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The late Senator Miriam Santiago file a bill in 2013, Senate Bill no. 1573 Pandemic and All- Hazards Preparedness Act, which could help to overcome the Philippines from the deadly the virus.
The “legislative status” of the act meant to strengthen national preparedness and response to public health emergencies is still “pending in the committee,” the official website of the Senate said.
It was filed September 5, 2013 or three months after the "health experts started emergency international meetings to devise ways of combating a mysterious virus that has been described as the single biggest worldwide public health threat.
This was the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which at that time was feared to be a “new pandemic” deadlier than the SARS coronavirus outbreak from late 2002 to July 2003.
“This bill is built upon such wisdom by seeking to strengthen national response and preparedness for public health emergencies, such as those which result from natural disasters and severe weather, recent outbreaks and pandemics, bioterrorism, mass casualties, chemical emergencies and radiation emergencies,” it said.
Courtesy: Senate.gov.ph
This bill was supposed to give the Department of Health (DOH) the mandate to undergo evaluation, planning, organizing and training to improve the country’s preparedness if and when a public health emergency happens. “spearhead the creation of a national health strategy to address public health emergencies,” components of which included “plans for optimizing a coordinated and flexible approach to the medical surge capacity of hospitals, other health care facilities, critical care and trauma care, and emergency medical systems.” also stated under the proposed law.
Photo Courtesy: Abs-Cbn News
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