SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2878 
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA 
AN ACT 
~l!nZlh' 
(1:W;;. uf HIe .;;.mlnf ~ 
'15 
JUL 29 P4 :36 
TO ENHANCE AND SUSTAIN THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE (UHC) BY 
ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL RESIDENCY EXPANSION TRAINING PROGRAM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Residency trainings for physicians are geared primarily towards specialty training and 
provide opportunities for the participants to learn, do research and acquire teaching knowledge 
and even administrative skills. The University of the Philippines (UP) Philippine General 
Hospital (PGH) has been successful in serving as a training and health service center of high 
standard for new doctors. However, the institution only caters to a select group of trainees, thus, 
the lack oftraining opportunities for other aspiring resident physicians still persists. 
Two decades ago, the Department of Health (DOH) implemented the "Doctors to the 
Barrios" Program which provides health services to the people in the rural areas of the country. 
However, due to lack of medical facilities and unattractive compensation package, there are still 
areas where no doctors are available at present. 
This bill, therefore, seeks to strengthen the delivery of primary, as well as preventive 
health care to more Filipinos in poor and remote barangays nationwide, as well as residency 
training and job opportunities for new medical doctors, with the end in view of producing 
competent medical specialists who are willing to serve their fellow citizens. Under the proposed 
measure, a systematic approach to medical training similar to the existing programs of the DOH 
shall be adopted. Like the "Doctors to the Barrios" program of the DOH, the proposed bill seeks 
to establish a Medical Residency Expansion Training Program where new medical doctors from 
different medical institutions shall be deployed in the DOH indicative hospitals covering 
catchment areas nationwide. A Medical Residency Training Board (MRTB) shall be created to 
facilitate the effective implementation of this proposed measure. 
It is believed that the proposed measure will address the following perennial problems 
and concerns ofthe government and new doctors as well: 
a) the lack of primary care doctors and specialists outside Metro Manila who 
ordinary Filipinos basically need; 
b) the lack of training opportunities for doctors wanting to specialize; and, 
c) the lack of job opportunities for doctors which usually results in a "brain drain' or 
migration to foreign countries. 


· , 
e:-
"'J!' 
Thus, with a continuous supply of primary care and medical specialists to remote areas of 
our country, the delivery of government hospital service will greatly improve. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this proposed measure is earnestly requested. 
S 
SONNY ANGARA 


!5>tmdr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
(~ff';r lIf tilE ~HTi'tarv 
'15 
JUL 29 P 4 :36 
SENATE 
, 
"E" .,v"o IlY'-(r 
S.B. No. 2878 
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA 
AN ACT TO ENHANCE AND SUSTAIN THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE (UHC) BY 
ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL RESIDENCY EXPANSION TRAINING PROGRAM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Enhanced and Sustained 
2 
Universal Health Care Act of2015" or the "ENSURE Health Act". 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect 
4 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
5 
Towards this end, there is a need to enhance and sustain the Universal Health Care (UHC) by 
6 
establishing a medical training and service program wherein new medical doctors from different 
7 
medical institutions shall be deployed nationwide to provide health services while undergoing 
8 
residency training. 
9 
SEC. 3. The Medical Residency Expansion Training Program. -
To ensure a 
10 
continuing supply of trained medical specialists, including primary care specialists, in the 
11 
countryside and provide training and work opportunities for new physicians, a Medical 
12 
Residency Expansion Training Program, hereinafter referred to as the "Program" is hereby 
13 
established. 
14 
SEC. 4. Creation of Residency Positions. - To effectively implement the UHC Program 
15 
of the government and improve the quality and efficiency of the health service providers, there 
16 
shall be created nine hundred (900) residency positions per year for three (3) consecutive years, 
1 


1 
until it reaches a total of 2,700 when the program is fully implemented. The positions shall be 
2 
non-tenured and temporary plantilla positions in forty (40) large referral hospitals in the various 
3 
Local Govermnent Units (LGUs). 
4 
SEC. 5. Admission Requirements to the Program. - Subject to the guidelines and 
5 
standards as may be provided by the Board, graduates of Philippine medical institutions who had 
6 
passed the Philippine Physicians Licensure Examination and who are physically and mentally fit 
7 
may apply to the Program. 
8 
SEC. 6. The Contract. - Upon admission to the Program, the trainee shall sign a three-
9 
year training and service contract. The contract shall, among others, mandate the trainee who has 
10 
completed the three-year training under the Program to render one (1) year service for every year 
11 
of training or a total of three (3) years in any government hospital of hislher choice. Subject to 
12 
existing law, a trainee who shall fail to complete or finish the three-year training or shall fail to 
13 
render the three (3) years required services, shall reimburse in favor of the govermnent the total 
14 
cost of training and salaries and benefits received during the said training. 
15 
SEC. 7. Incentives for Enrolment to the Program. -
Qualified applicants to the 
16 
Program shall each receive an annual salary of Six Hundred Thousand Pesos (P600,000) and, 
17 
upon completion of the Residency Training, they shall be allowed to practice in Department of 
18 
Health (DOH) hospitals nationwide. 
19 
SEC. 8. Referral Hospitals for Residency Trainees. - Qualified resident trainees shall 
20 
be deployed to the following indicative hospitals with its corresponding catchment areas: 
Indicative Hospitals 
Catchment Area 
Ilocos Regional Medical Center 
Ilocos and Pangasinan 
Region 1 Medical Center (MC) 
Pangasinan 
Cagayan Valley MC 
Cagayan and Northern Isabela 
Veteran's Regional MC 
Southern Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya 
Bataan General Hospital 
Bataan and Zambales 
Jose Lingad Memorial MC 
Pampanga and Tarlac 
Paulino Garcia Memorial MC 
Nueva Ecija and Aurora 
Batangas Regional 
Batangas 
Laguna Provincial 
Laguna 
Cavite Provincial 
Cavite 
Quezon Provincial 
Quezon 
Ospital ng Palawan 
Palawan, Mindoro provinces, Romblon, 
Marinduque 
2 


Bicol Medical Center 
Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur 
Bicol Regional Hospital 
Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate, Catanduanes 
West Visayas MC 
Panay provinces 
Corazon Locsin Memorial MC 
N egros Occidental 
Negros Oriental Provincial 
Negros Oriental 
Vicente Sotto MC 
Cebu 
Gallares Memorial MC 
Bohol and Siquijor 
Eastern Visayas Regional Hospital 
Leyte provinces and Eastern Samar 
Samar Provincial Hospital 
Northern and Western Samar 
Zamboanga MC 
Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Tawi 
Tawi, Sulu and Basilan 
Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Hospital 
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay 
Bukidnon Hospital System 
Bukidnon 
Northern Mindanao MC 
Misamis provinces, Camiguin 
Cotabato Medical MC 
Cotabato provinces 
CARAGA Regional Hospital 
Agusan provinces 
Davao Regional Hospital 
Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao 
Oriental 
Davao Medical Center 
Davao City and Davao del Sur 
Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center 
Surigao provinces 
Amai Pakpak Memorial Medical 
Lanao provinces 
Baguio Medical Center 
Cordillera provinces 
Las Pinas 
NCR 
Amang Rodriguez 
NCR 
Rizal Medical 
NCR 
Quirino 
NCR 
4 NCR LGU Hospitals 
NCR 
1 
SEC. 9. Distribution of Resident Trainees to Hospitals and LGUs. - Out of the total 
2 
number of resident trainees, forty percent (40%) of which shall serve as primary care doctors, 
3 
who shall be equally assigned in the hospitals and in the municipalities on rotation basis; the 
4 
remaining sixty percent (60%) shall be distributed to indicative hospital departments of surgery, 
5 
internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, anesthesia, orthopedics, and other 
6 
specialties such as cardiology, ENT and ophthalmology. The distribution of residents to the said 
7 
specialties shall be adjusted every three (3) years based on DOH's survey of needs. 
8 
SEC. 10. Creation of a Medical Residency Training Board (MRTB). - To ensure the 
9 
quality of medical residency training as prescribed in the Program, there shall be created a 
10 
Medical Residency Training Board herein after referred to as the "Board". 
11 
SEC. 11. Powers and Functions of the Board. - The Board shall have the following 
12 
powers and functions: 
3 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
the 
a) Fonnulate policies and set guidelines and standards for the effective 
implementation of the Program; 
b) Evaluate the perfonnance of the medical resident trainees and detennine whether 
they have satisfactorily completed the training; 
c) Coordinate with the medical associations and societies on various special fields of 
specialization to provide the necessary assistance to the Program; 
d) Develop and ensure implementation of policies that will provide competitive 
compensation and benefits for medical residents; 
e) Provide a database of medical resident trainees and medical providers enrolled in 
the Program; 
f) Monitor the progress of the Medical Residency Program and prescribe remedial 
measures to address any training deficiencies; 
g) Provide mechanisms that shall promote the equitable distribution of medical 
resident trainees to the various parts of the country; and, 
h) Provide such other related functions as may be necessary to carry out its 
responsibilities. 
SEC. 12. Composition of the Board. -
The Board shall be headed by the Secretary of 
Department of Health, as Chairperson, and the Assistant Secretary of DOH, as Vice 
19 
Chairperson, and representatives each from the following government agencies and related 
20 
medical specialty Boards, as members: 
21 
a) Professional Regulations Commission (PRC); 
22 
b) Civil Service Commission (CSC); 
23 
c) Department ofInterior and Local Government (DILG); 
24 
d) Philippine Medical Association (PMA) - Specialty Divisions and Specialty 
25 
Societies; and, 
26 
e) Philippine Hospital Association (PHA). 
4 


1 
SEC. 13. Appropriations. - For the initial implementation of this Act, there is hereby 
2 
authorized to be created a fund to be derived from the budget of the DOH, not otherwise 
3 
appropriated. Thereafter, said fund shall be included in the Annual Budget of the DOH. 
4 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -
The DOH, in coordination with the 
5 
esc, PRe, DILG and the PMA, shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations to 
6 
effectively implement the provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this 
7 
Act. 
8 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act, or any part thereof be 
9 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue 
10 
in full force and effect. 
11 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, proclamations, executive 
12 
orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
13 
hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
14 
SEC. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
15 
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
16 
Approved, 
5