Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7947

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Art. 13 Sec. 12 of the Constitution provides that the State shall establish and maintain an
effective food and drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health, manpower
development and research which is responsive to the country’s health needs and problems.

According to mayoclinic.org, Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver
inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads
to contaminated blood.

There is no known cure for this infection. The State should provide programs to prevent
emergency response employees from acquiring such disease. This bill seeks to establish a
system, training, protocol and scientific research and medical treatment for this virus so that our
fire fighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and emergency response personne]
be able to deploy their functions without sacrificing their precious health.

Hence, this proposal is submitted for consideration.

“KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO
‘Representative
frst District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

nouse BILLNo.__7947

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE FOR A STUDY AND FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
REGARDING CASES OF HEPATITIS C AMONG FIREFIGHTERS,
PARAMEDICS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICANS AND OTHER
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMPLOYEES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Emergency Response
Employees Diseasé Protection Act."

SEC 2. Study and Demonstration Projects Regarding Cases of Hepatitis
Camong certain emergency response employees.-

(A) Study regarding Prevalence among Certain Emergency Response Employees -

(1) In General - The Secretary of Health (referred to in this Act as the
"Secretary", in Consultation with the Secretary of Labor and Employment, shall
conduct a study to determine

(a) An estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis C among designated
emergency response employees, and (b) the likely means through which
such employees become infected with such disease in the Course of
performing their duties as such employees.

(2) Designated Emergency Response Employees - For purposes of this
section, the term "designated emergency response employees" means firefighters,
paramedics, and emergency medical technicians

(3) Submission of Completion Report to Congress - The Secretary shall
commence the study under paragraph (1) not later than ninety (90) days after the
date of the enactment of this Act. Not later that one (1) year after such date, the
Secretary shall complete the study and submit to the Congress a report describing
the findings of the study and the recommendations of the Secretary for
administrative or legislative initiatives regarding the activities described in
paragraph (1).


(4) Demonstration Projects Regarding Training and Treatment - The
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall carry out each of the
following activities:

a) Training designated emergency response employees in
minimizing the risk of infection with hepatitis C in performing their duties
as such employees.

b) Testing such employees for infection with the disease.
c) Treating the employees for the disease.

(5) Evaluation - The Secretary shall provide for an evaluation of each
demonstration project under paragraph (1) in order to determine the extent to
which the project has been effective in carrying out the activities described in
Such paragraph.

SEC 3. Authorization of Appropriations. - The appropriation of such sums as may
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized

SEC 4. Separability Clause - if any provision or parthereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SEC 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
Order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation Contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly. ‘

SEC 6. Effectivity Clause. - ‘Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,