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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Center for Disease Prevention and Control sought in 19th Congress

Center for Disease Prevention and Control sought in 19th Congress

Published Jul 11, 2022 02:15 pm

A House bill (HB) establishing a Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in the country has been filed by Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez and Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre.

Leyte 1st district Martin Romualdez (left) and Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez

Also known as the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control Act, HB 9, was introduced and filed by the three lawmakers last June 30.

“We hope that with the opening of the 19th Congress, this important measure will again be prioritized by our chamber, and finally be passed into law, so that the country will be better equipped should another pandemic hit us. We have learned our lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, and this measure will ensure our stronger response and preparedness to any public health emergency,” Mr. Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, said in a statement on Monday, July 11.

The bill would see the establishment of regional CDC’s in all the regions of the Philippines. 
The legislation would then grant the CDC the following powers: “Policy and Standards Development; Capacity Building and Technical Assistance; Sectoral and Local Engagements: Surveillance; Technical guidance on the monitoring and evaluation framework for disease prevention and control; and Certify the existence of an epidemic which shall be treated as a public health emergency, among other functions as may be mandated by law, or as may be duly delegated by relevant authorities.”

As per HB 9’s explanatory note, the following divisions of the Department of Health (DOH) would be consolidated and absorbed by the CDC: Epidemiology Bureau; Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM); Sexually Transmitted Disease-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (STD-AIDS) Cooperative Central Laboratory; select divisions of the International Health Surveillance Division of the Bureau of Quarantine; and select divisions of the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau.

The establishment of the CDC and its functions would take place over a period of five years.

Furthermore, the bill provides that the CDC would be eligible to receive donations, grants, and endowments from public, private, domestic, and foreign entities and be exempt from donor’s tax. Donations received by the CDC will fall under the Department of Finance’s general fund special account.  

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