Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO 
______________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This is a refilled bill which was previously filed by Rep. Alfredo C. Maranon, III, 
during the Fifteenth Congress, it was then refilled during the Seventeenth Congress by 
Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado. The latter refilled it again 
during the Eighteenth Congress however all of which was referred to the Committee on 
Health however it was overlooked on all of the respective Congresses.  
This bill seeks to establish the Philippine Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Center which 
will provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable and specialized medical services for 
the prevention, control and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head, and neck (ENTHN) 
disorders”.  
The Constitution provides that 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 underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and 
children." (Section 11, Article XIII, 1987 Philippine Constitution). 
Considering the current status of our health care with the emergence of viral 
diseases which targets the subject at hand, such bill should be urgently considered. ENTH 
diseases in the country have become more prevalent and have affected the quality of life 
of most Filipinos. 
 Respiratory tract infections which include colds, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis, and 
laryngitis are among the leading causes of morbidity in the Philippines. According to a 
scientific study, 1-2 per 1000 live births were born with cleft lip or deft palate and more 
than a million Filipinos were   estimated to   have   hearing impairment.  ENTHN diseases 
not only affect the productivity   and performance of a person but also cause permanent 
physical disabilities and deformities. Despite the high prevalence rate of ENTHN diseases 
and their tremendous effect on health, these conditions have not been given enough 
attention and priority.  
It is hoped that this bill will help solve the health gap and provide the Filipinos with 
a specialty center that will cater exclusively to ENT care, prevention and better health 
management. 
1:47 pm
August 31, 2022
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The earnest support of the Members of the House of Representatives for the 
approval of this bill is highly requested. 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
INTRDOUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JURDIN JESUS M. ROMUALDO 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) CENTER AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
2 
to promote and protect the right of the people to health by providing specialized health 
3 
and medical services that will secure their well-being. Towards this end, the State shall 
4 
establish an ear, nose and throat (ENT) center that will provide comprehensive, high 
5 
quality, affordable and specialized medical services for the prevention, control and 
6 
treatment of ear, nose, throat, head and neck (ENTHN) diseases.  
7 
8 
SEC. 2. Philippine Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Center. — The Philippine Ear, 
9 
Nose and Throat (ENT) Center, hereinafter referred to as the Philippine ENT Center, is 
10 
hereby established under the supervision of the Department of Health to intensify and 
11 
consolidate the efforts and programs of the   government in the prevention,   diagnosis 
12 
and treatment of ENTHN     diseases and provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable 
13 
and specialized medical services to citizens afflicted with ENTHN disease.  
14 
15 
The Department of Health shall provide the area where the ENT Center will be 
16 
established within one (1) year from the approval of this Act. 
17 
18 
     The Philippine ENT Center shall have the following objectives: 
19 
20 
   a) Construct, establish, equip, operate and   maintain a   medical  
21 
institution which shall specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of 
22 
ENTHN diseases, and    provide medical care, rehabilitation and relief of persons 
23 
suffering from it;  
24 
25 
b) Undertake medical and scientific researches relative to the prevention,
26 
diagnosis, treatment of ENTHN diseases and create public awareness   on its 
27 
prevention and control through information dissemination;  
28 
29 
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   c) Finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions,       
1 
conferences, seminars,  work-shops and training programs on ENTHN diseases, 
2 
diagnosis and management;  
3 
 
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   d) Facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and       
5 
information on the prevention, control and treatment of ENTHN diseases;  
6 
 
7 
   e) Encourage  and assist in the education and training of physicians, 
8 
nurses, health officers, social workers and other  medical and technical personnel 
9 
in  the practical and scientific conduct and  implementation of ENTHN diseases 
10 
prevention and treatment programs;  
11 
 
12 
   f) Coordinate and consolidate various efforts and activities of the       
13 
government in delivering more effective medical services to treat and prevent. 
14 
ENTHN diseases; and  
15 
 
16 
   
 g) Help in the promotion of Philippine medical tourism by offering top      
17 
quality and world class medical services in treating ENTHN disorders,  
18 
 
19 
 
20 
SEC. 3.  Scope of Services. — Consistent with its objectives, the Philippine ENT 
21 
Center shall provide the following services:  
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a) Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities 
24 
and equipment necessary to provide treatment of ENTHN diseases;  
25 
 
26 
b) Community-based services to develop and implement community – 
27 
based programs in partnership with local government units, conduct research  and  
28 
external resource   outsourcing  to   implement  community-based   diagnosis  and 
29 
treatment of  ENTHN diseases;  
30 
 
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c) Education  programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of   
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practice in the specialized field of ENTHN  diseases  and other related  fields, 
33 
conduct post-graduate training  and short-term courses for medical doctors and 
34 
allied medical professionals; and  
35 
 
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   d) Program development   and   research to develop cutting edge research 
37 
and programs to combat diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck.  
38 
 
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SEC. 4.  Board of Trustees. — The Philippine ENT   Center shall be administered   
41 
by a Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board, to be composed of seven (7)   
42 
members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation 
43 
of the Secretary of Health.  
44 
 
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The members of the Board shall serve for a period of three (3) years. All   members shall 
46 
serve without compensation other than actual and necessary expenses, in accordance 
47 
with the existing laws, policies and rules and regulations on the matter, incurred either for 
48 
attendance in meetings of the Board or upon official business authorized by a resolution 
49 
of the Board.  
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SEC.  5. Powers and Functions.  —   The Board shall have the following powers 
52 
and functions in addition to their general powers of administration:  
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a) Formulate and adopt the by-laws, rules and regulations, policies, 
1 
guidelines and procedures consistent with law and the provisions of this Act to  
2 
govern the administration and  operations of the Philippine ENT Center;  
3 
 
4 
   b) Formulate and develop programs for the prevention, control and 
5 
treatment of ENTHN diseases and adopt measures which are necessary to carry 
6 
out the provisions of this Act;  
7 
 
8 
c) Enter into such agreements and arrangements with other medical 
9 
institutions, domestic or foreign, as may be necessary in attaining the purposes 
10 
and objectives of the Philippine ENT Center;  
11 
 
12 
d) Receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real or personal property 
13 
of all kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the Philippine  ENT Center,  
14 
in accordance with  the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default 
15 
thereof, in such manner as in its discretion the Board may determine;  
16 
 
17 
e) Acquire and hold property of whatever nature or description, and to 
18 
dispose such properties under any  mode of   encumbrance and conveyance;  
19 
 
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f) Invite foreign ENTHN specialists and similar experts in the various 
21 
medical fields to train the personnel of the Philippine ENT Center or send 
22 
personnel to research or medical institutes or universities for advance training or 
23 
observation or to attend       international or regional conventions, conferences, 
24 
congresses and seminars as the Board   may deem necessary to accomplish the 
25 
purposes and objectives of the Philippine ENT Center; and  
26 
 
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g) Perform all such other acts and things as are or may be necessary for 
28 
or incidental to the accomplishment of the objectives of the Philippine ENT Center.  
29 
 
30 
 
31 
SEC. 6. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. — The Board shall 
32 
determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Philippine ENT Center 
33 
subject to the evaluation by the Civil Service Commission and of the Organization Position 
34 
Classification and Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and Management. 
35 
The Board may reorganize said structure, modify the staffing pattern and create or abolish 
36 
divisions, sections or units in the Philippine ENT Center. 
37 
 
38 
SEC. 7. Appointment  by  the Board, —  The Board shall have the authority to 
39 
appoint, promote, transfer, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline the officers and 
40 
employees of the Philippine ENT  Center upon  the  recommendation   of the Executive 
41 
Director, subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations.  
42 
 
43 
SEC.  8. Executive  Director—  The   Philippine ENT Center shall be administered 
44 
by an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon 
45 
the recommendation of the Board of Trustees,  
46 
 
47 
The Executive Director shall exercise the following powers and functions:  
48 
 
49 
a) Execute the policies, guidelines and programs approved   by the Board, 
50 
and be responsible   for the efficient discharge of management   and operational 
51 
functions;  
52 
 
53 


b) Submit  for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed 
1 
measures, policies and guidelines and programs as may be deemed necessary for 
2 
the effective implementation of the purposes  and objectives of this Act;  
3 
 
4 
c) Direct and supervise the management, operation, and administration of 
5 
the Philippine ENT Center, and may delegate this power and any or some of the 
6 
administrative responsibilities and duties to the other officers of the Philippine ENT 
7 
Center;  
8 
 
9 
d) Recommend   to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, 
10 
dismissal and suspension of the officers and employees of the Philippine ENT 
11 
Center;  
12 
 
13 
e) Execute on behalf of the Board all contracts and agreements which the 
14 
latter may enter into, and to execute, accomplish and deliver any and all 
15 
documents relative to such contracts and agreements; and  
16 
 
17 
f) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be 
18 
vested by the Board.  
19 
 
20 
       
SEC. 9. Program for Indigents — The Board shall ensure that the Philippine ENT 
21 
Center shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for 
22 
indigent patients shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the total number of hospital 
23 
beds.  
24 
 
25 
       
SEC. 10. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. — The provision of any general or 
26 
special law to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions, gifts or 
27 
endowments received by the Philippine ENT Center pursuant hereto, shall be exempt 
28 
from income, gift and all other kinds of taxes, and shall be further considered   as allowable 
29 
deductions   from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the 
30 
National Internal Revenue Code of 4997, as amended.  
31 
 
32 
The Philippine ENT Center is hereby declared   exempt from all income and all other 
33 
internal revenue taxes, tariff and customs duties and all other kinds of taxes, fees, charges 
34 
and assessments levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and 
35 
instrumentalities.  
36 
 
37 
The Philippine ENT Center may request and receive assistance from the different 
38 
agencies, bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government,   including the 
39 
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming 
40 
Corporation in pursuit of its purposes and objectives.  
41 
 
42 
SEC. 11. Annual Report.  — The Philippine ENT Center shall submit an annual 
43 
report to the President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and 
44 
Demography and the House Committee    on Health, on its activities, accomplishments 
45 
and recommendations to better improve their delivery of specialized medical services.  
46 
 
47 
SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Health shall, 
48 
in coordination with the Secretary of Budget and Management, promulgate such rules 
49 
and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.  
50 
 
51 
SEC. 13. Appropriations. — The amount of five hundred million pesos (P500, 
52 
000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the initial operation and maintenance of the 
53 
Philippine ENT Center. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued 
54 


operation of the Philippine ENT Center shall be included in the annual General 
1 
Appropriations Act.  
2 
 
3 
SEC. 14. Repealing clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
4 
regulations or parts thereof which are in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
5 
repealed or modified accordingly.  
6 
 
7 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
8 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.  
9 
 
10 
             Approved, 
11