House inaprubahan ang Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) at ang Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Bills

Ang House of Representatives inaprubahan na ang final reading ng dalawang priority bills ni President Rodrigo Duterte, dalawang araw matapos itulak ang mga lawmakers ng Chief Executive sa kaniyang huling State of the Nation Address para ipasa ang mga bills.

Sa hiwalay na rounds ng voting, inaprubahan ng House ang House Bill 9559 o ang “Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act” (198-0-0) at ang House Bill 9560 o ang “Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Act” (193-6-0)

Ayon sa panukala, ang virology institute ay magtutuon ng pansin sa mga sumusunod:

• Research on viruses using a modern approach such as molecular biology and its application or biotechnology
• Development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics
• International cooperation and network of databases of virus infections
• Operation of a virus gene bank, virus genome laboratory, and virus reference laboratory to focus on viruses circulating in the Philippines for disease prevention and epidemiological studies
• Operation of a virus high containment laboratory dedicated to the study of highly infectious and highly pathogenic viruses
• It would be an attached agency under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Samantala, ang Philippine CDC ay magiging attached agency ng Department of Health (DOH) “for policy and program coordination” at “technical authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control.”

Sa ilalim ng proposed measure, ang mga sumusunod na DOH units, division, o functions ay malilipat sa CDC:

• Epidemiology Bureau
• Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)
• Sexually Transmitted Disease – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (STD-AIDS) – Cooperative Central Laboratory
• Select functions of the International Health Surveillance Division of the Bureau of Quarantine as follows: passive international health surveillance; development of communication methods for wider and more effective delivery of critical public health information with international importance; technical and standard setting functions of the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau including that of the – Mental Health Division, Cancer Division and Oral Health Division
• The bill also aims to establish Regional Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (RCDCs).

Tinanggap naman ni House health committee chair Angelina “Helen” Tan, ang measures’ principal sponsor, ang passage ng bills at ipapadala na sa Senado para bigyan ito ng aksyon.

Ayon kay Tan, na ang VIP Act ang mangangasiwa sa preparasyon ng bansa laban sa pandemic o mga public health emergencies.

Binigyan niya rin ng diin ang kahalagahan ng CDC Act, na kung saan gagawing modernized nito ang kakayahan ng public health emergency ng bansa at lakasan ang mga agencies na nakatugon para rumisponde sa transmittable disease sa pamamagitan ng mga institutional reforms.

Subalit ang mga miyembro ng Makabayan bloc ay tumutol sa approval ng CDC Act sa kabila ng pagkilala sa hangarin ng nasabing bill.

“This representation is gravely concerned about the possible, imminent loss of jobs due to the transfer of certain DOH units and functions. Staffing provisions do not ensure security tenure,” ayon kay Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.

Tinanong rin ni House Deputy Minority Leader at Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagano Zarate kung anong mangyayari sa kasalukuyang mga empleyado ng RITM, ang Epidemiology Bureau at iba pang agencies na maaapektuhan kung na established na ang CDC.

“If they can’t qualify to be accepted into the CDC, will they lose their job even if they have been working there for 10 years now?” tanong ni Zarate.

Ayon naman kay House ways and means panel chair Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, na puwede ma-enact ang CDC bill sa batas ngayong taon. Dagdag pa niya na ang VIP ay makakatulong sa bansa para mas lalo itong maging preparado ito sa mga susunod na pandemya.

“It should be clear to all of us: preparation yields the best outcomes. The same goes for pandemics. It’s difficult to do because the rewards are not immediate. But the consequences to the unprepared can be catastrophic,” dagdag pa niya.

Source: ABSCBN