No, this is not a hoax.
“In the wake of reported ‘mysterious flesh-eating’ disease in Pangasinan, which turned out to be a hoax, Senator Pia Cayetano has sought the inclusion of persons afflicted with rare diseases in the government’s Universal Health Care program,” reports Charissa Luci in Manila Bulletin.
Senate Bill No. 2098 or the “Rare Disease Act of 2014” calls on the government to ensure that people with rare disease would be given access to medical treatment and drugs.
READ: EEEP: Report on “flesh-eating disease” in Pangasinan not true
The report likewise revealed that the bill is timely as the country is marking National Rare Disease Week. (Who knew?) The said week is commemorated every fourth week of February, ahead of International Rare Disease Day on February 28.
Anyway, as the report explained, “SB 2098 also tasks the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a National Rare Disease Registry which will include an inventory of rare diseases in the country, information on diagnosed patients, and a list of certified medicines and medical devices.”
