SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SEN?,...T.e 
S.No. 
~J31 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
Se'l111tr 
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'14 JUl28 PI :41 
DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH AN INTERAGENCY 
COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON PULMONARY HYPERTENSION TO 
DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH, 
INCREASE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, 
AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
SEC. 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in 
the lungs and the right side of the heart. Pulmonary hypertension begins when tiny 
arteries in your lungs, called pulmonary arteries, and capillaries become narrowed, 
blocked or destroyed. This makes it harder for blood to flow through the lungs, and raises 
pressure within the lungs' arteries. As the pressure builds, the heart's lower right chamber 
(right ventricle) must work harder to pump blood through the lungs, eventually causing 
the heart muscle to weaken and eventually fail.! 
Pulmonary hypertension is a serious illness that becomes progressively worse and 
is sometimes fatal. Although pulmonary hypertension is not curable, treatments are 
available that can help lessen symptoms and improve your quality of life. 2 
Hence, this bill seeks to direct the Secretary of Health to establish an Interagency 
Pulmonary Hypertension Coordinating Committee to make recommendations on, and 
• 
I http;llwww.mayoclinic.orrYdiseases-conditions/pulmonary-hypertensionlbasics/definition/con-
20030959. 
21d. 
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coordinate, all efforts within the Department of Health concernmg pulmonary 
hypertension. Under the proposed measure, the Committee shall: 
(I) develop and update annually a summary of pulmonary hypertension advances 
in medical research and treatment development and improvement, early and accurate 
diagnosis, appropriate and timely intervention, transplantation, and access to care and 
therapies for patients; 
(2) monitor national and local government activities respecting pulmonary 
hypertension; 
(3) make recommendations regarding appropriate changes to such activities as 
well as stakeholder participation in decisions relating to pUlmonary hypertension; and 
(4) develop and update annually a comprehensive strategic plan to cooperatively 
improve health outcomes for pulmonary hypertension patients.3 
~. ~~~)~ 
MIRIAM DEF 
SOR SANTIio'o 
3 This bill was originally filed by Representatives Brady, Capps, King, Norton, Roskam, Costa, 
and Bishop in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 2073; 113'h Congress, First Session). 
2 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2331 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
S~l1~tl' 
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'14 
JUL 28 P 1 :41 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH AN INTERAGENCY 
3 
COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON PULMONARY HYPERTENSION TO 
4 
DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH, 
5 
INCREASE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, 
6 
AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE 
7 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -
This Act shal1 be known as the "Pulmonary 
8 
Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act." 
9 
SECTION 2. Interagency Pulmonary Hypertension Coordinating Committee. -
10 
(a) Establishment. -- The Secretary of Health (referred to as the "Secretary") shall 
11 
establish a committee, to be known as the "Interagency Pulmonary Hypertension 
12 
Coordinating Committee" (referred to as the "Committee"), to make recommendations 
13 
on, and coordinate, all efforts within the Department of Health concerning pulmonary 
14 
hypertension. 
15 
(b) Responsibilities. - In carrying out its duties under this Act, the Committee 
16 
shaH: 
17 
(1) develop and annually update a summary of pulmonary hypertension 
18 
advances in medical research and treatment development and improvement, early 
19 
and accurate diagnosis, appropriate and timely intervention, transplantation, and 
20 
access to care and therapies for patients; 
1 


1 
(2) monitor national and local government activities with respect to 
2 
pulmonary hypertension; 
3 
(3) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding appropriate changes 
4 
to such activities, including recommendations with respect to the strategic plan 
5 
developed under paragraph (5); 
6 
(4) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding stakeholder 
7 
participation in decisions relating to pulmonary hypertension; 
8 
(5) develop and annually update a comprehensive strategic plan to 
9 
cooperatively improve health outcomes for pulmonary hypertension patients 
10 
which includes-
11 
(A) recommendations to improve professional education concerning 
12 
accurate diagnosis and appropriate intervention for health care providers; 
13 
(B) recommendations to improve the transplantation criteria and 
14 
process concerning lung and heart-lung transplants for pulmonary 
15 
hypertension patients; 
16 
(C) recommendations to improve public awareness and recognition 
17 
of pulmonary hypertension; 
18 
(D) recommendations to improve health care delivery and promote 
19 
early and accurate diagnosis for pulmonary hypertension patients; and 
20 
(E) recommendations to systematically advance the full spectrum of 
21 
biomedical research, including specific recommendations for basic, 
22 
translational, clinical, and pediatric research, and research training and 
23 
career development; and 
24 
(6) submit to the Congress the strategic plan under paragraph (5) and any 
25 
updates to such plan. 
2 


1 
(C) Membership. -
2 
(1) In General. - The Committee shall be composed of: 
3 
(A) the Director of the National Center for Health Promotion; 
4 
(B) the Director of the National Center for Disease Control and 
5 
Prevention; 
6 
(C) the Director of the National Institutes of Health; 
7 
(D) the Director of the Agency for Health Facilities Development; 
8 
(E) the Administrator of Food and Drug Administration; 
9 
(F) the heads and directors of other relevant government agencies as 
10 
the Secretary deems appropriate; and 
11 
(G) the additional members appointed under paragraph (2). 
12 
(2) Additional Members. - Not fewer than six members of the Committee 
13 
or 1/3 of the total membership of the Committee, whichever is greater, shall be 
14 
appointed by the Secretary, of which: 
15 
(A) at least one such member shall be an individual with a diagnosis 
16 
of pulmonary hypertension; 
17 
(B) at least one such member shall be the primary caregiver for an 
18 
individual with a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension; and 
19 
(C) at least one such member shall be a representative of a leading 
20 
research, advocacy, and support organization primarily serving individuals 
21 
with a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. 
22 
(d) Administrative Support; Terms of Service; Other Provisions. - The following 
23 
provisions shall apply with respect to the Committee: 
24 
(I) The Committee shall receive necessary and appropriate administrative 
25 
support from the Secretary. 
3 


1 
(2) Members of the Cofi1rfiitMe appointed under subsection (c)(2) shall 
2 
serve for a term of four years, and may be appointed for one or more additional 4 
3 
to 7 year terms. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term 
4 
shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A member may serve after the 
5 
expiration of the member's term until a successor has taken office. 
6 
(3) The Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon the 
7 
request of the Secretary. The Committee shall meet not fewer than two times each 
8 
year. 
9 
(4) All meetings of the Committee shall be public and shall include 
10 
appropriate time periods for questions and presentations by the pUblic. 
11 
(e) Subcommittees; Establishment and Membership. -
In carrying out its 
12 
functions, the Committee may establish subcommittees and convene workshops and 
13 
conferences. Such subcommittees shall be composed of Committee members and may 
14 
hold such meetings as are necessary to enable the subcommittees to carry out their duties. 
15 
(f) Sunset. - This Act shall not apply after 31 December 2019, and the Committee 
16 
shall be terminated on such date. 
17 
SECTION 3. Report to Congress.-
18 
(a) In General. - On a biennial basis after the date of effectivity of this Act, the 
19 
Secretary, in coordination with the Committee, shall prepare and submit to the 
20 
Committees on Health, Education, Labor, and Energy of the House of Representatives 
21 
and Senate a progress report on activities related to improving health outcomes for 
22 
pulmonary hypertension patients. 
23 
(b) Contents. - The report submitted under subsection (a) shall contain-
24 
(1) information on the incidence of pulmonary hypertension and trend data 
25 
of such incidence since the date of effectivity of this Act; 
4 


· . 
1 
(2) information on the average time between initial screening and accurate 
2 
diagnosis as well as the average stage of pulmonary hypertension when 
3 
appropriate intervention begins and up-to-date, related trend data; 
4 
(3) information on the effectiveness and outcomes of interventions for 
5 
individuals diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, including: 
6 
(A) mortality rate, as well as the frequency of drastic treatment 
7 
options like lung and heart-lung transplants; and 
8 
(B) up-to-date, related trend data; 
9 
(4) information on breakthroughs in basic science as well as translational 
10 
and clinical research activities; 
11 
(5) information on activity to facilitate the development of innovative 
12 
treatment options and diagnostic tools; and 
13 
(6) information on services and supports provided to individuals with a 
14 
diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. 
15 
16 
SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
17 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
18 
remain valid and subsisting. 
19 
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
20 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
21 
or is inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
22 
accordingly. 
23 
SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
24 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Ifldp 18ju1y20 14 
5