for Infectious 
Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness, and prioritize the strengthening of the 
following functions: 
 
(i) Integrated disease surveillance and response; 
 
(ii) Sentinel surveillance; 
 
(iii) Laboratory-based surveillance; 
 
(iv) Periodic population-based surveillance; and, 
 
(v) Preventing transmission of communicable diseases. 
 
(b) The CDC shall initially prioritize disease surveillance and prevention and 
control of infectious diseases. Within five (5) years from its creation, and upon 
positive recommendation by an independent study or body commissioned by 


 
 
 
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the DOH, the surveillance, prevention and control of non-communicable 
diseases shall be included in its mandate; 
 
(c) For the year during which this Act was approved, the unexpended portion of 
the budget of the offices and units transferred shall be utilized for establishing 
the CDC and initiating its operations, including the formulation of the rules and 
regulations necessary for the implementation of this Act; 
 
(d) To the greatest extent possible and in accordance with existing laws, all 
employees of the affected offices, agencies and units shall be absorbed by the 
CDC. Personnel hired on a permanent basis and with appointments attested 
by the CSC who may be affected by the transition of DOH units to CDC, or 
who will not be absorbed in the new positions of the new staffing pattern of the 
different offices in the CDC, shall have the option to: 
 
(1) Be transferred to other units or offices within the DOH without reduction in 
pay; or 
 
(2) Avail of the applicable retirement benefits as provided under R.A. 6656, 
entitled "An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers 
and Employees in the Implementation of Government Reorganization" and 
other relevant laws; 
 
(e) Incumbent DOH officials and employees of affected DOH offices may apply for 
and be transferred to the CDC, subject to an evaluation of their competency 
and CSC regulations; 
 
(f) Research grants acquired during the transition of DOH transferred units to 
CDC shall be utilized solely for the grants' intended purposes for each of the 
affected units or offices, and shall not be made available for budget 
realignments; 
 
(g) Existing contracts and agreements entered into by the affected offices with 
third parties prior to the enactment of this Act shall remain valid. 
 
 
The DBM, DOH, and CSC shall issue the implementing guidelines to ensure 
fair, orderly, and transparent implementation of paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. 
 
 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within one hundred and 
twenty (120) working days from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH Secretary shall 
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its implementation. 
 
 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force 
and effect. 
 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations 
or other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 


 
 
 
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SEC. 24. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved.