100 OG. No. 51, 8619 (Dec. 20, 2004)
WHEREAS, Lymphatic Filariasis is a parasitic disease primarily affecting children, women and men living in endemic remote areas;
WHEREAS,
Lymphatic Filariasis is a debilitating and disfiguring disease,
comprising about 76% of cases living in 4th to 6th class municipalities
in 36 established endemic areas out of the 48 probably endemic provinces
in the country;
WHEREAS, recent advances in the field of
diagnosis and treatment make the disease one of the six eradicable
diseases as declared by the International Task Force for Disease
Eradication, as documented by endemic countries able to eradicate the
disease such as Japan, Korea, etc;
WHEREAS, Administrative Order
No. 25-A, s. 1998 was issued by the Department of Health (DOH)
spearheading the elimination of filariasis by formally shifting control
to elimination strategies;
WHEREAS, the main strategy to
eliminate filariasis is through Mass Treatment using a combination of
Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) and Albendazole annually for five years
which has been pilot tested in 2000 and formally started in 2001 in
selected municipalities/provinces; and
WHEREAS, to facilitate
program management, social mobilization, drug reapplication,
distribution and to epidemiologically control the disease, the Global
experts in consultation with regional coordinators, LGUs and other
stakeholders, recommended that a month each year be concentrated for
Mass Treatment for filariasis and other anti-filariasis activities.
NOW,
THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby
order:
SECTION 1. Lead Agency. The Department
of Health (DOH) shall lead in the implementation of the "Filariasis
Mass Treatment Month" yearly campaign every November starting in 2004.
As such, it shall call upon all Government Agencies/Organizations for
assistance in the implementation of this Executive Order, including, but
not limited to the following:
- Department of Interior and Local Government
- Department of Education
- Department of Social Welfare and Development
- Department of National Defense
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- Local Government Units/Organizations
- Philippine Information Agency
As
the lead agency, the DOH shall formulate and disseminate guidelines and
procedures on the implementation of the campaign; provide technical
assistance to LGUs; conduct national/regional advocacy and social
mobilization activities in endemic regions; provide all the necessary
mass treatment drugs and other logistics, allocate and distribute in a
timely manner, and monitor all LGU activities in all phases of the
campaign.
SEC. 2. Responsibilities of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG shall issue and disseminate appropriate memorandum circulars
to all local chief executives, mobilize field offices, and assist in the
supervision and monitoring of filariasis mass treatment activities in
order to ensure high mass treatment coverage in all endemic communities.
SEC. 3. Responsibilities of the Department of Education (DepEd).
The DepEd shall ensure high mass treatment coverage in all public and
private schools by exerting all efforts to inform parents and guardians
of target schoolchildren about the campaign and mobilizing all medical
teams to conduct filariasis mass treatment in schools in coordination
with LGUs. The DepEd shall issue and disseminate appropriate circulars
for the purpose.
SEC. 4 Responsibilities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DSWD shall ensure that all targeted population (2 yrs & above),
under their supervision in endemic areas are given filariasis mass
treatment drugs, issue and disseminate appropriate circulars, and assist
in the advocacy and social mobilization for the purpose of this
campaign, in coordination with the LGUs.
SEC. 5. Department of National Defense (DND) thru the National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC).
The DND thru NDCC shall issue and disseminate appropriate memorandum
circulars to its regional and provincial offices to provide assistance
in the advocacy, social mobilization and in the conduct of the
filariasis mass treatment campaigns in established endemic communities.
SEC. 6. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The DENR shall provide assistance in the training, advocacy, and social
mobilization in endemic communities to ensure high filariasis mass
treatment coverage.
SEC. 7. Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
The PIA shall provide assistance in broadcasting services primarily to
disseminate information on the campaign with particular focus on areas
and sectors not adequately served by other networks.
SEC. 8. Responsibilities of Local Government Units.
The LGUs shall lead the local implementation of the filariasis mass
treatment campaign, exerting special effort to encourage every family
member aged 2 yrs. & above, to take the filariasis mass treatment
drugs to achieve high mass treatment coverage. As such, they shall
extend appropriate resources to ensure the success of the campaign
including provide supportive drugs like antipyretics, anti-histamines,
etc, conduct of advocacy and social mobilization activities, issuance of
appropriate local ordinances, resolutions, memorandum circulars, and
other relevant orders. They are likewise ordered to submit reports on
the mass treatment coverage in their area of responsibility.
SEC. 9. Participation of the Civic Societies.
All non-government organizations, members of civic societies,
professional groups, non-government organizations, and other concerned
groups are encouraged to contribute to the success of the filariasis
mass treatment campaign through information dissemination, social
mobilization, and recruitment of volunteers, providing donations, and
other appropriate means.
SEC. 10. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon approval.
DONE, in the City of Manila, this 5th of October, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Four.
Adopted: 05 Oct. 2004
(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary