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

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS

t Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _1473

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PANDEMIC AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS PLAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many weaknesses in the Philippine public health

system. Even with the dedication and hard work of our healthcare workers, the country faced

difficulties in coordinating efforts, distributing resources, and responding quickly. These
problems highlighted the importance of having a clear and organized system in place to prepare

for and manage public health emergencies.

Asa developing country, the Philippines struggled with the wide-ranging effects of the
pandemic, not just on people’s health, but also on the economy and the everyday lives of
Filipinos. Hospitals were overwhelmed, frontline workers were at risk, and many essential
services were interrupted. These challenges revealed serious gaps in our system that need long-

term solutions.

Recently, there has also been a rise in MPOX and COVID-19 cases, reminding us that
both new and existing diseases continue to pose a threat to public safety. This makes it even

more urgent to strengthen our ability to respond to health emergencies.


This bill proposes the creation of a Pandemic and Public Health Emergency
Preparedness Plan to help the country better prepare for, respond to, and recover from future
health crises. It aims to build a stronger and more flexible health system that can reduce the

impact of pandemics and similar emergencies.
The proposed measure focuses on using science and coordination between national and
local governments to ensure a faster, more organized, and more effective response to any public

health threat.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

CRISPIN DIEGO “PING” D. REMULLA


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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. 1473

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PANDEMIC AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERG
PREPAREDNESS PLAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "Pandemic and Other Public Health
Emergency Preparedness Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall endeavor to efficiently and
immediately address all potential and actual public health emergencies for the protection of the
health and safety of the people.

While considering national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the
right to self-determination, paramount in its relations with other states, the State shall, at all
times, give utmost importance to the health of its citizens, whether in the country or overseas,
including Filipino migrant workers.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following shall mean:

(a) “Public Health Emergency” refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness

or health condition, caused by bioterrorism, epidemic or pandemic disease or a
novel and highly infectious agent or biological toxin, that poses a substantial risk
of a significant number of human facilities or incident or permanent or long-term

disability.


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(b) “Pandemic” refers to an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area,
crossing international boundaries, affecting a large number of people.

(©) “Quarantine refers to separation or restriction of movement of persons who are
exposed or may be infected to protect the public from disease. Quarantine may be
practiced by individuals in their homes.

(@) “Isolation” refers to separation or restriction of movement of an ill person from
healthy persons by way of seclusion in hospitals or designated health care facility.

(e) “Social distancing” also called physical distancing in which space of at least two

(2) meters is maintained between and among persons in a public place. It also refers

toa prohibition of mass gatherings of fifty (50) persons or more and avoidance of
crowded places.

(f) “Health Care Facility
thereof that is used, operated or designated to provide health services, medical

refers to any institution, building or agency or portion

treatment, or nursing, rehabilitative or preventive care to any person or persons.

(g) “Health Care Provider” refers to any person or entity providing health care services
including, but not limited to, hospitals, medical clinics and offices, special care
facilities, medical laboratories, physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurse
practitioners, registered and other nurses, paramedics, medical and laboratory
technicians, and ambulance and emergency medical workers.

(h) “Frontline Worker” refers to any worker who performs any task essential to keep
vital services in motion during a public health emergency despite great risk to
themselves and their families.

SEC. 4. Pandemic Emergency Council. - The Pandemic and Other Health Emergency
Council (Council) is hereby established and composed of the following: the Secretary of
Health, as ex-officio Chairman of the Council, with the Secretaries of the Interior and Local
Government, Labor and Employment, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Tourism, Transportation, Trade
and Industry, Agriculture, and Budget and Management, Administrator of the Philippine
Overseas Employment Association (POEA), President of the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PhilHealth) as ex-officio members, and three representatives from private and
health sectors.

‘The Council shall convene within thirty (30) days following the approval of the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act. Upon organization of the Council, It shall
draw a National Pandemic and Other Health Emergency Plan. And conduct a briefing for all

local government units and health care workers In the government sector.


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The Council shall recommend to the President of the Republic of the Philippines the
declaration of a public health emergency in accordance with medical guidelines and protocols.
SEC. 5. Creation of the National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency
Plan. - The Council shall create a National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency Plan.

This strategy shall provide for the integrated policy coordination and strategic direction with
respect to all matters related to national public health and medical preparedness and execution
and deployment of national response, guidelines, and protocols before, during, and following
a pandemic, epidemic, or public health emergency.
SEC. 6. Components of a National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency
Plan. - The National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency Plan shall include:
(a) Provisions for increasing the preparedness, response capabilities, and surge
capacity of ambulatory care facilities, dental health facilities, and critical care
service systems;

(b) Plans for optimizing a coordinated and flexible approach to the medical surge

capacity of hospitals, other health care facilities, critical care, and trauma care and
emergency medical systems;

(c) Provisions taking into account the unique needs of individuals with disabilities in a
pandemic or public health emergency; and

(d) Strategic initiatives to advance counter measures to diagnose, mitigate, prevent or
treat harm from any biological agent or toxin or any chemical, radiological or
nuclear agents, whether naturally occurring, unintentional or deliberate.

SEC. 7. Health Care Facilities and Services. - The Council, in coordination with local

government units and concerned government agencies, shall set up health care facilities, testing

offices and laboratories, quarantine sites and isolation centers which shall undertake pandemic
prevention and preparedness services and activities, and shall respond to any public health
emergency.

SEC. 8. Isolation or Quarantine of Individuals or Groups. - The Council may, in

cooperation with the concerned local chief executive, authorize the lockdown, isolation or

quarantine of individuals or groups of individuals during a public health emergency, in
accordance with existing rules and regulations.

Restrictions on the movement of persons in and out of the initially affected area by the
Council shall likewise be permitted under this Act. If evidence indicates amplified transmission

n of the infection into the wider community, the Council shall be authorized to



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adapt social distancing measures, which may include the closing of schools or cancellation of
mass gatherings.

SEC. 9. Privately-owned Health Care Facilities. - The Council may require privately
owned health care facilities to provide services of its facility in the event of a pandemic or
public health emergency If government institutions are unable to cope with the pandemic or
public health emergency.

SEC. 10. Control of Pharmaceutical Agents and Medical Supplies. — The Council
shall purchase, store or distribute sufficient quantity or anti-viral agents for respiratory diseases
and other highly communicable diseases, anti-toxins, serums, vaccines and other
pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies that it considers advisable in the interest of preparing
for or controlling pandemic or any kind of public health emergency.

SEC. 11. Monitoring Program. - A comprehensive pandemic or public health
emergency monitoring program shall be established by the Council to determine and monitor
the presence, magnitude, and progression of any infection or a new strain thereof in the country,
and for the purpose of evaluating the adequacy and efficacy of countermeasures being
employed.

SEC. 12. Reporting Procedures. - All hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and testing
centers for any infection or a new strain thereof shall adopt measures to ensure the reporting
and confidentiality of any medical record, personal data, and other files. The Council, through
its monitoring programs, shall receive, collate, and evaluate all related medical reports. The
Council monitoring database shall utilize a coding system that promotes anonymity.

SEC. 13. Vaccination of Healthcare Workers. - Healthcare workers involved in the
care of patients shall be vaccinated with the most recent vaccine for respiratory diseases and
other appropriate vaccines as may be determined by the Council.

SEC. 14, Wearing of Surgical Masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). -
For their protection, healthcare workers and first responders shall be provided with N9S

respiratory masks and well-fitting surgical masks and PPE. Patients are likewise required to
wear surgical masks.

SEC. 15. Surveillance and Monitoring of Healthcare and Frontline Workers. -
Healthcare workers shall be vigilant of the development of fever, respiratory systems and/or
other symptoms after exposure to infected patients. Healthcare workers who become ill should
seek medical care and should be quarantined for fourteen (14) days in accordance with existing
protocols unless an alternative diagnosis is established, or diagnostic tests are negative for the
strain subject to the pandemic or public health emergency.


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SEC. 16. Hazard Pay for Healthcare and Frontline Workers. - \n addition to existing
benefits provided for by law, healthcare and frontline workers who render actual service during
a pandemic or public health emergency shall be given hazard pay to be determined by the
Council.

SEC. 17. Creation of Task Force on Public Health Emergencies. - A task force under
the control of the Secretary of Health shall be established in order to conduct research necessary
for the creation of National Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergency Plan. The Task
Force shall be composed of representatives from:

(1) The Department of Health (DOH);

(2) The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council

(3) The Department of Interior and Local Government

(4) The National Security Adviser; and

(5) The Philippine National Red Cross.

SEC. 18. Functions of the Task Force on Public Health Emergencies. -The Task
Force shall:

(a) Monitor emerging issues and concerns as they relate to medical and public health
preparedness and response for at-risk individuals in the event of a pandemic or
public health emergency;

(b) Identify and minimize gaps, duplication, and other inefficiencies in medical and
public health preparedness and response activities, and the actions necessary to
overcome these obstacles;

(c) Disseminate and update novel and best practices of outreach to and care of at-risk
individuals before, during, and following public health emergencies in as timely a
manner as is practicable, including from the time a public health threat is identified;
and

(A) Ensure that public health and medical Information distributed by the government
during a pandemic or public health emergency is delivered in a manner that takes
into account the range of the communication needs of the intended recipients,
including at-risk individuals.

\9. Creation of Medical Reserve Corps. - The Secretary of Health shall establish

a medical reserve corps composed of volunteer health professionals. The Medical Reserve

Corps shall be called into duty if needed during a pandemic or public health emergency.
SEC. 20. Duty of Heads of Families, Persons-in-Charge of Places. — Where a person

living in a building used for human habitation is suffering from infection, the head of the family


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or the relatives shall immediately send notice of the same to the nearest city or municipal health
office.

Ifit is a child attending a school, orphanage or other such situation or a person residing
in any hotel, boarding house or other such institution, the person in charge of such a place shall
send notice of the infectious disease to the nearest city or municipal health officer and give the
officer a list of students or residents together with their addresses.

SEC. 21. Duty of Medical Practitioners and other Healthcare Providers. - Every
medical practitioner who attends to a patient suffering from a respiratory illness shall send to
the nearest city or municipal health office a report stating the name of the patient and the

situation of the building.

‘Any medical practitioner who becomes aware, by post-mortems or other means, that
any person had died of an infectious disease shall immediately give to the nearest city or
municipal health office a certificate of such disease and inform the head of the household,
person in charge of school, orphanage, hotel and so on, on the infectious nature of the disease
and the precautions to be taken to prevent its conveyance in others.

SEC. 22. Power of the City or Municipal Health Officers. - A city or municipal health
officer may at any time enter and inspect premises in which he has reason to believe that
someone is suffering from or has recently suffered from any infectious disease. The city or
municipal health officer may medically examine any person in such premises for the purpose
of ascertaining whether such person is suffering or has recently suffered from any infectious
disease. He may also order the confinement of infected individuals to prevent the transmission
or spread of suspected infectious disease.

SEC. 23. Duty of the City or Municipal Health Officers. - If a city or municipal health
officer is of the opinion that the cleansing and disinfecting of any building or any part of the
building, and any articles in the building which are likely to retain infection or would tend to
prevent or check infectious diseases, it shall be his/her duty to give notice in writing to the
‘owner or occupant of the building specifying the steps to be taken to cleanse and disinfect the
building and articles within a specified time.

SEC. 24. Capacity Building for LGUs. - The DOH, in coordination with the DILG,
shall develop and implement mandatory training, simulation drills, and technical assistance for
LGUs to ensure readiness to implement this Act at the local level.

SEC. 25. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. — The Council shall ensure the
inclusion of mental health and psychosocial support services in pandemic preparedness and


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response plans, including the deployment of mental health professionals, hotlines, and
community-based support.

SEC. 26. Medical Examination and Treatment of Overseas Filipino Workers
(OFWs). - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in coordination with the
PhilHealth, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Council, shall undertake the
medical examination and treatment of returning OF Ws in cases of a pandemic or similar event
locally or abroad. All costs attendant to the medical examination and treatment of returning
OFWs shall be borne by the Phil Health.

SEC. 27. Creation of Emergency Fund. - There is hereby created and established an
emergency fund for the medical examination and treatment of OFWs under the administration,
control and supervision of the PhilHealth initially to consist of Fifty Million Pesos
(Php50,000,000.00) which shall be taken from the existing fund in trust by the PhilHealth for
the benefit of OFWs.

SEC. 28. Authority of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The functions and responsibilities of OWWA shall include the following:

(a) The formulation and implementation of measures and programs, in consultation
with appropriate agencies, to safeguard the health of OFWs and their families
abroad; and

(b) The forging of a memorandum of agreement with the POEA, the DOH, the DFA,
the PhilHealth, and other appropriate international organizations in connection with
the purpose of this Act.

SEC. 29. Penalties. —

(a) Penalty for individuals who Refuse or Violate Isolation, Quarantine, Testing.
Vaccination under Section 8. - Any person who refuses treatment, testing,
examination for diagnosis or treatment or isolation and quarantine in accordance
with existing laws, rules and regulations and to the detriment of general public shall
suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or a fine of not
more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) or both upon the
discretion of the court,

(b) Penalty for Refusal to Provide Health Services under Section 9 of this Act. - The
‘owner, manager or administrator of a private health care facility who refuses to give
services or allow the use of its facility during a pandemic or public health

emergency shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not more than one (1) year


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ofa fine of not more than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00) or both
upon the discretion of the Court.

(c) Penalty for Breach of Duty under Sections 20, 21, and 23 of this Act. - All persons,
under a duty to inform the nearest city or municipal health office of the infectious
disease, who fail to neglect to inform the same shall be sentenced to an
imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or a fine of not more than One
Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000) or both upon the discretion of the court.

SEC. 30. Authorization of Appropriations. — To carry out the provisions of this Act,

tial fund of One billion pesos (Php 1,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated and such sums

an

as may be necessary for the succeeding fiscal year.

SEC. 31. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days from
promulgation of this Act, the DOH, in collaboration with OWWA, the POEA, PhilHealth,
Department of Justice, and the DFA and representatives from the private health sector shall
issue the necessary rules and regulations.

SEC. 32. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 33. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or portions
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended
or modified accordingly.

SEC. 34. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,