Senate Office of the Bretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 26 JAN 28 A11:36 SENATE RECEIVED BY 1723 S. No. - Introduced by Senator Camille A. Villar AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS IN EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 15, Article II of the Constitution provides that,
"The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them." As the popular saying goes, "Prevention is better than cure". It is wiser to avoid falling ill than to expend effort seeking remedies afterward. In the Philippines, a significant contributor to mortality and morbidity is cancer, with breast cancer emerging as the predominant form both locally and globally. Proactive measures and awareness play crucial roles in preventing this health concern. According to the Philippine Statistics of Authority and the Department of Health, 3 in every 100 Filipino women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 1 There were 27,163 cases of breast cancer recorded in the country in 2020, while 9,926 Filipino women died of the disease.? 1 https://www.kasuso.org/about-breast-cancer 2 https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/news/in-the-news/more-needs-to-be-done-better-breast-cancer-treatment- pushed#: ~:text=There%20were%2027%2C163%20cases%20of,breast%20cancer%20in%20their%20lifetime
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer has a mortality rate of 10.7 percent or 9,926 deaths, the third most fatal cancer in the country only behind lung cancer and liver cancer. 3 Given these concerning statistics, it is imperative to promptly address this issue. Fortunately, breast cancer does not develop overnight. Women across the Philippines can empower themselves by gaining knowledge and information about breast cancer and overall breast health. This proactive approach represents a significant step toward self-protection. This bill seeks to establish breast care centers where better education, care and preventive measures will be given to women who avail of its services. By the approval of this measure, the access to specialized care is made easier, more accessible, and more affordable to the marginalized sectors of our society. This would be more in tune with the Constitutional mandate that the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other services available to all the people at affordable cost. Medical practitioners believe that breast cancer is preventable and curable disease. Thus, an early diagnosis are the keys to cure and affordable care. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. CAMILLE A. VILLAR 3 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1733245/breast-cancer-cases-in-ph-staggering-health-expert
Senate Office of the de cretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) JAN 28 A11 :36 SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1723 S. No. - Introduced by Senator Camille A. Villar AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BREAST CARE CENTERS IN EVERY REGION NATIONWIDE, 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 "Breast Care Center
2 Act".
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect and promote the right
to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health 6 development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other services 7 available to all the people at affordable cost.
Sec. 3. Establishment of Breast Care Centers. - A Breast Care Center, known
9 in this Act as "Center", shall be established in every region of the country to spearhead the fight against breast cancer. It shall be a new department in existing regional hospitals of the National Government. Should there be no regional hospital in the region, the Center shall be attached to any district hospital in the region, which is most accessible to the highest number of constituents.
Sec. 4. Equipment and Personnel. - The Centers shall be provided with such
2 equipment, tools, implements, devices, apparatus and personnel as may be necessary 3 for them to carry out multiple programs such as Breast Protection, Breast Surveillance, Breast Imaging, Breast Diagnostic and Surgery, Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and 5 Breast Cancer Awareness and Protection.
Sec. 5. Function. - The Centers shall, in coordination with local government
7 units, local health offices, the Philippine Information Agency and other government agencies, spearhead a sustained and extensive information and awareness campaign within their respective region to raise the level of awareness of the region's 10 constituents especially the women sector on the ills, causes and symptoms of the 11 disease for its early detection and prevention. The Centers shall coordinate with regional and local education officials to ensure that female high school students in both public and private schools are taught the pertinent information about the disease and are trained to habitually self-examine themselves as a part of the regular secondary curriculum.
Sec. 6. Designation of the Center. - The Center in every regional hospital of
the National Government or in a district hospital shall be designated based on its accessibility to the highest number of constituents in a region where there is no existing regional hospital. The acquisition of the necessary equipment, tools, implements, devices and apparatus and the hiring of personnel for the Centers shall 21 be based on existing laws. The fixing of reasonable fees for the services of the Centers shall be based on the rules and regulations to be promulgated pursuant to this Act.
Sec. 7. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial implementation of
this Act shall be taken from the current year's appropriations of the Department of Health. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Health
shall, within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
2 unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
letters of instruction, proclamations, or administrative orders, rules or regulations that 6 are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 7 accordingly.
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
9 its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,