SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Second Regular Session )

SENATE

SENATE BILL NO. 1647 *18 i/'1N15 P6:49

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

AN ACT PROVIDING POLICIES AND PRESCRIBING PROCEDURES ON SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE TO NOTIFIABLE DISEASES, EPIDEMICS, AND HEALTH RELATED EVENTS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3573 ENTITLED, "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF DANGEROUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15, Article 2 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them."

Pursuant to this inviolable right of every Filipino, this measure seeks to amend Republic Act 3573, otherwise known as the "Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases", which requires all individuals and health facilities to report notifiable diseases to national and local health authorities.

This measure seeks to strengthen the existing legal framework for notifiable diseases through the establishment and maintenance of efficient and effective disease surveillance and response system that will utilize evidence-based data or research in making reports in the formulation of health policies and health advocacies on notifiable diseases.

The Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) System shall be recognized as the official system of the DOH in terms of disease surveillance. All diseases, syndromes, and health-related events and conditions under the PIDSR, including other diseases identified by the DOH as notifiable shall be reported to national and local public health authorities.