Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 13 15

Introduced by Representatives
MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The 1987 Philippine Constitution declares that “The State shall protect and promote the
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.” Furthermore, the
State also mandates the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development.

The COVID-19 outbreak which started in 2019 took the world by surprise, particularly
with how fast the disease spread among the people. It reminded everyone that communicable
and infectious diseases and public health threats respect no borders. As of June 22, 2022, more
than 3.7 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the country since the beginning of the
COVID-19 pandemic.'

Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, the country also faced various disease outbreaks
in 2019 alone, including measles, dengue, polio, and diphtheria. These outbreaks, particularly
the sudden rise of COVID-19 cases in 2020, highlighted the government’s lack of preparedness
and capability in our public health units to effectively prevent and control the spread of
communicable and infectious diseases. The Department of Health’s efforts are duly recognized,
however, there is clearly a need to reform the government’s current policies on disease threats
and control of infectious diseases.

+ World Health Organization Philippines Situation accessed from covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/ph


In this regard, it is in the nation’s best interest to create a technical authority on all
matters regarding disease prevention and control. This bill seeks to create the Philippine Center
for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) that will provide guidance on policy and standards
development, provide capacity building and technical assistance on specialized fields, promote
coordination and collaboration with partner agencies and organizations with matters pertaining
to disease prevention and control, and implement an integrated surveillance system of diseases,
injuries and disabilities, among others.

This bill aims to strengthen the epidemiology, public health surveillance and research
capacity of the government in matters pertaining to the prevention and control of diseases and

ultimately increase the health security of Filipinos.

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

HORACIO UANSING, JR.

2™ District of Sultan Kudarat

? This bill was filed during the 18 Congress and was approved on Third and Final Reading.


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__1375

Introduced by Representatives
MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

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 Philippines in 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.

‘Toward 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 through direct, bodily
contact with an infected person, their discharges, or an object or surface they have
contaminated;


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(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;

(©) 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;

(4) 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:
(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:
(A large number of deaths in the affected population;

(i) A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the
affected population;


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(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;

(8) 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 Standard 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 for
forecast, prevent, monitor, and control diseases, injuries, and disabilities both
of national or international concern;

(5) Recommend to the President, through the DOH Secretary, the declaration of a
state or public health emergency, in case of an epidemic of national or
international concern; and


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(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 concem; 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;


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(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.

(©) Provide technical guidance on the procurement of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics;

(0) 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 conceming the Center’s activities;

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(©) 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) Actas the national International Health Regulations Focal Point, subject to consultation
with DOH; and

(©) 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
ions and functions are hereby transferred to the CDC:

concerned di

(a) Epidemiology Bureau;
(b) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine;
(©) 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
2) Development of communication methods for wider and more effective delivery
of critical public health information with international importance; and,
(©) 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.

lll 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 Health 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 the RCDCs include:

(@) Prevention, control, and surveillance of diseases;

(b) Provision of laboratory services for detection and identifi
agents from human, environmental samples, and food;

(©) Maintenance of an integrated data management system;

(@) Implementation of quality assurance programs for clinical and environmental

laboratories through training, consultation, certification and proficiency testing;
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(e) Policy development;
(f) Emergency response;

(g) Public health-related research;

(h) Training and education;

(Maintenance of infectious disease hospitals for referral and management of cases;
Gj) Establishment of strong communication networks; and,

(Kk) 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.

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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. Qualification 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
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attendance in programs, studies, researchers, fellowships, workshops, seminars, including
training opportunities in reputable foreign CDCs. Compliance with the Continuing
Competency Development Program shall be 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 modemization 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 modemization 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 capabilities 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;

(©) 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,



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further, That LESUs shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Regional
cDCs;

(©) 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”;

(8) 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.

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‘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 the effectivity of this Act, the CDC shall develop a Framework for Infectious
Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness, and prioritize the strengthening of the following
functions:

1) Integrated disease surveillance and response;
2) Sentinel surveillance;

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3) Laboratory-based surveillance;
4) Periodic population-based surveillance; and,
5) Preventing transmission of communicable diseases.

(6) 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;

(©) For the year during which this Act was approved, the unexpended portion of the budget
of the office 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;

(@) 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;

(D Research grants acquired during the transition of DOH transferred units to CSC 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.

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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 Gazeue or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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