FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 .J!il21 P4:32 
. 
SENAIF 
S. No. 1'169 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Art. 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
The Constitution, Art. 13, Section 11 also provides: 
The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health 
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other 
social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority 
for the needs of the under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and 
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers. 
j 
According to several studies, the diseases with the highest mortality rate in the 
Philippines are heart diseases, vascular system diseases, cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis, 
chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes, and perinatal conditions. 
An integrated and comprehensive approach to health development is needed in order to 
prevent and control the diseases with the highest mortality rate in the country. This bill which 
establishes a national registry of diseases becomes important to (a) collect and maintain 
information on the above diseases that ·have been diagnosed and treated in the country; (b) 
compile and publish statistics on the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of these 
diseases; and (c) provide information for national public health policies, heaIthcare services, and 
programs. i 
PIi ~rAM D~~soiSJT~ 
I This bill was originally filed in the third regular session of the 14th Congress. 
1 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
iO 
JUl21 P4 :32 
SENA1& 
s. No. 1"169 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
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ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL REGISTRY OF DISEASES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Registry of Diseases 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
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them. Towards this end, the National Registry of Diseases is established to use as a basis for the 
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direction of programs for disease prevention and control. 
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SECTION 3. Definitions. - In this Act, the term-
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(a) 
"anonymized," when used to describe information pertaining to an individual, 
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means that the identity of that individual has been concealed or protected, whether by presenting 
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such information in a statistical form or otherwise, such that it cannot be readily discovered or 
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ascertained from that information; 
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(b) 
"disease" means any physical or mental ailment, disorder, defect, or morbid 
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condition (whether of sudden onset or gradual development), or the recurrence of any such 
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ailment, disorder, defect, or morbid condition; 
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(c) 
"healthcare institution" means any public or private hospital, medical clinic, 
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clinical laboratory, or healthcare establishments licensed under existing laws. 
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(d) 
"individually identifiable," when used to describe information pertaining to an 
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individual, means that the identity of that individual can be readily discovered or ascertained 
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from that information; 
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(e) 
"manager," in relation to a healthcare institution, means the person having the 
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management or control ofthe healthcare institution; 
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(t) 
"reportable disease" means a disease that is specified in the Schedule; 
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(g) 
"requisite consent" means -
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(1) 
the consent, given in the prescribed form and manner, of the person whose 
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individually identifiable information is to be disclosed under this Act; or 
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(2) 
where the person referred in the preceding paragraph is unable to give his 
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or her own consent because of his or her age, infirmity of mind or body or 
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any other cause, the consent, given in the prescribed form and manner, of 
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such other person who is authorized by the regulations to give such 
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consent for and on his behalf; and 
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(h) 
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Health. 
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SECTION 4. National Registry of Diseases. - There shall be a National Registry of 
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Diseases, the functions of which are-
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(a) 
To collect information on reportable diseases that have been diagnosed and 
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treated in the Philippines; 
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(b) 
To establish, keep, and maintain for each reportable disease a register containing 
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individually identifiable information obtained under this Act; 
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(c) 
To compile and publish statistics on the epidemiology, management, and 
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outcomes of reportable diseases; 
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(d) 
To provide information for the purpose of supporting-
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(1) 
health services that are being provided by healthcare institutions to the 
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patients thereof who are suffering from an reportable disease; and 
• 
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(2) 
national public health policies, initiatives, programs, and related studies . 
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concerning any reportable disease; and 
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(e) 
Generally to do all such acts, matters, and things as are necessary to be carried out 
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under this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Appointment of Registrar. - (a) The Secretary of Health shall appoint a 
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Registrar who shall be responsible for the administration of the Registry. 
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(b) 
The Secretary may also appoint a Deputy Registrar, one or more Assistant 
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Registrars, and such other Registry officers as he or she may consider necessary to assist the 
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Registrar in the administration of the Registry. 
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SECTION 6. Registers. - (a) The Registrar shaH keep and maintain for each reportable 
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disease a register containing individually identifiable information of each person who is 
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diagnosed with and treated for that disease in the Philippines. 
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(b) 
The registers kept and maintained under subsection (a) shall not be open for 
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inspection by the public. 
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SECTION 7. Duty to NotifY Registrar of Reportable Diseases. - (a) Where a person is 
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diagnosed with or undergoes treatment for a reportable disease at a healthcare institution, the 
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manager of the healthcare institution shall, in such form and within such time as may be 
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prescribed, notify the Registrar ofthat fact. 
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(a); or 
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(b) 
(1) 
(2) 
Any manager of a healthcare institution who -
without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the requirements of subsection 
in compliance or purported compliance with subsection (a), furnishes as true 
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information which he or she knows or has reason to believe to be false, shall be guilty of an 
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offense and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand pesos 
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(P20,000.00). 
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(c) 
A certificate under the hand of the Registrar stating that a notification required 
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under subsection (a) has not been furnished or is incorrect shan be prima facie evidence of the 
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facts stated in the certificate. 
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SECTION 8. Collection of Information. - (a) Upon notification being made to the 
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Registrar under section 7, the Registrar or an authorized Registry officer may require the 
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manager of the healthcare institution who made the notification to provide such additional 
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infonnation as may be prescribed concerning the person to whom the notification relates. 
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(b) 
For the purpose of subsection (a), the Registrar or authorized Registry officer may 
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require the manager of the healthcare institution-
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(1) 
to furnish the prescribed additional infonnation to any Registry officer; or 
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(2) 
to produce to the Registrar of any Registry officer for inspection any medical 
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record, book, or document which contains or may contain the prescribed 
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additional infonnation. 
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(c) 
Any manager of a healthcare institution who -
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(I) 
without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the requirement of the Registrar 
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or authorized Registry officer under this section; or 
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(2) 
in compliance or purported compliance with this section, furnishes as true 
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infonnation which he knows or has reason to believe to be false, 
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shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty 
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thousand pesos (P20,000.00). 
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(d) 
A certificate under the hand of the Registrar stating that the additional infonnation 
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required under subsection (a) has not been furnished or is incorrect shall be prima facie evidence 
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of the facts stated in the certificate. 
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SECTION 9. Confidentiality. - (a) Except in the case of a prosecution for an offense 
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under this Act, the Registrar, a Registry officer, or any other person who acts under the direction 
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of the Secretary or Registrar for any purpose related to the Registry shaH not be compellable in 
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any proceedings to give evidence in respect of, or to produce any document containing, any 
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individually identifiable infonnation which has been obtained under this Act. 
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(b) 
Except as otherwise provided by this act, the Registrar, a Registry officer, or any 
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other person who acts under the direction of the Secretary or Registrar for any purpose related to 
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the Registry shall not disclose the contents of any register or any individually identifiable 
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information which may have come to his or her knowledge in the course of performing any duty 
2 
or function under this Act or carrying out any act in relation to the Registry. 
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(c) 
Any person who fails to comply with subsection (b) shall be guilty of an offense 
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and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) or to 
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imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year or to both. 
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SECTION 10. Disclosure and Publication of Anonymized Information. - The Registrar-
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(a) 
may, on a request by any person and 
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(i) 
upon payment by such person of the prescribed fee; and 
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(ii) 
subject to such conditions as the Registrar may impose, and 
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(b) 
shall, on a request by the Secretary, 
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disclose or publish any information held by the Registry in an anonymized form . 
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SECTION 11. National Public Health Programs. - (a) The Registrar may, with the 
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approval of the Secretary, disclose individually identifiable information held by the Registry to 
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any public officer or any other person for the purpose of conducting national public health 
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programs concerning any reportable disease. 
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(b) 
In determining whether to approve such disclosure under subsection (a), the 
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Secretary shaH, subject to subsection (c), have regard to-
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(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(c) 
the aims and objectives of the national public health program, including any 
public health benefits to the country; 
the identity of the public officers or persons involved in the program to whom the 
individually identifiable information held by the Registry will be disclosed; 
the use to which the individually identifiable information will or may be put; and 
the measures that will be put in place under the national public health program to 
protect the individually identifiable information from unauthorized disclosure. 
The Secretary shall not approve any disclosure under subsection (a) unless he or 
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she is satisfied that the national public health program cannot be carried out with anonymized 
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information. 
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(d) 
The Secretary may, when granting approval under subsection (a), impose such 
conditions as he or she considers necessary with respect to -
(1) 
the identities of the public officers or persons, or class of public officers or 
persons who are authorized to receive or handle the individually identifiable 
information; 
(2) 
(3) 
(e) 
the use to which the individually identifiable information is or may be put; and 
the measures that must be put in place under the national public health program to 
protect the individually identifiable information from unauthorized disclosure. 
The Secretary may, at any time, vary or revoke any of the existing conditions 
imposed under subsection (d) or impose new conditions. 
(I) 
The Secretary may, at any time, revoke the approval given under subsection (a). 
(g) 
Any person who fails to comply with any condition imposed under subsection (d) 
or any new condition imposed under subsection (e) shall be guilty of au offense and shall be 
liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand pesos (P20,OOO.OO) or to 
imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve (12) months or to both. 
SECTION 12 . Medical Treatment .. - The Registrar may, if he or she thinks fit, disclose to 
a medical practitioner any individually identifiable information of a medical nature held by the 
Registry concerning a person suffering from a reportable disease if the Registrar is satisfied that-
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 
the medical practitioner is responsible for the treatment and care of that person; 
the disclosure is necessary for the proper treatment of that person; and 
the requisite consent has been given for such disclosure. 
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SECTION 13. Public Health Research. - (a) A person who requires any individually 
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identifiable information held by the Registry for the purpose of carrying out any medical, 
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epidemiological, or other form of public health research concerning any reportable disease may 
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apply to the Registrar in the prescribed form for the disclosure of such information. 
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(b) 
The Registrar may, subject to such conditions as he or she thinks fit to impose and 
2 
upon the payment by the researcher of such fees as may be prescribed, disclose to the researcher 
3 
such individually identifiable information ifthe Registrar is satisfied that -
4 
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(I) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(c) 
the research cannot be carried out with anonymized information; 
the requisite consent has been given for such individually identifiable information 
to be disclosed to the researcher for the purpose ofthe research; 
the research may -
(i) 
improve the quality of health services provided for patients suffering from 
any reportable disease in the country; or 
(ii) 
support any national public health policy, initiative, or program 
concerning any reportable disease; and 
the researcher and the research comply with such conditions as may have been 
prescribed. 
A researcher to whom the individually identifiable information of any person has 
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been disclosed under subsection (b) shall not -
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(I) 
(2) 
use such individually identifiable information for any purpose other than the 
purpose approved by the Registrar; and 
disclose the name or any other individually identifiable information of that person 
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unless the requisite consent has been given for the disclosure. 
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(d) 
A researcher to whom the individually identifiable information of any person has 
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been disclosed under subsection (b) shall not disclose -
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(I) 
(2) 
the name or any other information leading to the identification of the healthcare 
institution in which that person has been diagnosed with, or has been or is being 
examined or treated for, a reportable disease unless the manager of that healthcare 
institution has given his or her consent for the disclosure in the prescribed form 
and manner; or 
the name or any other information leading to the identification of the person who 
provided the individually identifiable information to the Registrar under this Act, 
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2 
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(e) 
unless that person has given his or her consent for the disclosure in the prescribed 
form and manner. 
Before making any decision on an application under subsection (b), the Registrar 
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may refer the application to a national research advisory committee comprising not less than 
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three (3) and not more than five (5) members appointed by the Secretary and, in making his or 
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her decision, the Registrar shall have regard to any report made to him or her by the national 
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research advisory committee. 
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(f) 
Where a researcher to whom any individually identifiable information of any 
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person has been disclosed under subsection (b) contravenes subsection (c) or (d) or any condition 
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imposed under subsection (b), he or she shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable on 
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conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or to imprisonment for a 
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term not exceeding twelve (12) months or to both. 
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SECTION 14. Offenses by Corporations, Partnerships, and Associations. - Where an 
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offense under this Act committed by a corporation, partnership, or association is proved -
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(a) 
(b) 
to have been committed with the consent or connivance of a director, officer, 
partner, or any other responsible officer; or 
to be attributable to any neglect on his or her part, 
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the officer as wel1 as the corporation, pm;tnership, or association shal1 be guilty of the offense and 
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shal1 be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. 
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SECTION IS. Obstructing the Registrar or Registry Officer in Execution of Duty. - Any 
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person who obstructs, hinders, or impedes the Registrar or a Registry officer in the performance 
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or execution of his or her duty or anything which he or she is authorized, empowered, or required 
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to do under this Act shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not 
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exceeding ten thousand pesos (PI0,000.00) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) 
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months or to both. 
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SECTION 16. Schedule. - (a) The Schedule specifies the diseases which are reportable 
2 
under the Act. The Secretary shall prescribe, by order, the schedule of diseases. 
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(b) 
The Secretary may, from time to time, by order amend the Schedule. 
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SECTION 17. Rules and Regulations. - Not later than one hundred twenty (120) days 
5 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health shall promulgate rules and 
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regulations to implement this Act. 
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SECTION 18. Authorization of Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, 
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there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year. 
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SECTION 19. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part of this Act is held invalid 
10 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
II 
valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
13 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
IS 
SECTION 21. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
\0