Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
 HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines’ tropical location, large population, high rates of urbanization 
and over-crowding, and highly mobile and transborder population are factors that 
contribute to the vulnerability of the country to pandemics and virus outbreaks.  
In 2019, the Department of Health declared a polio outbreak and a dengue 
outbreak. In that same year, the Philippines was ranked as the country with the fastest 
growing number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in the world by the 
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS). The Philippines is also 
the country with the third-highest prevalence of tuberculosis. 
The Covid-19 pandemic further exposed the country’s weaknesses to address 
a pandemic and the bureaucracy involved in making decisions to address health 
scares and pandemics. 
At present, the country's units devoted to communicable disease prevention 
and control - The Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention Division of the Disease 
Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) of the Department of Health, The Infectious 
Diseases for Elimination Division of the DPCB, and the Research Institute for Tropical 
Medicine (RITM), - are mere sub-units under the Department of Health. And they 
sometimes step on each other’s toes and have overlapping duties and responsibilities. 
Thus, the need for a Center for Disease Control and Prevention which is a 
specialized agency tasked to tackle communicable disease prevention and control. 
September 14, 2022
8:00 am
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The Philippine CDC will have the policymaking latitude to decisively, quickly, and 
effectively respond to serious public health emergencies caused by infectious 
diseases. 
This bill would make the country proactive and better prepared for health 
emergencies and pandemics. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
 HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, ESTABLISHING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE THE CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Center for 
Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Act". 
SEC. 2.  Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. The 
State also mandates the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive approach to 
health development.  
Towards this end, the State shall give high priority to the allocation of material and 
institutional resources to protect public health by ensuring that the Philippine health 
system is well-prepared to forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, injuries, 
and disabilities both of national and international concern. 
SEC. 3.  Definition of Terms – As used in this Act: 
(a) Communicable disease, also known as contagious disease, refers to an illness
resulting from an infection, or a disease, which can be transmitted from an
infected host individual or group to a particular individual or group. It spreads
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through direct, bodily contact with an infected person, their discharges, or an 
object or surface they have contaminated; 
 
(b) Disease refers to an illness due to a specific toxic substance, occupational 
exposure or infectious agent, which affects a susceptible individual, either 
directly or indirectly, from an infected animal or person, or indirectly through an 
intermediate host, vector, or the environment;  
 
(c) Disease surveillance refers to a systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, 
and dissemination of outcome and specific data for use in the planning, 
implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. A disease surveillance 
system includes the functional capacity for data analysis as well as the timely 
dissemination of these data to persons who can undertake effective disease 
prevention and control activities;  
 
(d) Epidemic or outbreak refers to an occurrence of more cases of disease than 
normally expected within a specific place or group of people over a given period 
of time; 
 
(e) Infectious disease refers to a clinically manifested disease of humans or 
animals resulting from an infection which can be communicable or non-
communicable;  
 
(f) Public health emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness 
or health condition that: 
 
(1) Is caused by any of the following: 
 
(i) Bio terrorism; 
 
(ii)  Appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated 
infectious agent or biological toxin; 
 
(iii)  A natural disaster; 


 
 
 
 
(iv)  A chemical attack or accidental release; 
 
(v)  A nuclear attack or accident; or 
 
(vi)  An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and, 
 
(2) Poses a high probability of any of the following: 
 
(i) 
A large number of deaths in the affected population; 
 
(ii) 
A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the 
affected population; 
 
(iii) 
Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a 
significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people in 
the affected population; 
 
(iv) 
International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses 
a significant risk to the health of citizens of other countries; or 
 
(v)      Trade and travel restrictions; 
 
(g) Quarantine refers to the physical separation and confinement of an individual 
or groups of individuals, who are or may have been exposed to a contagious or 
possibly contagious disease and who do not show signs or symptoms of a 
contagious disease, from non-quarantined individuals, to prevent or limit the 
transmission of the disease.  
 
SEC. 4. Creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control. – 
The Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) is hereby created as 
an attached agency to the Department of Health (DOH) for policy and program 
coordination.  
 


 
 
 
SEC. 5. Powers, Functions, and Duties. – The CDC shall be the technical authority 
on all matters regarding disease prevention and control. To carry out the provisions of 
this Act, the CDC shall have the following powers, functions, and duties:  
 
(a) Policy and Standards Development: 
 
(1) Provide technical guidance to the development of policies, programs, 
standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation systems on the 
forecasting, prevention, monitoring, and control of diseases, injuries, and 
disabilities both of national and international concern; 
 
(2) Set the standards and the process for the establishment of Epidemiology 
and Surveillance Units or its corresponding surveillance reporting units, 
pursuant to law; 
 
(3) Provide quality assurance programs to ensure the quality of testing for 
laboratories; 
 
(4) Conduct researches for development in support of the CDC mandate to 
forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, injuries, and disabilities 
both of national and international concern; 
 
(5) Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the declaration 
of a state of public health emergency, in case of an epidemic of national or 
international concern; and, 
  
(6) Set the parameters for the declaration of the existence as well as the end 
of an epidemic. 
 
(b) Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: 
 
(1) Develop, implement, and maintain training programs on specialized fields 
such as field epidemiology, health emergency of biological concern, 


 
 
 
laboratory services, infectious and tropical diseases, and non-
communicable diseases; 
 
(2) Assess and support the capabilities of health facilities and local government 
units (LGUs) on forecasting, preventing, monitoring, and controlling 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international 
concern; and, 
 
(3) Provide technical assistance and expert services to DOH offices, and 
collaborating and implementing agencies or offices on matters pertaining to 
forecasting, preventing, monitoring, and controlling diseases, injuries, and 
disabilities both of national and international concern. 
 
(c) Sectoral and Local Engagements: 
 
(1) Promote coordination and collaboration with partner agencies and 
organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate; 
 
(2) Coordinate, collaborate, and disseminate relevant scientific and technical 
information in a timely manner with partner agencies and international and 
local organizations on matters pertaining to CDC mandate; and, 
 
(3) Disseminate relevant scientific and technical information in a timely manner 
with partner agencies, and international and local organizations on matters 
pertaining to CDC mandate. 
 
(d) Surveillance: 
 
(1) Develop, implement, and maintain an integrated surveillance system of 
diseases, injuries, and disabilities; 
 
(2) Provide technical guidance on the development, implementation and 
maintenance, and monitoring of health system capacity such as operational 
capacities of health facilities, and performance management of the 


 
 
 
response systems, in terms of contact tracing, quarantine, isolation, and 
other significant population-based health services; 
 
(3) Investigate and respond through surveillance and disease notification, 
investigation, and conduct of field studies and research to outbreaks, 
epidemics, and other public health threats as the need arises; 
 
(4) Develop and maintain a network of public health laboratories in support of 
epidemiology and surveillance activities; 
 
(5) Facilitate the issuance of appropriate warnings to the regional CDC and 
health facilities in anticipation of impending public health threats and 
infectious disease outbreak; 
 
(6) Utilize various information and communication technologies (ICT) in 
management of data and dissemination of early warning and other 
appropriate information to stakeholders and the public; and, 
 
(7) Develop communication methods for wider and more effective and unified 
delivery of critical public health information with national or international 
importance. 
 
(e) Provide technical guidance on the procurement of vaccines, drugs, and 
diagnostics; 
 
(f) Provide technical guidance on the monitoring and evaluation framework for 
disease prevention and control; 
 
(g) Certify to the existence of an epidemic which shall be treated as a public health 
emergency; and, 
 
(h) Perform such other functions as may be mandated by law, or as may be duly 
delegated by relevant authorities. 
 


 
 
 
SEC. 6.  Director General. – The CDC shall be headed by a Director General with a 
rank of Undersecretary, who shall be assisted by two (2) Deputy Directors General 
with a rank of Assistant Secretary. The Director General and the Deputy Directors 
General shall be appointed by the President from a list of at least three (3) nominees 
for each position to be submitted by the DOH Secretary. The Director General and 
Deputy Directors General shall have at least ten (10) years of relevant experience and 
proven expertise in the fields of public health and epidemiology. 
 
The Director General shall have the following powers and functions: 
  
(a) Manage and direct the activities and functions of the CDC; 
 
(b) Advise the DOH Secretary on policy matters concerning the Center’s activities; 
 
(c) Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the exercise of 
special powers in case of an epidemic, including the declaration of a public 
health emergency; 
  
(d) Act as the national International Health Regulations Focal Point, subject to 
consultation with DOH; and, 
 
(e) Perform other functions and powers that may be assigned by the DOH 
Secretary.  
 
SEC. 7. Transfer of DOH Units and Functions.  – The following DOH units and their 
concerned divisions and functions are hereby transferred to the CDC: 
 
(a) Epidemiology Bureau;  
  
(b) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; 
 
(c) Sexually Transmitted Disease – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 
Cooperative Central Laboratory; 
 


 
 
 
(d) Select functions of the International Health Surveillance Division of the Bureau 
of Quarantine as follows: 
 
(1) Passive international health surveillance; and,  
 
(2) Development of  communication methods for wider and more effective 
delivery of critical public health information with international importance; 
and, 
 
(e) Technical and standard setting functions of the Disease Prevention and Control 
Bureau including that of the Mental Health Division, Cancer Division and Oral 
Health Division. 
 
All powers, functions, assets, capital, records, funds, receivables, equipment and 
facilities of the transferred DOH units or its division or function enumerated herein 
shall be transferred to the CDC. The Department of Heath shall conduct an audit 
and inventory of assets, liabilities and human resources of the transferred agencies 
to CDC without need of conveyance or transfer of assignments. 
 
SEC. 8. Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. – There shall be 
established Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (RCDCs) in all 
regions of the country. Each Regional CDC shall be headed by a Regional Director, 
who shall be under the supervision of the CDC Director General.  
 
The functions of RCDCs include: 
 
(a) Prevention, control, and surveillance of diseases;     
 
(b) Provision of laboratory services for detection and identification of infectious 
disease agents from human, environmental samples, and food;  
 
(c) Maintenance of an integrated data management system; 
 


 
 
 
(d) Implementation of quality assurance programs for clinical and environmental 
laboratories through training, consultation, certification and proficiency 
testing;  
 
(e) Policy development; 
 
(f) Emergency response;  
 
(g) Public health-related research; 
 
(h) Training and education; 
 
(i) Maintenance of infectious disease hospitals for referral and management of 
cases; 
 
(j) Establishment of strong communication networks; and, 
 
(k) Other functions that may be assigned by the Director General.  
 
The RCDCs shall be composed of specialists in the fields of infectious diseases, public 
health, epidemiology and similar fields.  
 
SEC. 9. Structure and Staffing Pattern. –  
 
(a) The CDC shall initially have the following offices, each to be headed by an 
officer with the salary and rank of Director IV: 
 
(1) Center for Epidemic Intelligence and Disease Surveillance; 
 
(2) Center for Research, Training, and Reference Laboratory; 
 
(3) Center for Infectious Disease Emergency Preparedness and Response; 
 
(4) Center for Policy and Program Development; 


 
 
 
 
(5) Communications Office; and 
 
(6) Administrative and Finance Office. 
 
(b) The CDC Director General, subject to the issuance of an executive order by 
the President and approval of the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM), may create or abolish units, offices, or centers as needed to carry out 
all provisions of this Act.  
 
(c) The CDC Director General, in consultation with the DOH and the DBM, shall: 
 
(1) Develop the organizational structure of the CDC at the national, regional, 
and local levels; 
 
(2) Determine the divisions and specific functions of each unit, center, or 
office of the CDC; and  
 
(3) Determine the staffing pattern, qualification standards, compensation, 
and position classification plan for the CDC subject to the approval of the 
Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the DBM. 
 
SEC. 10.   Qualifications Standards for Appointment and Promotion. – The DOH 
shall, in consultation with the CSC, and pertinent agencies as may be necessary, 
develop the qualification standards in terms of education, training and experience for 
all technical and non-technical positions in the CDC, and the system for promotion and 
succession plan in the CDC. 
 
SEC. 11.  Continuing Competency Development Program. – The CDC shall, 
through the Director General, devise and implement a continuing competency 
development program whereby all core personnel shall be required to update and 
enrich competencies through attendance in programs, studies, researches, 
fellowships, workshops, seminars, including training opportunities in reputable foreign 
CDCs. Compliance with the Continuing Competency Development Program shall be 


 
 
 
the mandatory basis for promotion within the CDC. The CDC shall develop 
mechanisms to tap funding opportunities to implement its Continuing Competency 
Development Program. 
 
SEC. 12.  Modernization Program. – The Director General shall, in consultation with 
the DOH and other concerned agencies of government and the private sector, develop 
a modernization program that will strengthen the human health resource of the CDC, 
which is the key component of the country’s disease prevention and control policy. 
The modernization program shall include the acquisition and upgrading of appropriate 
technologies, laboratories, facilities, equipment, other needed resources, and the 
needed relocation and acquisition of additional land or location that would house the 
CDC. 
 
Within one hundred eighty (180) days after the effectivity of this Act, the Director 
General shall, upon the recommendation of the DOH and DBM Secretaries, submit 
the modernization program for the consideration and approval of Congress in a joint 
resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate. 
 
The modernization program shall be implemented over a period of five (5) years.  
 
Appropriations for the modernization program shall be provided in the annual General 
Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
SEC. 13. Strengthened Epidemiology, Public Health Surveillance, and Research 
Capacities. - To ensure that epidemiology and public health surveillance services are 
efficient and responsive, and public health surveillance and research capacities are 
strengthened and updated to international standards, the CDC shall: 
 
(a) Prioritize investments in upgrading of ICT and adequate and capacitated 
human resources for epidemiology, public health surveillance, and public 
health and clinical research; 
 
(b) Have a premier facility for clinical laboratory, epidemiologic and 
implementation research, and training on infectious and tropical diseases; 


 
 
 
 
(c) Develop performance-based incentives to private health facilities with 
established epidemiology and surveillance functions; 
 
(d) Re-nationalize local epidemiology and surveillance units (LESUs) that will 
solely provide epidemiology and disease surveillance services and provide 
assistance to the LGUs in the establishment and maintenance of surveillance 
systems, data management, and generation of strategic epidemiologic 
information: Provided, That the DOH, CDC, and DBM, shall develop the 
staffing pattern and qualification standards: Provided, further, That LESUs 
shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Regional CDCs; 
 
(e) Retain and provide incentives to technical experts, practitioners and scientists, 
whereby the scientific career system is adopted, allowing them to continue 
their respective  clinical and professional practice to pursue research studies 
and receive grants and honoraria, in consultation with the CSC. Qualified 
employees of the CDC and its attached units shall be covered by Republic Act 
No. 8439, otherwise known as “Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, 
Researchers and Other Science and Technology Personnel in Government;” 
 
(f) Develop and implement training and research programs to develop more 
experts and practitioners in the field of epidemiology, and disease prevention 
and control; and, 
 
(g) Develop a mechanism to ensure interoperability and accessibility of 
surveillance systems. 
 
SEC. 14.  Strengthened Disease Surveillance and Response. – The CDC shall 
establish integrated disease surveillance and response systems utilizing, whenever 
necessary, all technological means available while ensuring that data privacy and 
patient confidentiality are maintained. The CDC and authorized public health 
authorities shall have complete access and right to collect personal information and 
other data, as may be deemed necessary in fulfillment of their mandate. All data or 
information and samples collected pursuant thereto shall be used for public health 


 
 
 
concern purposes only and shall be exempted from the provisions of R.A. No. 10173, 
otherwise known as the “Data Privacy Act of 2012” on accessibility of data.   
 
SEC. 15.  National Reference Laboratories.– The CDC shall establish a new, state 
of the art facility that will serve as the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), unifying 
all NRLs for biological, chemical, nuclear and radiologic emergencies under one roof, 
within 5 years from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That the existing NRLs in the 
East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, 
National Kidney Transplant Institute and San Lazaro Hospital shall continue to be 
under the respective hospitals:  Provided further, That these existing NRLs shall serve 
as referral laboratories of the CDC and be included in the Modernization Program of 
the CDC. 
 
The NRL shall provide technical recommendations, laboratory confirmatory services, 
training, and external quality assurance, and perform surveillance, outbreak response, 
kit evaluation, and research. It shall oversee the functions and performance of the 
network of subnational laboratories (SNL). 
 
SNLs shall be established in all regions, with the capability of conducting confirmatory 
testing for routine surveillance samples and performing specialized tests. SNLs, 
whose functions include testing for routine surveillance and specialized tests, shall be 
under CDC administratively. Hospitals housing the SNLs shall create a separate unit 
for their regular hospital laboratory needs. 
 
The CDC, through the NRLs and SNLs, shall provide technical guidance and quality 
assurance programs to biosafety levels 2, 3 and 4 laboratories in the country, which 
shall be registered with, and regulated by the DOH. 
 
SEC. 16.  Authority to Solicit, Negotiate, and Receive Donations, Grants, Gifts, 
Legacies, Endowments, and Contributions. – The CDC may solicit, negotiate with, 
and receive from any public or private domestic or foreign sources legacies, gifts, 
donations, grants, endowments, contributions or other transfers of ownership and/or 
possession of real or personal properties of all kinds in favor and for the benefit of the 
CDC, which shall all be part of the special account in the general fund managed by 


 
 
 
the Bureau of Treasury.  
 
The Director General shall prescribe the measures necessary for the proper use, 
maintenance safekeeping, and compliance with the terms and conditions, if any, of 
said donations, grants, endowments, contributions or transfers in accordance with 
pertinent accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations.  
 
SEC. 17. Tax Exemptions. – Donations, grants, gifts, endowments, legacies, and 
contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for the purpose of the CDC shall 
be exempt from donor’s tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction 
from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor, in 
accordance with Sec. 34 (H)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as 
amended. Likewise, such other transfers of ownership and/or possession of real or 
personal properties of all kinds shall be exempt from all taxes.  
 
SEC. 18.  Joint Congressional Oversight Committee - There shall be a Joint 
Congressional Oversight Committee on Disease Prevention and Control, jointly 
chaired by the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, 
and the House of Representatives Committee on Health. It shall be composed of five 
(5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of 
Representatives, to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, respectively. 
 
SEC. 19.  Appropriations. - The initial amount needed for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the offices and the 
RITM herein absorbed by the CDC. Thereafter, the funding of which shall be included 
in the annual GAA.  
 
SEC. 20. Transitory Provisions. –  
 
(a) Upon effectivity of this Act, the CDC shall develop a Framework for Infectious 
Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness, and prioritize the strengthening of  the 
following functions: 
 


 
 
 
(i) 
Integrated disease surveillance and response; 
 
(ii) 
Sentinel surveillance; 
 
(iii) 
Laboratory-based surveillance; 
 
(iv) 
Periodic population-based surveillance; and, 
 
(v) 
Preventing transmission of communicable diseases. 
 
(b) The CDC shall initially prioritize disease surveillance and prevention and 
control of infectious diseases. Within five (5) years from its creation, and upon 
positive recommendation by an independent study or body commissioned by 
the DOH, the surveillance, prevention and control of non-communicable 
diseases shall be included in its mandate; 
 
(c) For the year during which this Act was approved, the unexpended portion of 
the budget of the offices and units transferred shall be utilized for establishing 
the CDC and initiating its operations, including the formulation of the rules and 
regulations necessary for the implementation of this Act; 
 
(d) To the greatest extent possible and in accordance with existing laws, all 
employees of the affected offices, agencies and units shall be absorbed by 
the CDC.  Personnel hired on a permanent basis and with appointments 
attested by the CSC who may be affected by the transition of DOH units to 
CDC, or who will not be absorbed in the new positions of the new staffing 
pattern of the different offices in the CDC, shall have the option to: 
 
(1) Be transferred to other units or offices within the DOH without reduction in 
pay; or 
 
(2) Avail of the applicable retirement benefits as provided under R.A. 6656, 
entitled “An Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers 


 
 
 
and Employees in the Implementation of Government Reorganization” 
and other relevant laws; 
 
(e) Incumbent DOH officials and employees of affected DOH offices may apply for 
and be transferred to the CDC, subject to an evaluation of their competency 
and CSC regulations; 
(f) Research grants acquired during the transition of DOH transferred units to CDC 
shall be utilized solely for the grants’ intended purposes for each of the affected 
units or offices, and shall not be made available for budget realignments; 
 
(g) Existing contracts and agreements entered into by the affected offices with 
third parties prior to the enactment of this Act shall remain valid. 
The DBM, DOH, and CSC shall issue the implementing guidelines to ensure fair, 
orderly, and transparent implementation of paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. 
 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within one hundred and twenty 
(120) working days from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH Secretary shall promulgate 
the necessary rules and regulations for its implementation.   
 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,