Beltranv.

SecretaryofHealth
FACTS:
RA7719(NationalBloodServicesAct)wasenactedin1994,seekingtoprovideanadequatesupplyofsafe
bloodbypromotingvoluntaryblooddonationandbyregulatingbloodbanksinthecountry.Section7
thereofprovidedforthephaseoutofallcommercialbloodbankswithin2yearsafteritseffectivity.
TheActwaspassedafterstudiesshowedthatbloodtransfusionscouldleadtotransmissionofdiseases,and
thatbloodsoldbypersonstocommercialbloodbanksarethreetimesmorelikelytohavebloodtransfusion
transmissiblediseasesthanthosedonatedtothePhilippineNationalRedCross.
Priortotheexpirationofthecommercialbloodbankslicenses,theyfiledapetitionassailingthe
constitutionalityandvalidityofRA7719anditsImplementingRulesandRegulations,fordiscriminating
againstfreestandingbloodbanksinamanner,whichisnotgermanetothepurposeofthelaw.
ISSUES:
1.W/NRA7719violatestheequalprotectionclause.
2.W/NSection7ofRA7719constitutesunlawfuldeprivationofpersonallibertyandproperty.

HELD:
1.NO.One,RA7719isbasedonsubstantialdistinctions.Nonprofitbloodbanksoperateforpurely
humanitarianreasonsandasamedicalservice,andencouragevoluntaryblooddonation.Ontheotherhand,
commercialbloodbanksaremotivatedbyprofitandtreatbloodasasaleofcommodity.
Two,theclassificationandtheconsequentphaseoutofbloodbanksisgermanetothepurposeofthelaw,
whichistoprovidethenationwithanadequatesupplyofsafebloodbypromotingvoluntaryblood
donationandtreatingbloodtransfusionasahumanitarianormedicalserviceratherthanacommodity.This
necessarilyinvolvesthephaseoutofcommercialbloodbanksbasedonthefactthattheyoperateasa
businessenterprise,andtheysourcetheirbloodsupplyfrompaidblooddonorswhoareconsideredunsafe.
Three,theLegislatureintendedforthegeneralapplicationofthelaw.Itsenactmentwasnotsolelyto
addressthepeculiarcircumstancesofthesituationnorwasitintendedtoapplyonlytoexistingconditions.
Four,thelawappliesequallytoallcommercialbloodbankswithoutexception.
2.NO.Inservingtheinterestofthepublic,andtogivemeaningtothepurposeofthelaw,theLegislature
deemeditnecessarytophaseoutcommercialbloodbanks.Thisactionmayseriouslyaffecttheownersand
operators,aswellastheemployees,ofcommercialbloodbanksbuttheirinterestsmustgivewaytoservea
higherendfortheinterestofthepublic.
DOCTRINE:Classlegislation,discriminatingagainstsomeandfavoringothersisprohibited;but
classificationonareasonablebasisandnotmadearbitrarilyorcapriciouslyispermitted.