Philippine Blood Center Act

Senate TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE Office of the force tarp REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 25 DEC -3 P1:32 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S.B. No. 1575 INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE BLOOD CENTER AND REGIONAL BLOOD CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The right to health is enshrined in our Constitution, mandating the State to protect and promote the health of its citizens. In line with this mandate, Republic Act No. 7719, known as the "National Blood Services Act of 1994," was enacted to ensure a safe and adequate supply of blood through voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation. Pursuant to RA 7719, the Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order No. 2005-0002, establishing the Philippine Blood Center (PBC) as the national blood service facility. The PBC was envisioned to oversee the collection, testing, processing, storage, and distribution of blood and blood components nationwide. However, despite its critical role, the PBC operates without a legal charter and relies solely on the budget of the National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP). This lack of institutionalization hinders its ability to fully carry out its mandate and to respond effectively to the country's blood supply needs, particularly during emergencies and periods of increased demand. The national blood donation rate also remains below the World Health Organization's recommended minimum, resulting in generally low blood availability. This bill seeks to institutionalize the Philippine Blood Center, providing it with a legal framework to function as the central hub for blood services in the country. It also empowers regional DOH offices to establish and manage their own Regional Blood Centers, as envisioned in RA 7719. These centers will operate under the guidance and

supervision of the PBC, ensuring a decentralized yet coordinated system of blood services. The institutionalization of the PBC and the establishment of Regional Blood Centers are essential steps toward building a resilient and responsive blood service system. By providing a solid legal foundation and appropriate funding, this legislation aims to safeguard public health and uphold the constitutional right to health for all Filipinos. Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. parapel. RISA HONTIVEROS Senator

Senate Office of the arcarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 25 DEC -3 P1:32 SENATE S.B. No. 1575 RECEIVED BY INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE BLOOD CENTER AND REGIONAL BLOOD CENTERS 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 Blood

2 Center 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. Towards this end, the State shall establish a Philippine Blood Center which will become 6 the national and central hub of blood services in the country, overseeing the collection, 7 testing, processing, storage, and distribution of blood and blood components.

Sec. 3. The Philippine Blood Center. - There shall be established a Philippine

Blood Center under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health (DOH). The Philippine Blood Center shall be the national blood center of the Philippines.

Sec. 4. Purposes and Objectives. - The Philippine Blood Center, as the premier

blood service facility of the Philippines, will have the capability to: a. Centrally recruit, motivate, and screen blood donors; b. Centrally collect, test for transfusion-transmissible infections, process, store, issue, and transport blood and blood components for transfusion; C. Perform special immunohematology tests; d. Provide information, educate, and counsel on transfusion-transmissible infections;

e. Create a database for blood donors in accordance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012; f. Conduct quality assurance and surveillance; g. Establish a national hemovigilance system; h. Conduct training and research in blood banking and related technologies and fields as basis for national policy-making; i. Capacitate regional blood centers; j. Administer to the resource stratification for national blood services in collaboration with regional blood centers; and k. Other functions assigned by the DOH.

Sec. 5. Regional Blood Centers. - All regions of the Philippines shall have

regional blood centers which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Philippine Blood Center. The regional blood centers shall be the local region hub for regional blood services.

Sec. 6. Non-profit Operations. — The Philippine Blood Center and the Regional

16 Blood Centers shall operate on a non-profit basis: Provided, That it may collect blood service fees not greater than the maximum prescribed by the DOH which shall be limited to the necessary expenses entailed in collecting, processing and testing of blood. Blood shall be collected from healthy voluntary donors only.

Sec. 7. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. — The DOH will craft

staffing standards and create new positions as necessary to ensure the appropriate human resources for the operation of the Philippine Blood Center and Regional Blood 23 Centers subject to the approval of the Civil Service Commission and the Department 24 of Budget and Management.

Sec. 8. Directors. - The Philippine Blood Center and the Regional Blood

Centers shall be led by a Director appointed by the President of the Philippines, upon recommendation by the Secretary of Health.

Sec. 9. Program for Indigents. — The DOH shall ensure that the Philippine

Blood Center shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents needing blood and blood components in accordance to the implementing guidelines on the classification of patients and on availing of the Medical Social Services in Government Hospitals.

Sec. 10. Tax Exemptions and other Privileges. - The provision of any general

or special law to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions, gifts or endowments received by the Philippine Blood Center and the Regional Blood Centers pursuant hereto, shall be exempt from income, gift and all other kinds of 5 taxes, and shall be further considered as allowable deductions from the gross income 6 of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code 7 of 1997, as amended.

Sec. 11. Establishment of a Trust Fund. — A trust fund shall be established

9 out of the retained income from collected blood service fees. The trust fund shall be used for the operations of the Philippine Blood Center and the Regional Blood Centers.

Sec. 12. Annual Report. — The Philippine Blood Center shall submit an annual

report to the President of the Philippines, the Department of Health, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the House Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments and recommendations to better address and improve the 15 safe supply of blood in the Philippines.

Sec. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Department of Health in

17 coordination with the Department of Budget and Management, shall promulgate such 18 rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this Act within sixty (60) 19 days from its effectivity.

Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial implementation

of this Act, including maintenance and other operating expenses of the Philippine Blood Center shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the DOH. For the succeeding years, the amount allocated for the Philippine Blood Center in the 24 DOH budget shall be based on its strategic plan, in coordination with other stakeholders.

Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of the Act is declared

void or unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be affected by such declaration.

Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, executive orders, administrative

orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Sec. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,