AGHAM Party List Rep. Angelo B. Palmones commends the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives for its fast action and approval of the Bill titled “ An Act Institutionalizing the Philippine National Health Research System, Establishing the Philippine National Health Research Fund Providing for its Administration and for other purposes.”
The approved substitute bill by the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives chaired by Rep. Alfredo D. Maranon III aims to improve the health status and quality of life of Filipinos by ensuring that health research is linked to the health system needs and that investments in health research yield the most benefit.
The bill that was a consolidation of the four bills authored by Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Joseph Emilio Abaya, Angelo Palmones and Lani Mercado-Revilla features the creation of the Philippine National Health Research Fund to support knowledge management and knowledge translation into efficient and effective health policies and service delivery.
Rep. Palmones, in the deliveration of the Bill said that the medicine needed to combat HIV which comes from coconut is being developed in the country, however, because of lack of funds there is no consolidated effort to push the endeavor.
Leading government agencies to implement the bill include the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), University of the Philippines-National Institute for Health (UP-NIH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), National Nutrition Council (NNC), and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).
Dr. Jaime Montoya, PCHRD executive director said that the bill will address the support needed by his office in developing new drugs, herbal and traditional medicine technology for the prevention of dengue and other diseases.
Rep. Palmones seeks the swift passage of the PNHRS bill because it does not only benefit researchers in knowing what health care needs should be addressed, but it also gives a feeling of security to the Filipino public that their health is protected from diseases common in tropical countries. Estrella Gallardo, PSciJourn MegaManila
