PH Center for Disease Control and Prevention bill gets 2nd House panel OK

Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on appropriations approved Friday the substitute bill to measures pushing for the creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC).

Under the bill, which earlier secured the approval of the House committee on health, the CDPC will serve as the principal agency mandated to develop and apply initiatives to prevent and control communicable diseases.

It will also serve as the technical authority on all matters about disease prevention and control.

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 or body commissioned by the Department of Health at least five years after its creation.

Should it materialize, the CDPC will be an attached agency of the DOH and will free the health department of the task of handling communicable disease concerns.

In addition, the bill mandates the pursuit of necessary reforms in the recruitment, training, employment, and management of the country’s public health emergency personnel.

/MUF