Senator Win Gatchalian is actively pushing for the creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in response to a concerning outbreak in the Philippines. The outbreak, specifically affecting Baguio City, has seen 2,764 cases of gastroenteritis, prompting investigations that revealed evidence of water contamination. The proposed CDC aims to serve as a technical authority, focusing on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development to effectively prevent and control diseases of public health importance and health security events.

The responsibilities of the envisioned CDC go beyond immediate outbreak response. They include crucial tasks such as disease surveillance, field epidemiology activities, the establishment of public health laboratories, and the enhancement of local capacities for health research. Notably, the CDC would also set standards for provinces, cities, and municipalities, directing them to adopt and localize these standards. Furthermore, local government units are mandated to fund and establish epidemiology and surveillance units to strengthen the overall public health infrastructure.

In December 2022, the House of Representatives approved a bill outlining the establishment of the Philippine CDC, positioning it under the Department of Health (DOH). The bill now awaits approval from the Senate. Senator Bong Go, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, has joined the call for assistance from the DOH in addressing the outbreak. Emphasizing the need to identify the outbreak’s cause, Go also stressed the importance of ensuring drinking water safety in the affected areas. The DOH, in response, has recommended measures such as boiling water for two minutes or using chlorine-based disinfection solutions.

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