by Raadee Sausa March 4, 2021 Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan of Quezon (Photo from her ...
March 4, 2021
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| Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan of Quezon (Photo from her FB Page) |
LUCENA CITY - The House of Representatives' Committee on Health approved on March 1 a substitute bill creating the Philippine Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, among others
Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan of Quezon was among the principal authors of the consolidated measure and also sponsored the Technical Working Group draft substitute bill.
The substituted House Bill (HB) 6633 or "An act providing for the modernization of the public health emergency preparedness, establishing for this purpose the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC), and appropriating funds therefore" also proposes the creation of the Public Health Emergency Services Modernization Program.
“The bill seeks to modernize the country’s capabilities for public health emergency preparedness and strengthen the current bureaucracy that is mandated to address communicable diseases in the country through organizational and institutional reforms,” Tan said.
“To better prepare against public health emergencies, we need to embark on two essential initiatives: health modernization and institutional reforms. We cannot merely keep on rearranging the boxes within our health organization without capacitating our health personnel and resources. That will not work,” the lawmaker added.
In the event that the substitute measure is fully enacted, the CDPC will be created as an attached agency to the health department and, according to the bill's explanatory note, serve as the principal agency mandated to develop and apply communicable disease prevention and control initiatives.
With its passage at the committee level, the substitute bill now proceeds to the plenary for debates.
Tan said that the center will be taking after the model of the United States CDC, which conducts critical research on both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
"The CDPC will initially prioritize disease surveillance, prevention, and control of infectious diseases but may include non-communicable diseases upon positive recommendation by an independent study/body commissioned by the DOH [Department of Health] at least five years after its creation," she said.
A similar bill has already been filed by Sen. Grace Poe in the higher chamber.
Should the bill be passed, the CDPC will serve as the technical authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control and remove the function of addressing the communicable disease concerns from the DOH.
Rep. Tan receives COVID-19 vaccine jab
Tan received the first dose of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine from China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd. two days after the arrival of 600,000 doses of Sinovac donated by China.
House Committee on Health Chairperson Angelina "Helen" Tan of Quezon took the COVID-19 jab at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) as part of his eldest son’s allocation for the family as a surgeon at the VMMC and in support of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program.
“Huwag tayong matakot magpabakuna, protektahan natin ang isa’t-isa upang sabay-sabay nating malagpasan ang pandemya,” Tan said after receiving the Sinovac jab.
“Let’s support the government’s vaccination program and help stop the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Tan’s inoculation came on the heels of the Committee on Health’s briefing on COVID-19 vaccine rollout early this year where she underscored the need to expedite the COVID-19 inoculation drive without compromising its safety and efficacy in order to build the trust and confidence of the public.
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