Republic of the Philippines
YOUTH CONGRESS
Baguio City
Introduced by: Paula Marie F. Valles

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution, Article 2 provides:
“Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the
right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them.”
The Constitution, Article 13 also provides:
“Section 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development and shall endeavor to make essential health and other social services available to all people at affordable cost.”
Medicines are very vital to prolong life of an individual. Whereas, in our country the price of medicines were so high due to import dependence, transfer pricing, pricing strategies, mark-ups, promotional expense of multinational companies and the lack of government pricing policy which constitutes to the burden of our countrymen, wherein, higher percentage of Filipinos are poor. Taking into account that poverty is the main problem of our country, in effect, our countrymen die not because of sickness but for the reason that they cannot afford to buy medicines.
The Constitution, Article 13 provides:
“Section 12. The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health and manpower development and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and problems.”
The Constitution, Article 12 further provides:
“Section 2. The exploration, development and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the state.”
Our country being gifted with natural resources possesses countless raw materials and herbal medicines that may substitute high price medicines in treating and curing diseases, which is more practical by using herbal medicines found in our country, making it affordable to the public, and lessen government spending in importation of international branded medicines, by utilizing our own herbal medicines to treat and prevent diseases.
In this context, the bill seeks to answer the problems of high cost medicines, which is beyond the reach of many Filipinos.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly urged.

Republic of the Philippines
YOUTH CONGRESS
Baguio City

Introduced by: Paula Marie F. Valles

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON HERBAL MEDICINES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title – This act shall be known as the “Herbal Medicines Research and Development Office Act”.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy – It is hereby declared that the policy of the state to “adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development and shall endeavor to make essential health and other social services available to all people at affordable cost” and “to promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them”.
The Constitution of the Philippines further provides that “the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the state”. Pursuant thereto, the State shall establish an office for research and development on herbal medicines.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms – For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall mean:
Herbal Medicines shall refer to plants that used to treat or prevent diseases;
Secretary shall refer to the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH);
Committee shall refer to the Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Committee;
Research on Herbal Medicines shall mean a systematic and careful investigation and study of herbal medicines;
Development on Herbal Medicines shall mean the advancement and improve the value of the use of herbal medicines;
Office shall refer to the Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Office;
Department shall refer to the Department of Health.
SEC.4. Establishment of the Office of the Research and Development on Herbal Medicines – There shall be established an office to be known as the Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Office within the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health. The Research and Development on Herbal Medicines shall be headed by the Secretary in an ex-officio capacity.
SEC. 5. Functions – The Secretary shall have the following function:
To identify projects on research and development on herbal medicines that should be conducted or supported by both the government and non-government agencies;
To promote coordination and collaboration among entities conducting research and development identified under the Paragraph A;
To recommend an agenda for conducting and supporting each research; and
To encourage the conduct of such research.
SEC. 6. Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Committee – In carrying out the provision of Section 5, the Secretary shall establish a Committee to be known as the Research and development on Herbal Medicines Committee.
SEC. 7. Composition – The Committee shall be composed of eleven (11) members, which shall include the following:
Two (2) representatives from the Department;
Six (6) chemist, physician, pharmacist, practitioners or other health personnel;
Two (2) representatives from a non-governmental organization which conducts research and development on herbal medicines;
One (1) representative from the general public.
SEC. 8. Meetings – The Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Committee shall determine the number, time, place and conduct of meetings, except that it shall hold at least two (2) public meeting each year at which the general public is given an opportunity to express views concerning the conduct of research and development on herbal medicines by the Office.
SEC. 9. Term of Office – The Secretary shall appoint members for a term of three (3) years. Of those first appointed, four (4) members shall serve for three (3) years, four (4) members for two (2) years, and three (3) members for one (1) year.
Any Vacancy in the membership of the Committee shall be filled in same manner as the original appointment.
Any member of the Committee may be removed for cause in accordance with procedures established by the Committee.
Any member of the Committee may serve after the expiration of the term of office of such member until the successor for such member has taken his oath and assumed office.
A member of the Committee shall be eligible to serve successive terms of office.
SEC. 10. Compensation – A member of the Committee shall be paid or reimbursed for travel to and from the place of service of such member and for other expenses associated with the responsibilities as a member of the Committee.
SEC. 11. Duties – The Committee shall have the following duties:
Establish short-range and long-range goals and objectives and coordinate all activities within the Department of Health that relate to disease prevention, health promotion, research, service delivery and public and health care professional education concerning herbal medicines effectiveness;
Provide expert advise and consultation to the Secretary on appropriate research activities to be undertaken by the office with respect to:
Research and development on herbal medicines;
Research on clinical drugs trials, including pharmacological drugs.
Report to the Secretary on such research;
Provide recommendations to the Secretary regarding activities of the Office;
Prepare a report regarding the activities of the Committee;
Monitor the Department of Health offices, agencies, and regional activities regarding the utilization of herbal medicines;
Through the publications and any other means appropriate, provide for the exchange of information between the members of the Office and the general public;
Establish a National Research and Development on Herbal Medicine Information Center to:
Facilitate the exchange of information regarding matters relating to herbal medicines information and promotion , preventive health services, research advances, and education in the appropriate use of herbal medicines;
Facilitate access to such information;
Assist in the analysis of issues and problems relating to matters describe d in this paragraph; and,
Identify the need for such research, and making an estimate each fiscal year of funds needed to adequately support the research.
SEC. 12. Appropriations – To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous operation of the Research and Development on Herbal Medicines Office shall be included in the annual appropriation of the Department of Health.
SEC. 13. Separability Clause – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain and subsisting.
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule of regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
SEC. 15. Effectivity Clause – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of the general circulation.
Approved,

Labels: health