EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
oltlje^,cieklip
First Regular Session
SENATE
S.B. No.
Introduced by SENATOR RICHARD 3. GORDON
AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
PREVENTION, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, , AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The outbreak of the disease caused by the 2019 novel Corona Virus 
(2019-nCoV), now officially called by the World Health Organization, as the 
CoronaVirus Disease, 2019 or "COVID-19," has infected more than 2.7 
million people in the world and killed more than 190,000. In the Philippines, 
there are almost 7,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 462 have diedfrom 
the disease.This is a dire reminder that communicable and infectious 
diseases and public health threats respect no borders. As such, it is timely 
and in the nation's interest for the Philippines to join the global fight in 
combating infectious diseases and other potential health threats, by creating 
an independent and competent national Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
The Covid-19 is only the latest public health challenge that the 
Department of Health (DOH) has had to face in the past year. In 2019, the 
country was besieged by various disease outbreaks, including dengue, 
diphtheria, measles and polio. The recent onslaught of communicable 
diseases in the country have resulted to high and alarming morbidity and 
mortality rate:
aj Measles - On February 2019, DOH declared a measles outbreak in 
various regions in the country. From January to October 2019, reported 
cases of measles Is 42, 200 cases of measles. 560 Filipinos have died


due to measles complications. About 80% of the people affected by the 
measles outbreak were children aged 4 years or younger.
b) Dengue - In August 2019, DOH declared a national dengue epidemic. 
From January to November 2019, DOH reported that more than a total 
of 371,717 dengue cases have been reported from January to November 
2019, including the 1,407 deaths. Almost half of the people who died of 
the disease were children between 5 and 9 years of age.
c) Polio - On 19 September 2019, an outbreak of polio was declared in 
the Philippines, 19 years after the country was declared polio free. 
Children aged 5 years old and below in the Philippines are at risk of 
lifelong paralysis because of this outbreak.
d) Diphtheria - From January to October 2019, more than 200 cases of 
diphtheria, a bacterial infection affecting the nose and the throat, have 
been reported, 47 of which have resulted to death.
The recent outbreaks, as well as the Government's response to the 
threat of 2019-nCoV, highlight the lack of preparedness and capability of our 
public health units to effectively prevent and control possible epidemic of 
communicable diseases. These units - the Disease Prevention and Control 
Bureau, Epidemiology Bureau and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, 
which are sub-units of DOH, lack the capacity to undertake the range of 
research, leadership and management, as well the adequate facilities needed 
to control communicable diseases. Although, the Department of Health's 
earnest efforts is recognized, there is a clear and vital need to reform the 
Government's reactive approach and current policies on disease threats and 
control of infectious diseases.
However, the world today is not only combatting new infectious diseases, 
it is also witnessing an ever-increasing range of other of global health threats 
such as chronic diseases, bio-terrorism, etc. Consequently, the public is 
increasingly demanding that the government come up with fundamental 
solutions to address such global and local health threats. Accordingly, the 
public's expectations are growing for the government's crucial role in 
increasing health security.
With the foregoing in mind, a national Center for Disease Control 
C'CDC'O is urgently needed to serve as an authoritative and independent 
decision-making body that will lead and coordinate the Government's prompt 
and effective public health response to manage diseases and other public


health threats, including outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious 
diseases.
This bill seeks to establish a Philippine Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention, which shall be the principal health protection agency of the 
Phiiippines tasked to prevent, protect and manage the spread of diseases and 
other health threats originating domestically and internationally. Under this 
bill, the CDC shall be country's epidemiology and surveillance body sufficiently 
funded and equipped with bio-safety level 2-4 laboratories.
The bill also aims to provide effective measures to control and prevent 
diseases, which include engaging In global andJecal health surveillance of 
current and emerging/re-emerging infectiopsT^iseas
In view of the foregoing, the ai
ft})isJiillfej^gently sought.
RICHARD 3. GORDON


BGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
loll
,c? ^rfrrfar^
20 APR 27
SENATE
S.B. No. 1440
received BV;
Introduced by SENATOR RICHARD 3. GORDON
AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
PREVENTION, DEHNING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
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Be it enacted by die Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
CHAPTER I
TITLE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
SECTION 1. Titie. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention Act" or the "Philippine CDC Act."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State:
(a) 
To protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill 
health consciousness among them;
(b) 
To adopt, support, establish and maintain an effective health 
mechanism responsive to the country's health, needs, emergency 
and other emerging health problems;
(c) 
To ensure the health and wellbeing of Rlipinos and protect them 
from infectious diseases, chronic diseases and other public health 
threats;


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(d) 
To prevent the emergence and transmission of serious and 
communicable diseases;
(e) 
To provide a framework for control and prevention of diseases in the 
country; and
(f) 
To establish a health protection agency that will increase the health 
security of the Rlipinos and protect them from diseases and other 
public health threats, domestically and internationally.
In the Implementation of the foregoing, the Government shall devote 
significant material and institutional resources to provide for an effective disease 
control and prevention program through a high-level public institution imbued 
with the capacity, competence and authority to confront global and local public 
health risks.
SEC. 3. Objective — The objective of this Act Is to:
(a) 
Protect the Rlipino people from the impact of communicable and 
non-communicable diseases of public health importance;
(b) 
Maintain the highest state alertness to detect and respond to disease 
outbreaks, public health disasters, mass morbidity and mortality due 
to pathogenic, chemical or biological agents;
(c) 
Develop and coordinate capabilities measures and activities to 
control outbreaks and mitigate the health impact of public health 
disasters;
(d) 
Develop and coordinate an information network for the reporting 
notification of communicable and chronic diseases;
(e) 
Develop and make accessible guidelines and standards for relevant 
public health activities at ail levels In the country;
(f) 
Communicate information to the public on the need to protect 
themselves from public health threats as well as health professional 
on the need to safely manage their patients and protect themselves; 
and


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(g) Lead the country's implementation of International Health 
Regulations and coordinate its participation in international disease 
prevention and control activities by establishing and maintaining 
close communication and collaboration with relevant international 
health organizations, as well as other foreign States.
CHAPTER II 
DEFINITION OF TERMS
SEC. 4. Definition (ff Terms - As used in this Act, the following terms 
shall mean:
(a) 
Apprehension - the temporary taking into custody of an individual 
or group for purposes of determining whether quarantine. Isolation, 
or conditional release is warranted.
(b) 
Communicable / Infectious diseases- infectious diseases or 
illnesses due to Infectious agents or their toxic products, which may 
be transmitted from a reservoir to a susceptible host either directly as 
from an infected person or animal or indirectly through the agency of 
an intermediate plant or animal host, vector, or the inanimate 
environment.
(c) 
Detention - the temporary holding of a person, ship, aircraft, or 
other carrier, animal, or thing in such place and for such period of 
time as may be determined by the Executive Director.
(d) 
Disease - an illness due to a specific toxic substance, occupational 
exposure or infectious agent, which affects a susceptible individual, 
either directly or Indirectly, as from an infected animal or person, or 
Indirectly through an intermediate host, vector, or the environment.
(e) 
Disease control — the reduction of disease incidence, prevalence, 
morbidity or mortality to a locally acceptable level as a result of 
deliberate efforts and continued intervention measures to maintain 
the reduction.
(f) 
Disease surveillance — the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, 
interpretation, and dissemination of outcome-specific data for use in 
the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health


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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 prevention and control 
activities;
(g) 
Disinfection — the killing of infectious agents or inactivation of their 
toxic products outside the body by direct exposure to chemical or 
physical agents.
(h) 
Disinfestation — any chemical or physical process serving to 
destroy or remove undesired small animal forms, particularly 
arthropods or rodents, present upon the person, the clothing, or the 
environment of an individual, or upon animals and carriers.
(i) 
Emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases - are diseases 
that have recently appeared within a population or those whose 
incidence or geographic range Is rapidly increasing or threatens to 
increase In the near future, that:
(1) 
have not occurred in humans before;
(2) 
have occurred previously but affected only small numbers of 
people in isolated areas;
(3) 
are caused by previously undetected or unknown infectious 
agents;
(4) 
are due to mutant or resistant strains of a causative organism or 
bacteria; and
(5) 
Re-emergence of agents whose Incidence of disease had 
significantly declined in the past, but whose incidence of disease 
has reappeared.
(j) 
Epidemic/outbreak — an occurrence of disease in in excess of 
normal expectancy within a specific place or group of people over a 
given period of time;
(k) 
Epidemiological investigation - refers to an inquiry to the 
incidence, prevalence, extent, source, mode of transmission, 
causation of, and other information pertinent to a disease 
occurrence;


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(l) 
Epidemiology — the study of the distribution and determinants of 
health-related states or events (induding disease), and the 
application of this study to the control of diseases and other health 
problems;
(m) 
Executive Director - refer to the Executive Director of the CDC.
(n) 
Isolation — the separation of an individual or group reasonably 
believed to be infected with a quarantinable communicable disease 
from those who are healthy to prevent the spread of the 
quarantinable communicable disease.
(o) 
Health event of public health concern/Public health even -
refers to either a public health emergency or a public health threat 
due to biological, chemical, radio-nuclear and environmental agents;
(p) 
Notifiable disease - a disease that, by legal requirements, must be 
reported to the public health authorities.
(q) 
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 acddental 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;
(ili)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)Intemational exposure to an Infectious or toxic agent that 
poses a significant risk to the health of citizens of other 
countries; or


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(v) Trade and travel restrictions.
(r) 
Port — means any place in the Philippines and any navigable river or 
channel leading to such place under the Revised Charter of the 
Philippine Ports Authority and includes an airport.
(s) 
Public health threat — any situation or factor that may represent a 
danger to the health of the people due to biological, chemical, radio- 
nuclear and environmental agents.
(t) 
Public health prevention measures-the assessment of an 
individual through non-invasive procedures and other means, such as 
observation, questioning, review of travel documents, records 
review, and other non-invasive means, to determine the individual's 
health status and potential public health risk to others.
(u) 
Quarantine - the compulsory detention in isolation or separation of 
an individual or group reasonably believed to have been exposed to 
a quarantinable communicable disease, but who are not yet ill, from 
others who have not been so exposed, to prevent the possible 
spread of the quarantinable communicable disease.
(v) 
Response — refers to the implementation of specific activities to 
control further spread of infection, outbreaks or, epidemics and 
prevent re-occurrence. It includes verification, contact tracing, rapid 
risk assessment, case measures, treatment of patients, risk 
communication, conduct of prevention activities, and rehabilitation.
CHAPTER 111
CREATION AND FUNCTIONS 
OF A NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISEASE 
CONTROL AND PREVENTION
SEC. 5. Creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention. - (a) There is hereby created an Independent body to be known as 
the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, hereinafter referred to 
as "CDC".


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(b) 
The (DC shall be the country's epidemiology and surveillance body 
sufficiently funded and equipped with bio-safety level 2 to 4 laboratories.
(c) 
The CDC shall be the principal agency tasked to identify, assess 
and communicate current and emerging threats to human health posed by 
diseases of national and international importance and other health risks of public 
concern.
(d) 
The (DC shall carry out activities for the prevention and control of 
communicable diseases for promotion of public health.
(e) 
The CIX shall be attached to the Department of Health for policy 
and program coordination.
SEC. 6. Functions. - The CDC shall have the following functions:
(a) 
Prevent, detect, monitor and control diseases of national and 
international public health importance. Including emerging and re- 
emerging diseases;
(b) 
Maintain active surveillance of diseases through epidemiologic and 
laboratory investigations and data collection, analysis, and distribution,
(c) 
Develop, maintain and coordinate systems of and database for 
epidemiological surveillance, in order to detect public health threats, 
guide health Interventions and set public health priorities;
(d) 
Investigate disease outbreaks and other threats to public health;
(e) 
Develop and maintain a network of reference and specialized 
laboratories for pathogen detection, disease surveillance and outbreak 
response;
(f) 
Strengthen diagnostic capacity for and laboratory surveillance of 
infectious diseases;
(g) 
Develop and maintain guidelines and processes for specimen 
collection and transportation to reference laboratories;


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(h) 
Conduct^ collate, synthesize and disseminate public health research to 
inform policy and guide on diseases of public health Importance, and 
put in place a national public health research agenda and databases;
(i) 
Maintain a Registry of Notifiable Diseases, which shall be published 
and updated online;
0) Strengthen national heafih information systems to support prevention 
and control measures of communicable diseases;
(k) 
Provide Information to the public through multiple platforms on 
diseases and public health events;
(l) 
Coordinate the operationalization of, and ongoing International health 
regulations, including regional disease surveillance and control 
activities and lead the collaboration with global health agencies;
(m) Provide support and coordinate the control of national and trans- 
border responses to mass public health emergencies, such as mass 
casualties, floods, nuclear, biological, and chemical terrorism, disease 
outbreaks and heavy metal poisoning;
(n) 
Develop and maintain a communication network with all public health 
institutions, with roles in mitigating the impact of diseases;
(o) 
Provide scientific guidelines for local production of vaccines and other 
biological agents, such as diagnostic kits, sera and anti-sera, food 
science and nutritional products, and other elated substances useful 
for health services, through locally developed technology or 
technology transfer;
(p) 
Provide support to the Department of Health for the development of 
evidence-based guidelines and policies, as well as the implementation 
of programmes relating to disease prevention and control, in line with 
international guidelines and recommendations;


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CDC
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functions 1
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SEC,
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(a)
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Governments preventing and managing 
transmission of communicable diseases;
the emergence and
Provide technical support to relevant government institutions on 
environmental health activities, as it relates to disease prevention, 
control and emergency disaster response;
Provide technical support for health disaster risk-reduction and 
management In collaboration wnth other major stockholders in the 
country;
Health as regards 
management;
to disease control, prevention and disaster
Recommend to the Secretary of Health the parameters for the 
declaration of the existence of an epidemic;
Set the standards and the process for the establishment of 
Epidemiology and Surveillance Units, as required under Section 8 of 
Republic Act No. 11332, and assist DOH-retained hospitals, local 
health fadlities and private hospitals and laboratories In establishing 
ESUs and assess their performance
Epidemiology Training Programme; and
relevant authorities, as well as those that may be necessary or 
expedient for the performance of Its functions under this Act.
SEC. 7. Powers. - The CDC shall have the following powers:
and disasters in order to minimize the impact on health;


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(b) 
Obtain or require submission of information, data, clinical samples and 
report on diseases of public health relevaixe and control of public 
health events, including communicable diseases, emergencies and 
disasters within Philippines;
(c) 
Develop and enforce the use of standards, protocols and guidelines for 
disease prevention and control. Including diagnostics, disease 
detection and reporting in compliance with international best 
practices;
(d) 
Collaborate with the Ports and Airports Health Services Division of the 
Department of Health to operate quarantine services, including 
Inspection, isolation, detection and management of quarantine 
stations at points of entry Into the Philippines to prevent the entry of 
communicable diseases from foreign countries Into and within the 
Philippines;
(e) 
Implement and coordinate disease detection, prevention and control 
activities, including international health regulations, surveillance, 
disease preparedness and response, capacity building for health 
workers, research and ethical standards as it relates to disease of 
public health importance;
(f) 
Coordinate relevant health sectors on the preparation and response to 
public health emergencies and disasters in the country, including 
networking and liaising with relevant establishments within and 
outside the Philippines pursuant to the functions of CDC;
(g) Accredit Epidemiology and Surveillance Units based on the standards 
set by CDC; and
(h) 
Perform such acts as may be necessary for or incidental to discharge 
Its functions under this Act
CHAPTER IV
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE,
MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF THE CENTER
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SEC 8. Local Centers and Field Offices. The Center shall have local 
centers and field offices with concomitant laboratories with at least bio-safety 
levels 2,3 and 4 (BSL 2, BSL 3 and BSL 4) geographically dispersed across the 
Philippines.
SEC. 9. Operational Structure. Subject to the determination of the 
Secretary of Health, in consultation with public health experts, the operational 
structure of CDC may comprise of:
(a) Office of the Executive-Director;
(b) Divisions headed by Directors:
(1) Outbreak and Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response
(2) 
Epidemiology and Surveillance
(3) Planning, Research and Statistics
(4) Laboratory and Diagnostic Services,
(5) Infectious Diseases
(6) 
Non-Infectious Diseases;
(7) Rnance and Accounts, and
(8) Human Resources and Administration.
(c) Such other departments as may 
performance and functions of CDC.
be required for the proper
SEC. 10. Transfer of Agencies. - (a) Functions and Properties. The 
following offices and agencies are hereby abolished and their powers and 
functions, applicable funds and appropriations, records, equipment and property 
are transferred to the CDC:
(1) Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of the Department of 
Health
(2) The Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health
(3) The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
(b) Personnel. Employees of the abolished agencies or offices that occupies 
non-technical positions shall be transferred to CDC. Officers and employees 
occupying technical positions must qualify and shall comply with the eligibility 
requirement set forth in Section 13.
SEC.11. Executive Director. — (a) Appointinent The CDC shall be 
headed by an Executive Director, with the rank of Undersecretary, who shall be
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(q) 
Provide guidance, technical and logistic support to the Local 
Governments preventing and managing the emergence and 
transmission of communicable diseases;
(r) 
Provide technical support to relevant government institutions on 
environmental health activities, as it relates to disease prevention, 
control and emergency disaster response;
(s) 
Provide technical support for health disaster risk-reduction and 
management in collaboration with other major stockholders in the 
country;
(t) 
Implement relevant decisions and regulations of the Department of 
Health as regards to disease control, prevention and disaster 
management;
(u) 
Recommend to the Secretary of Health the parameters for the 
declaration of the existence of an epidemic;
(v) 
Set the standards and the process for the establishment of 
Epidemiology and Surveillance Units, as required under Section 8 of 
Republic Act No. 11332, and assist DOH-retalned hospitals, local 
health facilities and private hospitals and laboratories in establishing 
ESUs and assess their performance
(w) Lead the training of field epidemiologists through the Philippine Field 
Epidemiology Training Programme; and
(x) 
Perform such function as may mandated by law or duly delegated by 
relevant authorities, as well as those that may be necessary or 
expedient for the performance of its functions under this Act.
CDC shall submit an annual detailed costed work plans relating to its 
functions to the Secretary of Health for approval.
SEC. 7. Powers. = The CDC shall have the following powers:
(a) Lead the response to disease outbreaks, public health emergencies 
and disasters in order to minimize the impact on health;


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(b) 
Obtain or require submission of information, data, clinical samples and 
report on diseases of public health relevance and control of public 
health events, including communicable diseases, emergencies and 
disasters within Philippines;
(c) 
Develop and enforce the use of standards, protocols and guidelines for 
disease prevention and control, including diagnostics, disease 
detection and reporting in compliance with international best 
practices;
(d) 
Collaborate with the Ports and Airports Health Services Division of the 
Department of Health to operate quarantine services, including 
inspection, isolation, detection and management of quarantine 
stations at points of entry into the Philippines to prevent the entry of 
communicable diseases from foreign countries into and within the 
Philippines;
(e) 
Implement and coordinate disease detection, prevention and control 
activities, including international health regulations, surveillance, 
disease preparedness and response, capacity building for health 
workers, research and ethical standards as It relates to disease of 
public health importance;
(f) 
Coordinate relevant health sectors on the preparation and response to 
public health emergencies and disasters in the country, including 
networking and liaising with relevant establishments within and 
o’jtcldc the Philippines pursuant to the functions of CDC;
(g) Accredit Epidemiology and Surveillance Units based on the standards 
set by CDC; and
(h) 
Perform such acts as may be necessary for or incidental to discharge 
its functions under this Act.
CHAPTER IV
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE,
MANAGEMENT AND
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SEC. 8. Local Centers and Field Offices. The Center shall have local 
centers and held offices with concomitant laboratories with at least bio-safety 
levels 2,3 and 4 (BSL 2, BSL 3 and BSL 4) geographically dispersed across the 
Philippines.
SEC. 9. Operational Structure. Subject to the determination of the 
Secretary of Health, in consultation with public health experts, the operational 
structure of CDC may comprise of:
(a) 
Office of the Executive-Director;
(b) 
Divisions headed by Directors:
(1) 
Outbreak and Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response
(2) 
Epidemiology and Surveillance
(3) 
Planning, Research and Statistics
(4) 
Laboratory and Diagnostic Services,
(5) 
Infectious Diseases
(6) 
Non-Infectious Diseases;
(7) 
Finance and Accounts, and
(8) 
Human Resources and Administration.
(c) Such other departments as may 
performance and functions of CDC.
be required for the proper
SEC. 10. Transfer of Agencies. - (a) Functions and Properties. The 
following offices and agencies are hereby abolished and their powers and 
functions, applicable funds and appropriations, records, equipment and property 
are transferred to the CDC:
(1) 
Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of the Department of 
Health
(2) The Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health
(3) The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
(b) Personnel. Employees of the abolished agencies or offices that occupies 
non-technical positions shall be transferred to CDC. Officers and employees 
occupying technical positions must qualify and shall comply with the eligibility 
requirement set forth in Section 13.
SEC.11. Executive Director. — (a) Appointment The CDC shall be 
headed by an Executive Director, with the rank of Undersecretary, who shall be
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appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health, 
on the basis of technical expertise, academic background and appropriate work 
experience.
(b) 
Eligibility. The Executive Director shall be a public health professional 
with at least 15 years of postgraduate qualification experience In relevant 
fields of medicine or public health. The Executive Director shall also possess 
a masterai or PhD degree In Epidemiology or other allied sciences. No 
person shall be eligible for appointment as Executive Director without 
satisfactorily passing the examination referred to In Section 13.
(c) 
Powers and functions. The Executive Director shall perform the 
following functions and powers:
(1) 
Manage and direct the activities of CDC;
(2) 
Coordinate CDC response to health emergencies;
(3) 
Certify to the existence of an epidemic, which shall be treated as 
a public health emergency;
(4) 
Recommend to the President the exercise of special powers in 
the case of an epidemic;
(5) 
Coordinate international health activities relating to disease 
prevention and control;
(6) 
Liaise with other government agencies, international
organizations, including the World Health Organization, learning 
Institutions and other outside groups;
(7) 
Appoint employees of CDC in accordance with civil service law, 
rules and regulations and Section 13 of this Act;
(d) 
Tenure. To ensure and uphold the independence of CDC, the 
Executive Director shall have security of tenure and shall not be removed 
from office unless for cause.
(e) 
Removal. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 11 (d), the 
Executive Director may be removed from office by the President of the 
Philippine on the following grounds:
(1) Inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official 
duties. Provided, that the performance of the Executive Director 
shall be evaluated by a panel formed for that purpose, which
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shall be composed of the Chairman of the Civil Service 
Commission and public health experts; and
(2) Inability to discharge the duty of the office, whether arising from 
the Infirmity of the mind or body, grave misconduct or In the 
public interests, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of 
Healtii and the Civil Service Commission.
SEC. 12. Staffing Pattern. - The Secretary of Health, in consultation 
with the public health experts and the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM), shall determine the qualificatjon standards, staffing pattern and 
compensation of the newly created CDC, in accordance with existing laws, rules 
and regulations.
SEC. 13. Examination for Appointment and Promotion. — (a). The 
DOH, in consultation with the National Institute for Health-Center for 
Epidemiology Unit (NIH=CEU) of the University of the Philippines-Manila, other 
academic institutions and public health experts, is mandated to prescribe and 
conduct a system of examination of:
(1) 
all persons applying for any position requiring technical expertise 
and special skills to determine their fitness and aptitude to 
perform the functions or duties of the position applied for.
(2) 
all employees and officers to determine their fitness for 
promotion to an officer-level position,
(b) 
The Executive Directors, Deputy Directors, Officers and technical 
employees shall only be appointed or promoted upon conferment of eligibility by 
the Department of Health, which shall be granted after undergoing and passing 
the examination referred to in subsection 13(a).
(c) 
No officer or employee who fails to pass the examination 
satisfactorily and reported unfit for promotion shall be eligible for appointment or 
promotion to a managerial/officer level position.
CHAPTER V
LABORATORIES, EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER AND EARLY 
WARNING AND RESPONSE SYSTEM
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SEC. 15. Biological Laboratories, (a) EstabUshm&it There shall be 
established HighContaInment Laboratories or Bio-Safety Level 3 and 4 (BSL-3 
and BSL-4) laboratories that are accessible and concomitant to the CDC national 
offices and local centers. The State shall endeavor to construct and fund at least 
one (1) BSL-4 laboratory and at least five (5) BSL-3 laboratories within ten (10) 
years from the effectivlty of this Act. CDC shall also construct, equip and 
maintain such number of Bio-Safety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratories as necessary. 
For this purpose, the CDC may partner with academic institutions, private 
companies, non-profit institutions, foreign states or international organizations.
(b) 
Funding. Appropriations for the construction and maintenance of 
biological laboratories referred to in subsection 15(a) of this Act shall be provided 
in the General Appropriations Act.
(c) 
Oversight and reguiatory functions. The CDC shall exercise supervisory 
and oversight functions over bio-safety levels 2 laboratories in the country. High- 
containment (BSL-3 and BSL 4) laboratories must be registered with and shall be 
regulated by the CDC.
SEC. 16. Emergency Operation Center. - There shall be established 
a Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is a central control tower to 
respond to infectious disease emergencies.
SEC. 17. Early Warning and Response System. — The CDC shall 
operate an Early Warning and Response System, which will ensure that the 
national government and local government units are able to respond In a timely 
and coordinated manner to emerging health threats in the country.
The CDC shall take action to ensure that the early warning and response 
system is efficiently and effectively linked with other forms of community alert 
systems.
CHAPTER VI
DISEASE MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE
SEC. 18. Public Heaitit Surveillance Programme, (a) The Executive 
Director may, from time to time, institute public health surveillance programmes 
or undertake epidemiological investigations or surveys of people, animals or
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vectors in order to determine the existence, prevalence or incidence, or to 
determine the likelihood of a possible outbreak, of-
1. any infectious disease; or
2. any other disease which the CDC or the Secretary of Health, by 
notification In the Official Gazette and in the official website of CDC 
and the Department of Health, declares to be a disease which this 
section applies.
(b) For the purpose of any public health surveillance programme, 
epidemiological investigation or survey under subsection 17(a), the Executive 
Director may issue an order requiring any person to furnish CDC, within the 
period stated therein, with -
1. such information as he may require and
2. any sample of any substance or matter in the possession of that 
person or control of that person, whether taken pursuant to this 
Act or otherwise, as he may consider necessary or appropriate.
SEC. 19. Obligation of Local Government Units - Local government 
units must provide the CDC in a timely manner available health and technical 
data relevant to the prevention and control of diseases.
SEC. 20. Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Disease and Health 
Events of Public Health Concern, (a) Transfer of functions. CDC shall perform 
the functions and obligations of the Epidemiology Bureau and the Department of 
Health under Sections 5 and 6 of Republic Act No. 11332, otherwise known as 
"Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health 
Concern Act"
(b) Mandatory reporting. All public and private physicians, allied 
medical personnel, professional societies, hospitals, clinics, health facilities, 
laboratories, institutions, workplaces, schools, prisons, ports, airports, 
establishments, communities, other government agencies, and NGOs are 
required to accurately and immediately report notifiable diseases and health 
events of public health concern to CDC;
CHAPTER VII
MEASURES FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
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SEC. 21. Authority to Promulgate and Enforce Rules and 
Regulations and Provide Penalties for Their Violations. - The Executive 
Director is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations as are 
necessary to control and prevent diseases within the country and to prevent the 
introduction, transmission or spread of communicable diseases from foreign 
countries into the Philippines or from one (1) domestic seaport/airport to another. 
For purposes of implementing these regulations, the Executive Director may 
provide public health preventive measures and intervention strategies such as 
health education and advisories, apprehensions, detention, isolation, quarantine, 
inspections, fumigation, disinfection, disinfestation, pest extermination, 
vaccination for international travel, medical examination of aliens/foreigners and 
destruction of animals or articles found to be Infected or contaminated as to be 
sources of infection to human beings in coordination with other concerned 
quarantine agencies such as veterinary quarantine, plant quarantine, etc. and 
other measures as the Executive Director's judgment may be necessary.
SEC. 22. Measures in the event of inadequate local control of 
communicable diseases. -Whenever the Executive Director determines that 
the measures taken by the health authorities of the Local Government Units are 
insufficient to prevent the outbreak of an infectious disease or spread of any of 
the communicable diseases, the Executive Director may take such measures to 
prevent such spread of the diseases as he/she deems reasonably necessary, 
including inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, and 
destruction of animals or articles believed to be sources of infection.
SEC. 23. Quarantine Stations. — The Executive Director, in 
coordination with the Bureau of Quarantine, with the approval of the Secretary of 
Health, may establish such additional quarantine stations, grounds and 
anchorages if, in the Executive Director's judgement, these are necessary to 
prevent the introduction of diseases of International concern Into the country. 
The Bureau of Quarantine shall retain its jurisdiction and functions provided 
under Republic Act No. 9271, otherwise known as "Quarantine Act of 2004."
SEC. 24. Special supervision over the Bureau of Quarantine. —
During a Public Health Emergency, in the interest of preventing a disease 
outbreak, endemic or pandemic, the Bureau of Quarantine shall report directly to 
the Executive Director. The CDC shall have full access to information in the 
possession of the Bureau of Quarantine.
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SEC. 25. Wakes and disposal of corpses, (a) When any person has 
died whilst being, or suspected of being, a case or carrier or contact of a 
communicable disease, the Executive Director may impose such conditions 
necessary for the conduct of the wake of the deceased, or the collection, 
removal and disposal of the body of that person.
(b) Any Health Officer of the Department of Health or CDC may take 
such steps as may be necessary to ensure that the order is complied with.
SEC. 26. Penalties, = Any person who violates any regulation prescribed 
or order issued pursuant this Chapter, or who enters or departs from the limit of 
any quarantine station, ground or anchorage in disregard of quarantine rules and 
regulations or without permission of the quarantine officer-in-charge shall be 
punished by fine of not more than Rve Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) or by 
imprisonment for not more than two (2) years, or both.
CHAPTER Vlll
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SEC. 27. Annual Report — CDC shall submit to Congress an annual 
evaluation of the current and emerging threats to health in the country and 
recommend such measures and policies as may be necessary to prevent the 
transmission of communicable diseases
SEC. 28. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current fiscal year's 
appropriation of the offices and agency herein absorbed by the CDC. Thereafter, 
the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the CDC shall be 
included in the General Appropriations Act.
Section 29. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected 
shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 30. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, rules and regulations, 
other issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent with any provision of this Act, are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Section 31. Effectivity, — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) 
days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation.
Approved,
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