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THIRTEENTH CONGElESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIILIPPINES 
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6 
rlAY 31 
P t . . 4  
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE RALPH G. RECTO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 12, Article XI1 (Social Justice and Human Rights) of the Constitution 
provides as follows: 
Sec.12 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. 
The country currently faces a looming crisis in health services due to the unabated 
migration of health and medical professionals lured by higher salaries, better working 
conditions and more opportunities for professional growth in foreign countries. The 
Philippines now holds the dubious distinction of being the top exporter of nurses. 
Doctors are also leaving the country in droves. Of late, many doctors have even opted to 
go back to school to become certified nurses just to get out of the country to work 
elsewhere. 
Reports are rife that hospitals in rural areas in Visayas and Mindanao face 
imminent closure because of the lack of doctors and nurses. 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. 
Since medical doctors constitute the core of a country's public health service 
system, the shortage of doctors severely prejudices the capacity of government to deliver 
timely, adequate, competent and affordable medical and health care services to our 
people, especially the poor who direly need such services but can hardly afford them, and 
whose only access to such services is through the public health service system. 
Thus, there is an urgent need to create a steadily expanding pool of medical 
doctors to strengthen and expand the core of the public health service system through 
institutional mechanisms and programs that will not only enable a greater number of 
qualified and public-service oriented young people to pursue medical education but also 
systematically and effectively ensure their integration into the public health service 
system in such manner that would harness their talents within an optimum period of 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 ftor the envisioned 
sustained human resource development for the Philippine public health care system and 
the scholarship program shall provide the financial and other educative resource support 
mechanisms for the pursuit of studies in the field of medicine of 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 within which 
grantees or scholars of the program shall pursue their medical training and studies. 
The government shall provide the physical, technical and financial resonrces 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 upon passing the medical board examination, a scholar shall 
spend hisher post-graduate internship in a public health institution to commence hidher 
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 
mandatory for a period equivalent to at least two (2) years for each year o f  scholarship 
benefits received. 
The Academy and the Scholarship program 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 Academy and the 
Scholarship program. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage 
n a r n e s t l y  
oft 
sought. 


6 !”w 31 ?G ’ 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
i 
s. BILLNO. 
2256 
Introduced by SENATOR RALPH G. RECTO 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY AND ESTABLISHING 
THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SEC. 3. The Philippine Medical Academy. - There shall be created a Philippine 
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Medical Academy (PMA) which shall be the primary educational institutional 
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mechanism for the sustained human resource development for the Philippine Public 
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Health Care System. The government, on its own and, when feasible, in partnership with 
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other lawful entities in the public and private sectors, shall provide and undertake 
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measu8res to generate the necessary financial, technical, physical and other resources 
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needed to efficiently and effectively man, equip, manage and develop the U.P. College of 
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Medicine as the institutional Core of the Philippine Medical Academy. Upon fulfillment 
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of prescribed conditions as may be required by the Philippine Medical Academy and 
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Scholarship Board (PMASB), other colleges of medicine may be accredited and 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be lmown as the “Philippine 
Medical Academy and Scholarship Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration ofpolicy- 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 educative 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 heath care system. 


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integrated into the Philippine Medical Academy as adjunct educative institutions that will 
provide training and education in the field of medicine to qualified entrants to the 
Philippine Medical Academy. 
SEC. 4. Medical Scholurship. - There shall be an annual selection, through 
appropriate examinations and screening processes, from among qualified graduating 
students of appropriate courses in colleges and universities nationwide, those who shall 
be admitted to the Philippine Medical Academy to be known as Medical Academy 
Scholars and who shall be granted scholarship in medicine that 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 and Provided further, that at 
least fifty (50) candidates shall be selected as “medical academy scholars” annually. 
Sec.5. Qualifications of Candidates. - 
Candidates for admission into the 
Philippine 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 undergraduate courses 
identified by the PMASB as a prerequisite course to the pursuit of 
studies in the field of medicine; 
Family and or personal incomes are not sufficient to finance their 
education in the field of medicine; 
Must be in good health and of good moral character; and 
Must be not more than twenty-five (25) years of age and a natural born 
citizen of the Philippines. 
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Sec. 6. General Conditions for Admission to the Philippine Medical Academy 
and for the Scholarship Grant. -A medical Academy scholar shall receive and continue 
to enjoy the benefits of the scholarship until he/she completes hisiher course, subject to 
the following conditions: 


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a. Be /she 
shall pass the entrance/ admission examinations and related 
requirements of the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines; 
b. He/she shall enroll in the University of the Philippines College of Medicine 
and carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the said medical 
school, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in 
under-loading; and 
c. Hdshe shall be allowed, for valid reasons preventing hidher enrolment, to 
defer availing of the scholarship and/or to file a leave of absence for a period 
equivalent to and/ or not exceeding one school year. 
d. He/she shall sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the 
scholarship on a form prescribed by the Philippine Medical Academy 
Scholarship Board; 
e. He/she shall repay the hll amount of scholarship funds and benefits received 
and spent for hisher benefit and the scholarship shall be teiininated in the 
event the grantee accepts another scholarship fiom other government or 
private agencies or entities; and 
f. He/she shall also repay the full amount of scholarship fhds and benefits 
received and spent for hisher benefit in case of failure to complete the 
medical course without valid cause, Provided that, if such failure is due to 
academic failings, physical and mental disabilities and incapacities, and such 
other reasonable causes, and he/she pursues and completes another course to 
qualify him/her as a medical service practitioner, he/she may choose, instead 
of repayment of scholarship benefits, to render services and be integrated into 
the public health service system for a period equivalent to two (2) years of 
service for every year of scholarship availed. 
See. 7. - Medical Sewice Program. - The scholar shall, pursuant to the agreement 
provided in Section 6 hereof, render services and be integrated into the public health 
service system as medical doctor, with the appropriate rank and salary upon hisher 
passing of the medical board examination; Provided, that such service and integration in I 
the public health service system shall be mandatory for a period equivalent to at least two 


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(2) years per year of scholarship availed and within which period, the scholar is granted 
periodic promotion and advancement in rank and salary grade at least one rank higher at 
least every three years in the service; and Provided, further that he/she shall undertake 
post graduate internship in a public health or medical institution and such internship shall 
be part of the mandatory service and integration into the public health service system. 
See. 8. 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 and 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, The Secretary of Education, The Secretary of Health, The Secretary of Budget 
and Management, The President of the University Of the Philippine System, The Dean of 
the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines and the Chairpersons of the 
Committees on Health and Higher Education of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate. The members of the PMASB shall be entitled to reasonable amounts of per 
diems, representation, travel and transportation allowances. 
The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education shall be the Chairman of 
the Board. 
Sec. 9. Functions ofthe Board.- The PMASB shall have the following fnnctions: 
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; 


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c. Prescribe such tests, standards and/or criteria for the selection of medical 
scholars; and the relevant and appropriate terms a and conditions governing 
the availment of scholarship grants and the integration of qualified medical 
scholars into the public health service system; 
d. Determine the various expenses to be covered by the scholarship, and approve 
the timely payment thereof to medical scholars from such sums appropriated 
by law and such other funds available for the purpose; 
e. Approve the staffing pattern and salary and/or compensation of officers and 
personnel of the Secretariat; 
f. Conduct regular meetings at least twice a month, or upon the call of the 
Chairman of the Board; and 
g. Perform such other duties and functions as hereinafter be assigned to it by the 
President of the Philippines. 
Sec. 10. Secretariat. - There shall be a Secretariat to provide administrative and 
technical assistance to the PMASB. It shall be headed by an Executive Director, and its 
staff shall be recruited preferably from qualified professionals from the academe and 
medical profession. 
Sec. 11. Appropriation. - The sum of One Hundred Million (PlOO,OOO,OOO.OO) 
pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated to constitute the initial PMSSP Fund. 
Thereafter, such additional sums as may be necessary shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act. 
Sec. 12. Donations, Grants, etc. - the Board 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 &om 
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, and the Scholarship and Services Programs. 
Sec.13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Chairman of the 
Commission on Higher Education in coordination with the Secretary of Education, The 
President of the University of the Philippine System and the Chairpersons of the 


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Committees on Health and Education of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
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shall issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the effective 
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Approved 
implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from the Effectivity thereof. 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,