Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._ 3085.

Introduced by Rep. Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For decades, eye diseases have been a priority concern because of the
gradual increase in'cases being treated in various eye clinics and hospitals. This
increase is attributed to an aging population, improper eye care, and complications
from other diseases, environmental factors, accidents and other related factors

Yet, the more common eye diseases are, to a great extent, preventable and
curable with early and adequate medical care, and prompt and intensive prevention
and health education programs.

Based on the latest data from the National Council on Disability Affairs, 11%
of the total registered disabilities, or 251,302 individuals have visual disability.’

Hence, there is an urgent need to consolidate and reinforce existing
programs, strategies, and efforts aimed at preventing, treating, and rehabilitating
people affected by eye diseases. Additionally, there is a need to undertake research
and training on the cure and prevention of eye diseases through the National Eye
Center, which will house and nurture these and related activities, and provide
tertiary-level care for more difficult and problematic cases.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly

sought.
Ex

1 District, Quezon

* National Councl on Disablty Affairs (htips:ncda gov phi). July 15, 2025


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3 85

Introduced by Rep. Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga

AN ACT CREATING THE NATIONAL EYE CENTER
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION. 1. There is hereby created a National Eye Center which is a quasi-
government institution attached to the Office of the President.

SEC. 2. The Center shall have its principal office in Metro Manila, and may have
such branch offices, hospitals, clinics or subsidiaries in other areas in the Philippines
as it may deem proper and necessary,

SEC. 3. The Center shall have the following purposes and objectives:

(a) To specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation
and/or relief of eye and allied diseases;

(b) To promote medical and scientific research relative to the prevention and
treatment of eye and allied diseases, and to encourage planning, invention
and development of artificial means of eye support and transplantation;

(©) To conduct fact finding investigations on eye diseases, and related field
throughout the country or elsewhere, and to report, publish and
disseminate information on eye and allied diseases;

(d) To finance, sponsor, hold or participate in congresses, conventions,
conferences, seminars, work-shops and training programs on eye diseases
and/or related field in the Philippines or abroad; and

(e)To stimulate the formation of other organizations on the national,
provincial, city and/or local levels, and to coordinate the various efforts
and activities of such organization for the purpose of achieving a more
effective approach to the common problem relative to the purposes and
objectives enumerated herein.


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SEC. 4, For the attainment and/or furtherance of the above enumerated purposes
and objectives, the Center as a body corporate acting through its Board of
Trustees, shall have the following powers and functions:

(a) To adopt and use a corporate seal;
(b) To sue and be sued in its corporate name;

(c) To adopt its by-laws, rules and regulations as it may deem proper and
necessary for implementation of the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(d)To succeed by its corporate name, and to acquire and possess
properties, rights and interests of whatever kind and nature, and
mortgage, pledge, alienate, encumber or otherwise dispose of the
same;

(e) To award, enter into, make, execute, perform and carry out domestic or
foreign contracts of whatever kind and nature;

(f) To invest in, and purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, use, lease,
grant, mortgage, pledge, sell, assign, convey, transfer, exchange or
otherwise deal with, real and/or personal properties of every kind and
nature, including shares of stock, bonds, notes, securities and other
evidences of indebtedness or obligations of other corporations, whether
domestic or foreign, and whether government or private;

(g) To obtain loans, borrow funds and/or arrange financing or credit assistance
of whatever kind and nature from all sources, whether domestic or foreign
and whether government or private, and to mortgage, pledge or otherwise
encumber any of its properties and assets for the purpose of securing or
guaranteeing the performance or fulfillment of any obligation it may
undertake for itself or for other entities in which it may be interested;

(h) To levy, assess and collect such fees, charges and assessments as may be
necessary or proper to support, finance and maintain its operations; and

()) To exercise such other powers and functions as may be incidental or
necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act.

SEC. 5. The Center shall be governed, and its activities and properties shall be
directed, controlled and managed, by a Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as
the Board, which shall be composed of a Chairman and ten (10) members, all of
whom shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines. The Chief Executive
Officer of the Center, who shall be appointed from among the members of the Board
in accordance hereof, shall be the ex-officio Vice-Chairman of the Board.

The members of the Board shall serve for a term of three (3) years, with a right to
hold-over until their respective successors shall have been duly appointed and
qualified. The President of the Philippines may, however, remove any member of the
Board for cause. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the Board, the person


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appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term of the member
replaced.

‘SEC. 6. The Board shail have the following powers and functions:

(a) To formulate policies, guidelines and programs to effectively implement and
carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(b) To prescribe, review and revise the amount of the fees, charges, and
assessments levied and collected for the support and maintenance of
the operations of the Center;

(c) To control the management, operation and administration of the Center;

(d) To promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper for
the effective exercise of power and functions as well as _ the discharge of the
duties, responsibilities of the Center, its officers and employees;

(e) To authorize such expenditures of the Center as may be necessary or
proper for the effective management, operation and administration of the
Center;

(f. To determine and organize the Center's organizational and
administrative structure or pattern, and to establish and fix, review,
revise and adjust the appropriate compensation scheme of the
officers and employees of the center with reasonable allowances,
bonuses and other incentives;

() To adopt the annual and supplemental budget of receipts and
expenditures of the Center;

(g) To appoint, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline officers of the
center occupying executive and senior management positions;

(h) To exercise all the general powers necessary or incidental to the attainment of
the purposes and objectives of this Act; and

() To do any and all acts as may be necessary or proper for the
attainment of the powers and functions of the Center.

SEC. 7. The Center may call upon any Department, Bureau, Office, Agency or
instrumentality of the Government, including government-owned or controlled
corporations, for such assistance as it may need in the pursuit of the purposes and
objectives of this Act;

SEC. 8. The Center is hereby authorized to solicit and receive donations, grants,
contributions, gifts or endowments from all sources whether foreign or domestic, and
whether government or private, without the need of securing a permit, approval or
registration from any government agency;


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SEC. 9. The books and accounts of the Center shall be under the charge of a
Resident Auditor, subject to periodic auditing by the Chairman of the Commission on
Audit, or his duly authorized representative;

SEC. 10. The Center and its officers and employees shall be covered by the Civil
Service Law, rules and regulations;

SEC 11. The Center shall render to the President of the Philippines an annual report
on its operations and accomplishments;

SEC. 12. The provisions of the general corporation law, insofar as they are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act of with the purposes and objectives for
which the Center is formed, shall apply to the Center;

SEC. 13. If for any reason, the Center is dissolved, its properties and assets shall
revert to the National Government for disposition in accordance with law;

SEC. 14. Appropriation - The amount of One Hundred million pesos
(P100,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the necessary initial operating
expenses and maintenance of the National Eye Center. Thereafter, such sum as
maybe necessary for the continued operation of the Center shail be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause - If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this Act
shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
invalidate or impair any other part of this Act.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, executive orders, memorandum
orders, and other administrative issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act, are hereby modified, superseded or repealed
accordingly.

SEC. 17. Effectivity- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in any major newspaper of general circulation in
the Philippines.

Approved,