Raganit, Nicole Anne P.

11/13/20
BSN4/NDA
IX .Activity 7 ( 500 words )
Question: Identify three legislative bills in the Philippines  affecting nursing during this pandemic Covid 19
being considered in the committee in the House of Representative, or the Senate.Select one and draft a
letter to your representative or senator’s regarding your position on the bill.

1. Bayanihan to Recover as One Act 

“May I again reiterate my thanks to you, the men and women of Congress, for the effort you invested into
passing that law (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act). I hope that we can get some or the same treatment of
clarity, purpose and the fastness to support the passage of the Bayanihan [to Recover as One Act], which
will supplement funds for recovery and response against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The proposed Bayanihan 2 bill provides a comprehensive list of 64 “interventions” that the executive branch
is expected to undertake to combat the pandemic – from setting a COVID-19 testing protocol for vulnerable
sectors to providing aid to those in the transport and tourism industries critically affected by the health
crisis.  
These interventions adopted the 30 special powers that the first Bayanihan law originally granted to
Duterte, which expired on June 25.
The Senate already passed the Bayanihan 2 on second reading, while the House version has hurdled only
the committee level so far.
Both chambers, however, are seeking different amounts for the proposed standby fund for COVID-19
response programs: P162 billion in the House and P140 billion in the Senate.

2. Advanced Nursing Education Act

This is a pet bill of Duterte’s longtime aide-turned-senator Bong Go, who wants to entice Filipino nurses to
stay in the Philippines instead of working abroad.
Senate Bill No. 395 would require higher learning institutions accredited by the Commission on Higher
Education to establish standard basic and graduate programs for nursing education.
No counterpart measure has been filed in the House so far.
3. Creating a Medical Reserve Corps
There are pending bills in the 18th Congress pushing to create a Medical Reserve Corps, who would be
trained to augment the country’s human health resources in times of disasters and health emergencies.
4. National Disease Prevention and Management Authority
“In the long term, we are looking into the creation of the National Disease Prevention and Management
Authority to better prepare for pandemics, protect lives, and allow development to proceed even in the
worst of times. We are counting on the full support of Congress for this critically important endeavor.”
In his 5th SONA, Duterte admitted there were lapses in his government’s response to the pandemic. He
then told Congress to create a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority that would be
primarily tasked to prepare the Philippines in the event of another crippling pandemic like what COVID-19
has caused.
Duterte, however, has yet to determine where to source funds, should this body be created.

5. Evacuation centers in every province, city, and municipality

“Equally important is the establishment of evacuation centers in every city, province and municipality
throughout the country. We must act [now] before another major disaster shakes [us] into action.”
Congestion in evacuation centers is usually a problem whenever a calamity strikes. Several senators and
congressional representatives have filed their respective bills that would require the government to ensure
there’s at least one evacuation center in every province, city, and municipality across the country. They
have all remained pending at the committee level since 2019