The document summarizes two key Philippine laws related to health: 1) The Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 (RA 8504) which aims to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS through public education campaigns, protecting human rights of those infected, and ensuring access to health services. 2) The National Blood Services Act of 1994 (RA 7719) which promotes voluntary and safe blood donation through establishing a national blood transfusion network, regulating blood banks, and educating the public on the importance of voluntary donation over commercial sale.

1. (Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998,
National Blood Services Act of 1994)
Existing National Laws Related to Health
Trends, Issues and Concerns

2. A. Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of
1998 (R.A. 8504)
As the name suggests, Republic Act no. 8504 promotes the
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines through the
promulgation of policies and implementation of measures against the spread
of HIV/AIDS. It also aims to create a nationwide HIV/AIDS information and
educational program, form a comprehensive HIV/AIDS monitoring system,
and make the Philippine AIDS Council more effective in its role as the lead
agency in advisory, planning, and policy-making for HIV/AIDS prevention
and control.
This law covers the following policies implemented by the state in
order to prevent and control the spread of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (AIDS), which has become one of the most life-threatening
diseases that has no known cure yet.

3. • Promote public awareness about the causes, modes of transmission,
consequences, means of prevention and control of HIV/AIDS
through a comprehensive nationwide educational and information
campaign organized and conducted by the state.
Such campaigns shall promote value formation and employ
scientifically proven approaches, focus on the family as a basic social
unit and be carried out in all school and training centers, workplaces,
and communities. This program shall involve affected individuals and
groups including people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Extend to every person suspected or known to be infected with
HIV/AIDS full protection of his or her human rights and civil liberties.
Towards this end:

4. - Compulsory HIV testing shall be considered unlawful unless
otherwise provided in this act
- The right to privacy of individuals with HIV shall be guaranteed
- Discrimination in all its forms and subtleties against individuals
with HIV and persons perceived or suspected of having HIV shall
be considered inimical to individual and national interest.
- Provision of basic health and social services for individuals with
HIV shall be assured
• Promote utmost safety and universal precautions in practices and
procedures that carry the risk of HIV transmission.

5. • Promote utmost safety and universal precautions in practices and
procedures that carry the risk of HIV transmission.
• Positively address and seek to eradicate conditions that aggravate
the spread of HIV infection, including but not limited to poverty,
gender, inequality, prostitution, marginalization, drug abuse, and
ignorance.
• Recognize the potential role of affected individuals in propagating
vital information and educational messages about HIV/AIDS and
shall utilize their experience to warn the public about the disease.

6. National Blood Services Act of 1994 (R.A. 7719)
R.A. 7719 revolves around the promotion of voluntary blood donation,
the provision for an adequate supply of safe blood, the regulation of blood
banks, and the provision of penalties for any violation of this law.
It covers the following policies implemented by the state regarding
blood services.
• Promote and encourage voluntary blood donation by the citizenry and
to instill public consciousness of the principle that blood donation is a
humanitarian act.
• Lay down the legal principle that the provision of blood for transfusion
is a professional medical service and not a sale of a commodity.

7. • Provide for adequate, safe, affordable, and equitable distribution of
supply of blood and blood products.
• Inform the public of the need for voluntary blood donation to curb the
hazards caused by commercial sale of blood.
• Teach the benefits and rationale of voluntary blood donation in the
existing health subjects of the formal education system in all public
and in private schools, in the elementary, high school, and college
levels as well as in the non-formal education system.
• Mobilize all sectors of the community to participate in mechanisms
for voluntary and non-profit collection of blood.

8. • Mobilize all sectors of the community to participate in mechanisms for
voluntary and non-profit collection of blood.
• Mandate the Department of Health to establish and organize a
National Blood Transfusion Service Network in order to rationalize and
improve the provision of adequate and safe supply of blood.
• Provide for adequate assistance to institutions promoting voluntary
blood donation and providing non-profit blood services, either through
a system of reimbursement for costs from patients who can afford to
pay, or donations from governmental and non-governmental entities.
• Require all blood collection units and blood banks or centers to
operate on a non-profit basis.

9. • Establish scientific and professional standards for the operation of
blood collection units and blood banks or centers in the Philippines.
• Regulate and ensure the safety of all activities related to the
collection, storage, and banking of blood.
• Require upgrading of blood banks or centers to include preventive
services and education to control spread of blood transfusion
transmissible diseases.
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10. Thank You