REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10526, April 23, 2013

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10526, April 23, 2013 ]

AN ACT DECLARING THE MONTH OF JANUARY OF EVERY YEAR AS “LIVER CANCER AND VIRAL HEPATITIS AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH” AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Liver Cancer and Viral Hepatitis Awareness and Prevention Month Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them, adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system, and undertake appropriate health manpower development and research responsive to the country’s health needs and problems. In furtherance of this constitutional mandate, this Act aims to declare the month of January of every year as the awareness and prevention month for liver cancer and viral hepatitis.

SEC. 3. Awareness Month. – The month of January of every year shall be designated as the “Liver Cancer and Viral Hepatitis Awareness and Prevention Month”.

SEC. 4. Public Education and Awareness Program. – To ensure the meaningful observance of the month as herein declared, a comprehensive public education and awareness program shall he undertaken on the communicable disease of viral hepatitis. The program shall specifically discuss the causes, transmission, consequences, diagnoses, treatments and the prevention of viral hepatitis, including the need for immediate infant immunization and the in dispensability of observing the correct schedule and dosage, as well as the importance of child and adult vaccination, for a holistic approach in battling the virus.

SEC. 5. Interagency and Multisectoral Effort. – The Department of Health (DOH), on the part of the national government, and the cities and municipalities, on the part of the local governments together with nongovernment and patients’ organizations, shall lead the implementation of comprehensive public education and awareness program on liver cancer and viral hepatitis through a collaborative interagency and multisectoral effort at all levels. It shall particularly ensure widespread and expeditious public information about the benefits of compulsory routine immunization for Hepatitis-B of all infants within twenty-four (24) hours after birth.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DOH shall promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days from its approval.

SEC. 7. 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 valid and subsisting.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE President of the Senate

(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3224 and House Bill No. 988 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on November 5, 2012 and January 21, 2013, respectively.

(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP Secretary General House of Representatives

(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES Secretary of the Senate

Approved: APR 23 2013

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III President of the Philippines