Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 3035

Introduced by Representative TEODORICO “NONONG*” T. HARESCO, JR.

AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Philippine Medical Association, in 2016, reported that there is a shortage of doctors
in the country, with only 70,000 who are active in the profession while there are
supposedly 130,000 licensed physicians in the country!. Some have actually turned to nursing
and work as nurses overseas. As of April 2020, data shows that there were only ten doctors per
10,000 population in the National Capital Region of the Philippines while there were only 0.8
doctors per 10,000 inhabitants in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(BARMM)2

This scarcity of medical professionals serves as a daunting reminder of our health
health With the coronavirus

services capacity amid threats of outbreaks and pul

disease (COVID-19) continuing to persist in areas in the country, our medical professionals are
challenged to i
health services.

rease human resources while still maintaining competence in delivering public

in the Philippines”. Mims Today. by
(Accessed 20 fusly 2020)

(0.200 ysaputation in the Philippines 2020 per region.
unher-ofalciors-I-resion (Accessed 20 July 2020)

120, “Number of doctors pei



This bill seeks to promote the role of medical and health-related personnel in nation-
building, and to encourage their involvement in public and civie affairs.

This bill aims to establish the Medical Reserve Corps, which shall be composed of all
persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing, medical technology, and other
health-related fields but have yet to have their respective licenses to practice. The members of
the Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon to assist the national government and the local
government units in addressing the medical needs of the public in times of state of emergencies,

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Vom \~

TEODORICO T. HARESCO,LR


aNAneene

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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 8095

Introduced by Representative TEODORICO “NONONG” T. HARESCO, JR.

AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congressassembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title, — This Act shall be known as the “Medical Reserve Corps Act”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t is hereby declared the policy of the State:

(a) To institutionalize the vital role of medical and health-related personnel in nation-
building, promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social
well-being: to inculcate in them patriotism and nationalism; and to encourage their

involvement in public and civic affairs; and

(b) To train, equip and organize medical and health-related personnel, within the current
frameworks of national and territorial defense, Jaw enforcement and peace and order
and national disaster risk reduction and management, to prepare them for rapid
mobilization at the soonest possible time in order to address national and/or local
contingencies which may require manpower beyond the capabilities of existing national
government agencies or local government units.

SECTION 3. Medical Reserve Corps. ~ There is hereby established a Medical Reserve Corps
which shall be composed of all persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing,
medical technology, and other health-related fields but have yet to have their respective
licenses to practice for reasons such as but not limited to not having taken and/or passed the
licensure examinations in their respective professions.

SECTION 4. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization, ~ -In times of national emergencies and
other contingencies, the members of the Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon and
mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities, and the local
government units in their functions related to addressing the medical needs of the public.

The mobilization shall be initiated by the Secretary of Department of Health (DOH), in
coordination with the Secretaries of the Department of National Defense (DND), the
Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Interior and Local Government


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(DILG), or their duly authorized representatives with a rank of at least Undersecretary.

From time to time as manpower and training resources may allow during the period of national
‘cmergencies and other contingencies, the Medical Reserve Corps may be called for retraining
to maintain and enhance its level of competency and readiness for mobilization.

SECTION 5. Annual Reports, ~The DOH shall regularly publish an annual report containing
1 list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, number and demography of the Medical
Reserve Corps, assessment of readiness for mobilization and the incidence and details of each
mobilization for the year concerned, The annual report shall also include the results of the audit
ation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the
implementation of the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 6. Requests for Deployment. - The Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon
and mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalitics, and the
local government units in their functions related to addressing the medical needs of the public
through requests for deployment by the heads of such national government agencies or local
government units submitted to the DOH. The requests shall contain a justification for the
deployment of the Corps and shall contain information as may be required by the DOH,
including the nature of the national or local contingencies to be addressed, the purpose of the
requested deployment, the number of personnel requested to be deployed and the period of
deployment.

SECTION 7. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment, ~ The DOH shall evaluate the
requests for deployment. When the number of personnel requested does not exceed one
hundred and fifty (150) and the period of deployment does not exceed sixty (60) days, the DOH
shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within twenty-four (24) hours from
receipt thereof, When the number of personnel requested exceeds one hundred and fifty (150)
or the period of deployment exceeds sixty (60) days, the DOH shall make a recommendation
to the Office of the President (OP) within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the request.
The OP shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within twenty-four (24)
hours from receipt of the recommendation of the DOH.

In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the DOH shall issue an Order of
Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, to assist the national government, its
agencies and instrumentalities and the local government units in their functions related to
addressing the health-related needs of the public.

SECTION 8. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of Lawles:
Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. — \n case of a declaration of a State
of war, state of lawless violence or state of calamity, the DOH may motu proprio recommend
the mobilization of the Corps to the President of the Philippines. The President of the
Philippines, by himself, shall also have the power to order the mobilization of the Corps to
respond to national or local contingencies related to external and territorial defense, internal
security and peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction management.

SECTION 9. Mobilization Centers. ~ There shall be established in each province and city as
many mobilization centers as needed according to the number and geographical distribution of
the Corps, where they will report in case of deployment,



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In case of mobilization, the equipment of the Corps shall be supplied in close coordination with
the DOH and other national agencies and offices, with the end in view of achieving rapid
mobilization,

SECTION 10. Expenses of Deployment, ~ Upon deployment. the national government agency
or the local government unit to which the Corps is deployed shall shoulder the operational
expenses of deployment,

SECTION 11. Operationalization of Deployment, ~The DOH shall promulgate the specific
mechanisms by which deployment is efficiently implemented, including the organization of
the Corps to be deployed. their territorial assignments. how deployment orders are
communicated to each member of the Corps and to which mobilization center they will report

SECTION 12. Serial Numbers and Registry. ~ Upon completion of their respective degrees,
the graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, which will serve as their identification
In ease of deployment.

The DOH shall maintain and update a registry/database containing the names of the members
of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact details and such other information as the
DOH may determine, in accordance with any applicable privacy laws. For this purpose, all
public and private colleges, universities and learning institutions are hereby mandated to
annually transmit their records of the graduates covered under this Act to the DOH, in the form
as may be determined by the DOH

Alll graduates covered under this Act are required to update their addresses and contact det
on file with the DOH as ofien as necessary. Orders of deployment sent to the addresses and/or
through the contact details on file with the DOH shall be sufficient notice for purposes of
deployment

SECTION 13. Termination of Deployment. — Upon the expiration of the requested period of
deployment, without an extension having been requested and approved by the DOH, the Corps
shall be discharged of its duties. The deployment may also be terminated earlier upon a
determination by the DOH, in consultation with the requesting national government agency or
local government unit, that such deployment is no longer in accordance with the objectives and
purposes of this Act.

SECTION 14. Effect on Employment, ~ Deployment of employees in accordance with the
provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal or diminution of any benefit enjoyed
by such graduates prior to their deployment. The members of the Corps shall be entitled to their
regular wage or salary during the period of their deployment.

SECI
establ
Office of the President shall monitor and evaluate the activities and the balances of the

JON 15. Medical Reserve Corps Fund. ~ A Medical Reserve Corps Fund is hereby
shed exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this Act, The
id.

SECTION 16, School Fees. ~ Public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions
covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal 30 Access to Quality
Tertiary Fducation Act, shall not collect any fee from the members 31 of the Medical Reserve
Corps in addition to the normal fees and charges pertinent to 32 their education and training in
said colleges, universities and other similar institutions,



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SECTION 17. Appropriations. ~ The Medical Reserve Coxps Fund shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 18, Audit of Funds. ~ Audit of any and all funds used through the implementation
of this Act shall be in accordance with the audit jurisdiction of the Commission on Audit, the
Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Department of Health, under existing laws and regulations.

SECTION 19. Penal Provisions; Failure to Respond.

(a) Failure to respond to the order of deployment despite notice sent to the address and/or
contact details on file with the DOH without any justifiable reason shall, upon
conviction by a civil court, be punishable as follows:

i, First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service;

ii, — Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and

iii, Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four hundred
and eighty (480) hours of community service.

SECTION 20. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. — Administrative offenses
committed by persons involved in or in relation to the implementation of this Act, shall be
subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the applicable civil service rules or the
rules and regulations of the Professional Regulation Commission, as the case may be.

SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). ~ The DON shall be tasked to
formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations to implement the objectives and
purposes ofthis Act within thirty (30) days from its effectivity. The rules and regulations shall
include provisions on the structure and organization of the Corps, the specific mechanisms for
the efficient mobilization and deployment of the Corps. and such other matters as the DOH
may deem necessary or cssential to fully implement the objectives and purposes of this Act.

SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, orders, rules regulations and other issuances. or
parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 23. Separability Clause. — Any provision of this Act declared unconstitutional shall
not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

SECTION 24. Effectivity, ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days alter its publication in
two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,