Presidential Decree No. 893 (PD 893) — Reconstituting the National Schistosomiasis Control Commission into the Schistosomiasis Control Council and for Other Purposes.
WHEREAS, schistosomiasis is a disease affecting an alarming
proportion of our populace;
WHEREAS, the areas endemic and potentially endemic to
schistosomiasis are scattered in the three major geographic divisions of
the country and the disease generally affects the people of the rural
areas;
WHEREAS, schistosomiasis affects not only the health of
farmers and their families, but also, their domestic and work animals
thus seriously impairing their productive capabilities;
WHEREAS, there is a need for a meaningful and effective
coordination of projects and activities to combat and control the
disease in order to protect and improve the quality of life of the
people, especially those in the areas affected by the disease;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,
do hereby adopt, approve and make as part of the laws of the land the
following:
Creation of the Schistosomiasis Control Council.
SECTION 1. Creation of the Schistosomiasis Control
Council.—The National Schistosomiasis Control Commission created
under Republic Act Numbered four thousand three hundred fifty-nine is
hereby abolished and in lieu thereof, there is hereby created the
Schistosomiasis Control Council, hereinafter called the Council, which
shall be attached to the Department of Health.
The powers, functions, balance of appropriations, records, assets,
as well as the rights and obligations of the National Schistosomiasis
Control Commission are hereby transferred to, vested in, and assumed by
the Council.
Functions and Objectives of the Council.
SEC. 2. Functions and Objectives of the Council.—The
Council shall have the following functions and objectives:
Formulate an integrated national program for the control
of schistosomiasis in the Philippines;
Coordinate and integrate the implementation of the
schistosomiasis control program, propects and activities of all
agencies and instrumentalities of the government as well as
those of the private sector involved in controlling the disease;
Formulate an effective information and education
campaign scheme and other such complementary schemes necessary for the
control of the disease;
Promote special studies and researches on related
aspects of schistosomiasis control and treatment;
Represent the government in its dealing with the World Health
Organization or with the United Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund or any other international health agencies or
entities or with foreign governments or their agencies in matters
involving schistosomiasis control, subject to existing laws, rules and
regulations; and
Undertake such other activity as may be deemed necessary for the
attainment of the objectives of the Council.
Organization of the Council.
SEC. 3. Organization of the Council.—To carry out its
foregoing functions and objectives, the Council shall have a Board of
Directors, an Executive Committee, and a Technical Staff.
The Board of Directors.
SEC. 4. The Board of Directors.—The Board of
Directors which shall be the policy-making and governing body of the
Council, shall be composed of seven (7) members, namely: the Secretary
of Health as Chairman, the Secretary of Public Works Transportation and
Communications, the Secretary of Local Governments and Community
Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the
National Irrigation Administration, the Secretary of Education and
Culture and the President of the Philippine Medical Association as
members.
In case of the absence of the Chairman, the members shall choose
among themselves a temporary Chairman who shall take his place and
perform his functions and duties, as provided for under this decree.
The Board of Directors shall have the following functions and powers:
Approve and adopt the integrated national schistosomiasis control
program envisioned in this Decree;
Consider and adopt periodic reports on the status of the aforementioned program;
Adopt broad policies and guidelines to carry out the goals and
objectives of the Schistosomiasis Control Council;
Adopt such rules, regulations and procedures as maybe necessary
for the attainment of the objectives of this Decree; and
Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.
The Executive Committee.
SEC. 5. The Executive Committee.—The Executive
Committee shall be headed by an Executive Director and composed of
representatives each coming from and designated by the government
agencies represented in the Board of Directors and three (3) other
representatives each coming from the National Economic and Development
Authority, the Department of Social Welfare and the Budget Commission.
The said representatives who must not be the heads of the aforementioned
agencies, can act in behalf of their respective agencies only on
matters involving the formulation and execution of the integrated
national schistosomiasis control program and related projects and
activities envisioned in this Decree. The Chairman, upon the
recommendation of the Board of Directors, shall appoint the Executive
Director and determine his qualifications and compensation.
The Executive Committee shall have the following powers and
functions:
Review and recommend for approval and adoption by the Board of
Directors the schistosomiasis control program prepared by the
Technical Staff;
Review periodic reports prepared by the Technical Staff for the
consideration and approval of the Board of Directors;
Provide guidelines for the operations and activities of the
Technical Staff;
Act and decide on matters referred to it by the technical staff
for its consideration; and
Perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the
Board of Directors and/or the Chairman.
The Technical Staff.
SEC. 6. The Technical Staff.—The Council shall have a
Technical Staff, likewise to be headed by the Executive Director of the
Executive Committee. The Chairman, upon the recommendation of the
Executive Committee, shall appoint the members of the technical staff.
The technical positions of said staff shall be exempt from the rules and
regulations of the Wage and Position Classification Office and from the
examination and/or eligibility requirements of the Civil Service
Commission.
The Technical Staff shall have the following
functions and responsibilities:
Undertake the preparations of a coordinated
schistosomiasis control program for the approval and adoption by
the Board of Directors;
Determine the linkages for the effective coordination and
implementation of schistosomiasis control projects;
Establish and maintain an up-to-date and comprehensive
data system on the status of the disease specifying the areas affected,
the number of people, the deaths caused by the disease and other
relevant information;
Prepare periodic reports on the implementation of the program as
well as the projects and activities relating thereto for the approval
and adoption by the Board of Directors; and
Perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the Board
of Directors and/or the Executive Committee.
For the purpose of the foregoing functions and responsibilities, the
Council may likewise utilize the services of the Schistosomiasis
Control and Research Service of the Department of Health and if deemed
necessary, secure the detail to the Council of personnel from the said
service unit.
The Council shall also hire such personnel,
including consultants, as may be necessary for the performance of its
functions, who shall be appointed by the Chairman.
SEC. 7.
Meetings.—The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee shall
hold meetings whenever necessary. For official meetings of either
bodies, the presence of a majority of their respective members shall
constitute the quorum to do business and all its decision shall be
concurred in by at least the majority of the quorum.
The members
of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee shall receive a
reasonable amount of per diem as the Board may provide for every
meeting actually attended by them.
Essential Project Element.
SEC. 8. Essential
Project Element.—All agro-engineering projects, especially in
endemic and potentially endemic areas indentified by the Council from
time to time, shall always have schistosoma control components.
SEC.
9. Reports.—Within three months after the end of every
fiscal year, the Council shall submit to the President of the
Philippines thru the National Economic and Development Authority its
annual report embodying the status of its programs and projects as well
as its problems and recommendations. It shall likewise submit periodic
and other reports that may be required of it by the President or by the
National Economic and Development Authority.
Role of Implementing Agencies.
SEC. 10. Role of Implementing Agencies.—All
government agencies concerned shall be responsible for the
implementation of the projects assigned to them. All other government
agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and
controlled corporations, as well as the private sector, shall support
the projects of the Council for the control of the disease.
Authority to Receive Gifts and Donations.
SEC. 11. Authority to Receive Gifts and Donations.—The
Council is hereby authorized to receive gifts, donations or bequests
and utilize the same for the implementation of its schistosomiasis
control program and projects, in accordance with the terms of the gift,
donation or bequest. Such gifts, donations or bequests shall be exempt
from all taxes, duties, dues or fees, whatsoever, imposed or hereafter
to be imposed by the national government, its agencies,
instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and the same shall be fully
deductible from the gross income of the donor or grantor for income tax
purposes.
Appropriations.
SEC. 12. Appropriations.—There is hereby
appropriated the sum of one million pesos out of the funds in the
National Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the operation of the
Schistosomiasis Control Council and its projects for fiscal year
1975-76. Thereafter, such amounts as shall be needed for the continued
operation of the Council and its projects shall be regularly included in
subsequent annual General Appropriation Acts.
The government agencies represented in and composing the Council
as indicated in Section 4 and 5 hereof are hereinafter authorized to
include in their respective regular annual appropriations such
additional amount as may be deemed needed to be used exclusively in
undertaking their activities involving the integrated national
schistosomiasis control program provided for in this Decree.
SEC.
13. Repealing Clause.—Republic Act Numbered four thousand
three hundred and fifty-nine is hereby repealed. Likewise, any provision
of law, decree, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith is hereby
repealed, amended, or revised accordingly.
Separability Clause.
SEC. 14. Separability Clause.—If for any reason any
section or provision of this Decree is declared to be unconstitutional
or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not
affected thereby shall continue in full force and effect.
Effectivity.
SEC. 15. Effectivity.—This Decree shall take effect
immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of February in the
year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
JACOBO C. CLAVE
Presidential Executive Assistant
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
