SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.B. No. ---G-9 5 
;irmatt' 
{~ff,;t "f I'" )cmdor~ 
'13 
JUL -9 A9 :50 
Introduced by Senator LOREN LEGARDA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is internationally known as. a source of competitive, highly 
qualified, and skilled health workers, otherwise known as Human Resources for 
Health (HRH). Filipino doctors and nurses' <l,e deployed in various parts of the 
world. However, in recent years, the tre!ld among doctors is to train in nursing 
while students of medicine ar.e shifting to nursing. Undeniably, being a nurse in 
such countries as the United States and· Canada is much more financially rewarding 
than being a being a doctor in the Philippines. The reduction in the number of 
doctors and the migration abroad of Filipino nurses and other health workers en 
mi:!8se are threatening the adequate delivery of health services in the country. 
The Philippine Constitution mandat.es that "The. State shall undertake 
appropriate health rnanpower development and research,responsive to the 
country's . health needs and problems." Several' government agencies have 
undertaken this mandate but because they are' uncoordinated, programs and 
policies are fragmented, inconsistent and incongruent. 
To address this problem, the Department of Health and the World Health 
Organization developed in 2005 the, Human Resources for, Health Master Plan 
(HRHMP) to serve as a framework that will support HRH development in the 
country. According to the plan, a network of different organizations relevant to . 
HRH will be created. The network will facilitate the implementation of programs 
and activities needing, multi-sectoral coordination. To better implement plan, the 
DOH spearheade<:1 in 2006 the creation cif the Human Resources for Health Network 
(HRHN), which is composed of, government agencies and non-government 
organizations with the common aim of solving and responding to HRH issues and 
problems'. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
,> 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE' 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Semdr 
{~ff,;t "f t~,,:i!m,l~r~ 
'13 
JUL -9 1\ 9 :50 . 
__ ~ 
________ ~ 
_________ 
S_.B_._N_O._8_9_5 __________ R_E_:"_:f~~1_V_F_D_i_~\_':--H~ 
I 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
INSTITUT~ONALIZING THE HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH NETWORK 
AS A STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT HUMAN/RESOURCES FOR 
HEALTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES 
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Be it enacted by the Senaieand the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Human Resources 
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for Health Network Act of 2013." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared a poicy of the State 
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that health manpower development !\lust be responsive The Philippine Constitution 
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of 1987 declares that the State shall "undertake health manpower development that 
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wilt-be responsive to the health needs of the population." Towards this end, the 
. 8. State s¥ll' encourage an institutionalized network of· lJ.ealth workers that shall 
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efficiently undertake activities for the growth of the HRH sector. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms and Abbrepiations. The terms and 
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abbreviations used in this Act are as follows: 
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a. Health Manpower Development- same term ashvman resources for health 
, 
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(HRH) dev,e1op:rnent. It concerns three aspects particularly planning, 
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production and management of HRH . 
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b. Human Resources for Health (HRH) - a universal term for health care 
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workers. Health care workers as defined by the World Health Organization 
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are "people whose job it is to protect and improve the health of their 
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co:rnmunities." 
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c. Human Resources for' Health Network (HRHN) -
a multi-sectoral 
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organization composed' of different government agencies as well as' non-
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government organizations with an aim of supporting HRH development in 
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the Philippines. 
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d. Humat;t Resources for Health Master Plan (HRHMP) - a 25-year plan with a 
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goal of providing the r'hilippine health care system with an adequate number 
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of competent HRH that are equitably distributed all over the country. 
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SECTION 4. Recognition of the Human Resources for Health Network 
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(HRHN). The Human Resources for Health Netw~rk shall be recognized as the 
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structure or organization responsible for HRH development in the PhiHppines. 
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SECTION 5. Objectives of the HRHN. The HRHN shall have the following 
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objectives: 
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1. Facilitate implementation of programs of the Human Resources for Health 
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Master Plan (HRHMP); 
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2. Provide policy directions and develop programs that would address and 
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respond to HRH issues and problems; 
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3: Harmonize existing policies and programs pertaining to HRH among 
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different government agencies and non-government organizations; 
204. Develop and maintain. an integrated database containing pertinent 
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information of HRH from production, distribution, utilization up to 
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retirement and migration; 
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5. Advocate human resource development and management in the health 
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sector; 
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6. Perform workforce planning at the national level; and 
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7. Monitor and evaluate sectoral HRH policies and prog~ams. 
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SECTI01'il 6. Membership. The Department of Health shall be the lead agency 
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of the HRHN. All other government agencies with mandates on HRH development 
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such as the. Department of Foreign Affairs, Department .of Interior and Local 
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Government, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas 
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Efuployment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Techni<;:al 
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Education and Skills Development Authority, National Economic and Development 
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Authority, Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Commission on Higher Education, 
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Professiona~ Regulations CommiSSion and Civil Service Commission, shall be 
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members of the HRHN. 
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Likewise, non-government organizCltions Clnd the Clmdeme, which Clre , 
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recognized CIS pClrtners in supporting HRH development, are hereby encourageq to 
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be members,of the HRHN. 
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SECTION 7, Organizational Structure. The HRHN shClll be composed of 
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three (3) Techniml Working Groups (TWG) and one (1) Oversight Committee. The 
, 8' three TWG shall be cOmposed of the: 1) TWG on Entry; 2) TWG on Workforce; and 
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3) TWG on ,Exit. EClch TWG shClll Clddress HRH problems and issues pertinent to 
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their TWG with the TWG on Entry on mCltterscortcerning planning, education Clnd 
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recruitment; TWG ,on Workforce on issues involving supervision, compensation, 
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systems support and lifelong learning and the TWG on Exit on career choice, health 
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and safety, migration and retirement. The main function of the TWG shall involve 
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prioritization of HRH issues and problems as well' as . drafting policy 
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recommendations and! or development of programs .suitable to the prioritized HRH 
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issues. 
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The TWG shall recommend its draft policies and programs to the Oversight 
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Committee, which in turn shall be composed of' the heClds of different member 
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organizations. The Oversight Committee shall function as th~ decision-mClking body 
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of the HRHN. It sh(lll review and act upon allrecorrpnendations of the different 
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1WGs., The Department of Health, having spearheaded the creation of the HRHN, 
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shall act as the Chair of the Oversight'Colnmitt,ee: . 
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In order to facilitate coordination among. members of the HRHN, the 
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Dep<;lrtmE!Ilt of Health as the h~ad agency shall provide the Secretariat. The 
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Secretariat shall act as the coordinating body of the HRHN and shall provide the 
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following ftmctions such as, but n@t limited to, setting of meetings, managing of 
29 'important logistics and circulation of information and documents among members. 
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SECTION 8,' Composition of the Oversight Committee, TWG and 
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Secretariat. The Oversight Committee shall be composed of. the heads of the 
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government. agencies and the non-government organizations or their duly 
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appointed representative authorized to act on his/her behalf. The TWGs, on the 
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other hand, shall be composed of a permanent and an alternate member 
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representing each member organization, The TWG member shall be at the level of a 
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director, division chief, or holder of equivalent position of the concerned 
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bureau/ agency/organization. A representative of the Health Human Resource 
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Development Bureau of the Department of Health shall serve as the secretariat for 
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each TWG and the Oversight Committee, 
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SECTION 9. Development and Maintenance of an Integrated HRH Database. 
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As part of its declared objective as stated in paragraph 4, Section 2 hereof, the 
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HRHN shall develop and maintain an integrated datC).base containing relevant HRH 
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informati~n that can be used for evidence based planning and policy making. As 
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such, all abovementioned government agencies shall share the necessary HRH 
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information in their database to theHRHN integrated database and update these 
12 . data on a p!friodic basis. 
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SECTION 10, Budget Appropriation. The Department of Health as the lead 
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agency shall appropriate seed/initialfunds for the sustainability of the HRHN. The' 
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network .shal! maximize the member agencies' resources for the network projects. 
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All.other government agencies shall contribute a portion of their budget for the 
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development, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of all policies, 
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programs, projects and activities of the HRHN. Likewise, nOIlrgovernment 
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organizations and private sedor organizations are encouraged to contribute a part of 
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their budget and either resources deemed necessary for all the undertakings of the 
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HRHN, 
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SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of 
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Health shall spearhead the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations of 
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this.Act within a year after the effectivity of this Act. 
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SECTION 12. Separability Clause. If C).ny part ~f this Act should hereaftet be 
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declared'unconstitutional or invalid, such other parts hereof not otherwise affected 
30 ',thereby shall continue in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuC).nce, 
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executive order, letter Qf instruction, administrative order; rule or regulation 
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contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
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modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved; 
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