July 31, 2025
3:24 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.____ 
Introduced by Representatives JOCELYN P. TULFO, RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO, and 
EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL MEDICINE SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. 
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This Act shall be known as the “Telemedicine Act”. 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. 
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The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
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consciousness among them. Hence, it is the policy of the State to continuously 
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search for, develop, and utilize innovative ways and systems to fully protect the 
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health of all Filipinos, from the dense populations of urban centers to the far-flung 
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and unreachable rural and remote areas. It shall likewise be the policy of the State 
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to encourage and strengthen initiatives for promoting health in times of 
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emergencies and calamities through the use of information and communication 
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technology. 
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SECTION 3. Objectives. 
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The objectives of this Act are: 
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a. To create an innovative, unified, and comprehensive policy framework for
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the practice and development of telemedicine in the country;
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b. To provide healthcare services, including consultation, diagnosis, treatment
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and prescription of medicines especially in areas that have inadequate or are
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far from traditional healthcare institutions and professionals;
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c. To allow the use of information and communication technology in the delivery
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of healthcare services in time of emergencies and disasters; and
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d. To strengthen the health system and infrastructure of the country that will
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enable it to serve all Filipinos and withstand any unforeseen events.
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SECTION 4. Definition of Terms.  
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a. Telemedicine – also referred to as telehealth or electronic healthcare, is a 
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system of delivering healthcare services through the use of information and 
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communications technology as a complement to traditional healthcare 
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systems. It includes the total management of a patient’s health care from 
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consultation, diagnosis, and treatment to prescription of medicine and 
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record-keeping. It likewise includes the education and training of health 
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personnel to capacitate them to use telemedicine systems as well as the 
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development of applications and programs for the furtherance of health.  
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b. Information and Communications Technology – includes but is not 
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limited to:   
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1. Digital interactive video, audio, and/or data transmission;   
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2. Video or web-conferencing technology;   
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3. Still image capture or asynchronous store and forward;   
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4. Modern medical devices for patient care and diagnosis. 
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SECTION 5. National Telemedicine Council.  
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A National Telemedicine Council is hereby established and composed of the 
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following:  
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a. Secretary of Health, who shall serve as Chairperson;  
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b. Secretary of Information and Communication Technology;  
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c. Secretary of Science and Technology;  
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d. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government;  
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e. President of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation;  
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f. Director-General of the Food and Drug Administration;  
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g. Presidents of healthcare professional associations (Philippine Medical 
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Association, Philippine Nurses Association, Philippine Pharmacists 
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Association);  
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h. Director of the Office for Telemedicine. 
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SECTION 6. Functions of the Council.  
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The Council, with regard to telemedicine in the Philippines shall:  
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a. Establish guidelines and regulations on the practice and provision of 
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services;  
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b. Create a national roadmap for the achievement and furtherance of the 
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objectives of this Act;  
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c. Establish a national integrated database system for medical information; 
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d. Establish and provide for a mechanism of accreditation for electronic 
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healthcare providers;  
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e. Establish a system for electronic prescription of medicine;  
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f. Capacitate and train healthcare professionals on the provision of health 
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services;  
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g. Set quality standards for systems, professionals, and services.  
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The Council shall convene as frequently as necessary. 
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SECTION 7. Implementing Agency and Secretariat.  
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The Department of Health shall be the lead implementing agency. An Office of 
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Telemedicine shall be created under the Department to serve as the Secretariat for 
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the Council, headed by a Director. 
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SECTION 8. Practice of Medicine.  
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Telemedicine services shall be limited to registered physicians and shall constitute 
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acts of medical practice, establishing a doctor–patient relationship. 
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SECTION 9. Emergency.  
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The Council shall establish special rules and systems to enhance telemedicine 
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utilization during emergencies and calamities. 
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SECTION 10. Privacy.  
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All medical records generated through telemedicine must comply with laws on 
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healthcare confidentiality, patient rights to medical information, and recordkeeping. 
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Violations shall be penalized to the maximum extent under the law. 
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SECTION 11. Standard of Care.  
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The standard of care shall be equivalent to traditional healthcare services. 
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SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations.  
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The Council shall promulgate implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) 
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days from this Act’s effectivity. 
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SECTION 13. Appropriations.  
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Initial funding shall be sourced from the current DOH budget. Continued 
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implementation shall be a separate item in the annual DOH appropriations. 
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SECTION 14. Separability Clause.  
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If any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall 
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remain in force. 
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SECTION 15. Repealing Clause.  
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All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act 
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are repealed or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause.  
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This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
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or in two newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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