House panel OKs quarantine bill

The House committee on health approved yesterday a consolidated bill seeking to institutionalize the government’s anti-SARS program, which imposes, among other measures, mandatory quarantine to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

The measure consolidates the bills filed by Negros Occidental Rep. Jose Apolinario Lozada and Iloilo City Rep. Augusto Syjuco. It is entitled "An Act Instituting Policies and Measures for the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Other Diseases that Threaten Public Health, Appropriating Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes."

The approved bill calls for an additional appropriation of P50 million to the Department of Health annually on top of the P1 billion committed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

"In the light of fighting the killer pneumonia, there must be a Philippine National SARS Council," Syjuco said. "Such an inter-agency council should be under the auspices of the Office of the President headed by the Secretary of the Department of Health to oversee an integrated and comprehensive approach to SARS prevention and control in the Philippines."

Lozada, for his part, said that all persons traveling to the Philippines are required to answer questions and questionnaires given by proper authorities to determine if they are SARS-infected or carriers of other highly contagious diseases.

Any person who has knowingly concealed information shall be fined between P60,000 to P100,000, depending on the discretion of the court.

Meanwhile, foreigners who refused to be quarantined despite showing known symptoms of SARS or other highly contagious diseases may be refused entry or deported immediately.

The proposed measure also mandates that all doctors, nurses and other health practitioners render appropriate services to prevent and stop the spread of quarantinable disease in case of actual or threatened outbreak.

It also mandates that the State shall promote public awareness about the nature, causes and mode of transmission, consequences, means of prevention and control of SARS through a comprehensive nationwide education and information campaign, which shall be carried out in all barangays, schools, hospitals and workplaces.