Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7388

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTES
Diabetes ranked 8" among the leading causes of mortality in the Philippines.

Under the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, the State is under
oblgation to promote and protect the right of the people to health by instilling health
consciousness among the people.

‘There is a need to undertake more health promotion and disease preventive measures,
particularly with respect to diabetes.

Health promotion services must involve all people and all places at all times, requiring
concerted and collaborative efforts among the various national and local government agencies.

{tis in this light that this Bill secks to promote a different approach in responding
ness, which has been characterized as “the silent killers that kills part by part of

to this
our lif

In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly
sought.

FRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7338

House Bill No._"

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A FRAMEWORK IN THE CARE AND TREATMENT
OF DIABETES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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 “Diabetes Care Act of 2018.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. The State shall recognize, protect and promote the right
to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

SECTION 3. Terms. ‘The following terms shall mean as follows:
imployee wellness and disease management programs shall include but not to be
limited to personal coaching intervention to target lifestyle topics such as:
i. back care;
fi, blood pressure management;
iii, blood sugar control;
iv. exercise;
v. walking breaks;
vi. nutrition and stress management;
vii, healthy weight management program;
viii. smoking cessation program; and
ix. reduction of behavior-related causes of disease.

b, Chronic illness is one that lasts for a very long time and usually cannot be cured
completely. It shall include but not limited to:

iv diabetes;

ii, heart disease;

iii, arthritis;

iv. kidney disease,

v. lupus;

vi. multiple sclerosis; and
vii. HIV.


SECTION 4. Disease Management Best Practices, Chronic Employee Wellness
Incentivization and Advisory Group Regarding Diabetes.

a. Establishment - the Secretary of the Department of Health shall establish an advisory
group consisting of representatives of the public and private sector.
The advisory group shall include representatives from public and
Private sector entities with experience in administering and operating
employee wellness and disease management programs.

b. Duties ~ the advisory group established under subsection (a) shall examine and make
recommendations of best practices of chronic illness employee wellness
incentivizations and disease management programs:

i. Provide public and private sector entities with improved information in
assessing the role of employee wellness incentivization and disease
‘management programs in saving money and improving quality of life for
patients with chronic illness; and

ii, Encourage the adoption of effective chronic illness, employee wellness and
disease management programs

Report — not later that one (1) year after the enactment of this Act, the advisory group
established shall submit to the Speaker, Majority and Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives, the President, and Majority Leader and Minority
Leader of the Senate, the results under subsection.

SECTION 5. National Diabetes Report Card -
a. Establishment ~ the Secretary of the Department of Health shall prepare on a
biennial basis a national diabetes report card for the whole
Nation;
b. Contents — each Report Card shall include statistically valid aggregate health
outcomes related to individuals diagnosed with diabetes and pre-
diabetes including:

i. preventive care practices and quality of care;
fi, isk factors; and
iii, outcomes.

© Updated Reports - each report card is prepared after the initial report card shall
include trend analysis for the nation for the purpose of :
i, tracking progress in meeting established national goals and objectives
for improving diabetes care, costs and prevalence; and
ii, informing policy and program development.
4. Availability ~ the Secretary of the Department of Health shall make each report
card publicly available including posting the report card on the
internet.

SECTION 6. Improvement of Vital Statistics Collection.
a. The Secretary of the Department of Health shall:

i. promote the education and training of physicians on the importance
of birth and death certificate data and how to properly complete this
documents, including the collection of such data for diabetes and
other chronic diseases;

fi, encourage local government units adoption of the latest standard
revisions of birth and death certificates; and

3


iii. work with LGDs to re-engineer their vital statistics systems in order
to provide cost-effective, timely and accurate vital systems data.

b. Death Certificate Additional Language —
in carrying out this Section, the Secretary may promote the addition of
language to death certificates to improve collection of diabetes mortality
data, including the addition of a question for the individual certifying to
the cause of death regarding whether the deceased had diabetes

SECTION 7. Study and Report.

a. In General ~ the Secretary of the Department of Health shall, in collaboration with
a State University or College having a course of Medicine, and
appropriate associations and councils, conduct a study of the impact of
diabetes on the practice of medicine in the Philippines and the
appropriateness of the level of diabetes medical education should be
required prior to licensure, board 25 certification, and board
recertification;

b. Report — not later than two (2) years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of the Department of Health shall submit a report of the study
under subsection (a) to the appropriate committee of the House of
Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines.

SECTION 8. Funding. ‘The initial funding requirements for the implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the current appropriations of the agency concerned. ‘Thereafter, such
sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the agencies
yearly budgets under the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). Within ninety (90) days after
the approval of this Act, the Commission, the Department of Health, in coordination with the
following:

‘* State Universities and Colleges;

‘* Local Government Units (LGUs);

* Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

© Commission on Human Rights (CHR);

And such other concerned agencies, shall issue the necessary Rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, rules and regulations ot parts thereof inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modify accordingly.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. If any part, section or provision of this Act shall be held
invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the completion
of its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,