EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.No, 4384

Introduced by Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY, ESTABLISHING
‘THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 12, Article XII (Social Justice and Human Rights) of the Constitution
provides that: The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory
system and undertake appropriate health manpower development and research, responsive to
the country's health needs and problems.

Various health advocate organizations claim that hospitals in rural areas in Visayas
and Mindanao face a crisis and even imminent closure because of the lack of doctors. Even
prestigious medical institutions find it difficult to attract fresh graduates to fill up slots for
doctors. The government has acknowledged the reality that, indeed, the country is facing an
alarming shortage of medical doctors and other medical professionals.

The prohibitive cost of medical studies has become beyond the reach of Filipino
families even of those belonging to the upper middle class. In the past few years, the
situation has been aggravated by doctors taking up nursing and leaving the country for more
lucrative jobs abroad.

Since medical doctors constitute the core of a country's public health service system,
the shortage of doctors severely prejudices the capacity of the government to deliver timely,


adequate, competent and affordable medical and health care services to our people. This
affects especially the poor who need such services but can hardly afford them.

‘Thus, there is an urgent need to create a steadily expanding pool of medical doctors to
strengthen the core of our public health service system. This should be done through

institutional mechanisms and programs that will enable a greater number of qualified and
public-service oriented young people to pursue medical education, while at the same time,
effectively integrating them into the public health service system. In such manner, their
talents would be harnessed within an optimum time for the benefit of our country and people.

This bill seeks to address that need by creating a Philippine Medical Academy and
establishing a Philippine Medical Scholarship and Service Program.

‘The Academy shall provide the institutional mechanism for the envisioned sustained
human resource development for the Philippine public health care system. The scholarship
program shall provide the financial and other educational resource support mechanisms for
the pursuit of studies in the field of medicine by deserving and qualified young people. The
University of the Philippines, through its College of Medicine, shall serve as the institutional
core or principal medical educational institution where grantees or scholars of the program
shall pursue their medical training and studies. Other colleges and universities nationwide
shall be accredited to serve as adjunct medical educational institutions to provide medical

training to scholars.

‘The government shall provide the physical, technical and financial resources to equip,
man, and develop the U.P. College of Medicine as the institutional core of the Philippine
Medical Academy. It shall also provide funds to pay for all the necessary expenses such as
tuition, matriculation and all other school fees, prescribed textbooks and other educational
supplies and equipments, board and lodging expenses, clothing and uniform allowances,

traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living allowances of qualified entrants to

the Philippine Medical Academy and recipients of the scholarship program.

It is envisioned that a scholar shall undergo higher post-graduate internship in a public
health and medical institution which shall be considered as part of the mandatory public
2


service. Upon passing the medical board examination, the scholar shall commence integration
into the public health service system and shall accordingly be given the appropriate rank and
salary. Such integration into the public service system shall be required for a period
equivalent to at least one (1) year for each year of scholarship benefits received.

‘The Academy, the Scholarship and Service programs shall be administered by a
Board empowered to formulate and implement policies, rules and regulations, and all such
other activities for the effective management and development of the programs.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of J¥S bill is earnestly soi


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HNo, 4384

Introduced by Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY, ESTABLISHING
THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Medical Academy
and Scholarship Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to undertake health
manpower development responsive to the country’s health service needs. Towards this end,
the State shall establish mechanisms inclusive of creating educational institutions and
scholarship programs to enable deserving and qualified individuals to pursue education and
training in the field of medicine, and shall formulate and implement such policies and
programs to systematically integrate these individuals, upon qualifying as doctors of
medicine, into the public health care system.

Sec. 3. The Philippine Medical Academy. ~ There shall be established a Philippine
Medical Academy (PMA) which shall be the primary educational institutional mechanism for
the sustained human resource development for the Philippine Public Health Care System. The
government, on its own and, when feasible, in partnership with other lawful entities in the
public and private sectors, shall provide and undertake measures to generate the necessary
financial, technical, physical and other resources needed to efficiently and effectively man,
equi
institutional Core of the Philippine Medical Academy. Other colleges and universities upon
fulfillment of prescribed conditions may be accredited and integrated into the Philippine

manage and develop the University of the Philippines - College of Medicine as the


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Medical Academy as adjunct educational institutions that will provide training and education
in the field of medicine to qualified entrants to the Philippine Medical Academy.

Sec. 4. Philippine Medical Academy Scholarship Board (PMASB). ~ There is hereby
created a Philippine Medical Academy and Scholarship Board (PMASB) which shall
administer the Philippine Medical Academy, the Scholarship and Service Program and shall

be empowered to formulate, consolidate, integrate, systematize and implement all policies,
rules and regulations and programs related thereto and intended to enhance the effectiveness
thereof.

The PMASB shall be composed of the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher
Education as chairperson of the Board; and as members: the Secretary of Education, the
Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the President of the
University of the Philippines System, The Dean of the College of Medicine of the University
of the Philippines, the Executive Director of the PMASB Secretariat, and the Chairpersons of
the Committees on Health and Higher Education of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. The members of the PMASB shall be entitled to reasonable amounts of per
diems, representation, travel and transportation allowances.

Sec. 5. Functions of the Board. —‘The PMASB shall have the following functions:

a. Determine, formulate and promulgate the appropriate policies, measures, rules and
regulations necessary to operate, manage, maintain, and enhance the effectiveness
of the PMA and the scholarship and services programs integral to its operations;

b. Establish cooperative and coordinative linkages with other educational and related
institutions in the public and private sectors to ensure the effective operation,
management and development of the PMA and the scholarship and services
programs;

c. Approve the accreditation of medical colleges and universities who will be
adjunct educational institutions and who in addition to the University of the
Philippines - Philippine General Hospital will accept medical scholars to their
respective institutions;

d. Prescribe such tests, standards and criteria for the selection of medical scholars;
and the relevant and appropriate terms and conditions governing the scholarship
grants and the integration of qualified medical scholars into the public health
service system;


€. Determine the various expenses to be covered by the scholarship, and approve the
schedule of payments thereof to medical scholars from such sums appropriated by
law and other funds available for the purpose;

f. Design the staffing pattern, salaries and other compensation of officials and
personnel of the Secretariat subject to the approval of the Department of Budget
and Management and in accordance with the Salary Standardization Law;

g. Conduct regular meetings as often as may be decided by the Board and special
meetings when necessary as may be called by the Chairman of the Board; and

h. Perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned by the President of
the Philippines.

Sec. 6. Secretariat. ~ There shall be a Secretariat to provide administrative and
technical assistance to the PMASB. It shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall
perform duties and responsibilities as may be determined and delegated by the PMASB. The
support staff of the Secretariat shall be recruited preferably from qualified professionals from
the academe and medical profession.

Sec. 7. Medical Scholarship. There shall be an annual selection through appropriate
examinations and screening processes of those who shall be admitted to the Philippine
Medical Academy to be known as Medical Academy Scholars. The candidates shall come
from among qualified graduating students or graduates of appropriate courses in colleges and
universities nationwide. The qualified and selected scholars shall be granted scholarship in a
medical course and shall cover expenses for, among others, tuition, matriculation and other
school fees; prescribed textbooks, supplies and equipment; board and lodging expenses;
clothing and uniform allowances; traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living
allowances: Provided, That at least five (5) candidates per region, or when practicable, one
(1) candidate from every province and city shall be chosen to participate in the annual
selection: Provided, further, That at least fifty (50) Medical Academy Scholars shall be
selected annually.

Sec. 8. Qualifications of Candidates. ~ Candidates for admission into the Phi
Medical Academy and for medical scholarship grants shall possess the following minimum
qualifications:

a. Must belong to the top thirty per centum (30%) of their respective graduating
classes and must be completing or already completed undergraduate courses



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identified by the PMASB as a prerequisite course to the pursuit of studies in the
field of medicine;

b. Family and or personal incomes are not sufficient to finance their education in the
field of medicine: Provided, That those who are financially capable and are willing
to serve in public health and medical institutions after graduation may be accepted:
Provided, further, That they do not compose more than 10 percent (10%) of the
total scholars for a particular year;

c. Must be not more than twenty-five (25) years of age and a natural-born citizen of
the Phil

d. Such other qualifications that the PMASB shall determine as necessary for the
purpose.

Sec. 9. General Conditions for Admission to the Philippine Medical Academy and for

pines; and

the Scholarship Grant, ~ A medical academy scholar shall be accepted to the Academy and
the programs and shall receive and continue to enjoy the benefits of the scholarship until the
completion of the course, subject to the following conditions:

a. The scholar shall pass the entrance/admission examinations and related
requirements of PMASB and the medical school the scholar intends to enroll in;

b. The scholar shall carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the
medical school, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result
in under-loading;

c. The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing his enrolment, to defer
availing of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for a period not exceeding
one school year;

d. The scholar shall sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the
scholarship on a form prescribed by the PMASB;

€. The scholar shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received,
and the scholarship shall be terminated in the event the grantee accepts another
scholarship from other government or private agencies or entities; and

f. The full cost of scholarship and related benefits received shall be paid by the
scholar in case of failure to complete the medical course without valid cause as
may be determined by the PMASB: Provided, That, if the terminated medical
scholar completes another course and qualifies as an allied medical service

practitioner, the scholar may choose, instead of repayment of scholarship costs, to
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render public service and be integrated into the public health and medical service
system.

Sec. 10. Medical Service Program. — The scholar shall, pursuant to the agreement
provided in Section 9 hereof, render services and be integrated into the public health and
medical service system as medical doctor, with the appropriate rank and salary upon passing
the medical board exami
service shall be mandatory for a period equivalent to at least one (1) year for every year of
scholarship availed: Provided, further, That the scholar when he obtains a very satisfactory
performance rating, shall be entitled to salary step increases for at least every two (2) years in
the service: Provided, finally, That the scholar shall undertake post graduate internship in a
public health or medical institution that shall ensure his acceptance and such internship shall

:: Provided, That such service and integration in the public

be part of the mandatory service and integration into the public health and medical service
system.

Sec. 11. Appropriation. ~ The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
included in the subsequent annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 12. Donations, Grants, etc. - The PMASB may accept donations, legacies,
grants, and other contributions to form part of the Medical Scholarship Fund: Provided, That
such donations, legacies, grants, and other contributions shall be exempt from taxation and
shall be allowable deductions for income tax purposes. Proceeds from at least two (2) draws
of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes per year shall also be allocated to finance the PMA,
the Scholarship and the Services Programs.

Sec. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days after the
effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Health, the
Department of Budget and Management, the University of the Philippines System, and other

government agencies concerned shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
proper implementation of this Act.

Sec. 14. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act or any part
‘thereof shall be held unconstitutional and invalid, the other parts or provisions of this Act,
which are not affected thereby, shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 15. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, resolutions, orders or ordinances or
parts thereof inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.


1 Sec. 16. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
2 nat least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazerte.
Approved,

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