REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3847
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative TYRONE D AGABAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish a medical scholarship and return service
program for deserving students who will pursue medical education and
training in the field of health and medicine who shall eventually render services
in government public health offices or government hospitals. This bill has
already been approved by the House of Representatives on its 3 and final
reading in the 17% Congress. It was not however enacted into a law.
Considering the significance of this bill in strengthening the delivery of quality
healthcare services in government hospitals, at the same time tapping and
unlocking the best of potential medical students, it is imperative that this bill
be filed.

The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality
education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education
accessible to all (Section 1, Article XIV, 1987 Philippine Constitution). The
State shall establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan
programs, subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving
students in both public and private schools, especially to the underprivileged
Section 1, Article XIV, 1987 Philippine Constitution)

Numerous programs as set in the millennium development goals of the
Department of Health have already been initiated, and yet, pervasive health
challenges have remained a constant threat. There is a ratio imbalance
between the number of doctors per local government unit’s population
especially in the countryside. This is attributed to the lack of, or shortage of
medical doctors who are willing to stay and serve in the government for
considerable period of time. This is a lingering problem that has beset the
functions of our government. It has reduced our capacity to deliver quality
healthcare to our people. Central to this problem is the high cost of medical
studies which is beyond the means of Filipino students however bright and


competent they are, not to mention the problem of urban migration and exodus
of doctors abroad.

This bill creates a solution to the shortage of medical doctors as it
provides an avenue or opportunity for full medical scholarship grant to
qualified and deserving students who shall in turn serve the government
through its return service program. Hence, the urgent need for its approval.

es sata AGABAS

Representative
6% District, Pangasinan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3847

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE PROGRAM

FOR DESERVING STUDENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Medical Scholarship
and Return Service Program Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and
promote the right to health of the people, and to develop its human resources
to meet the health needs of its citizens and to ensure that the shortage of
medical practitioners in the country is addressed.

Towards this end, the State shall establish a Medical Scholarship and
Return Service Program that will help deserving medical students pursue
medical education and training in the field of health and medicine who shall
eventually render services in government public health offices or government
hospitals in their hometown or in any municipality in their home province or in
any underserved municipality in any province, as part of their integration into
the public health and medical service system. This shall ensure the
availability of doctors who will provide quality basic, promotive, preventive
and curative health care services in every municipality in the country,
especially the underserved, remote, economically underdeveloped,
distressed, conflict-afflicted, and geographically disadvantaged areas.

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Sec. 3. Establishment of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program. — There shall be established a Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program for deserving students in state universities and colleges
(SUCs) or in private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in regions where
there are no SUCs offering medicine; Provided, that the scholarship program
shall accept at least one (1) scholar from each municipality of the country;
Provided, further, That only upon determination that there is no qualified
applicant from certain municipality shall another qualified applicant be
considered, irrespective of domicile: Provided, furthermore, That the
applicant has passed the admission and other qualifying requirements of the
SUCs and PHEls: Provided, finally, That the total number of scholars per
province or municipality shall depend on the number of government
physicians needed for each province or municipality, as determined by the
Department of Health (DOH).

Sec. 4. Coverage of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program.
— The Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program established under
this Act shall be made available to deserving Filipino students who want to
pursue a degree in Doctor of Medicine in SUCs or in PHE!s in regions where
there are no SUCs.

The student financial assistance for the Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program shall include the following:

(a) Free tuition and other school fees;

(b) Allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment;

(¢) Clothing or uniform allowance;

(d) Allowance for dormitory or boarding house accommodation;

(e) Transportation allowance;

(f) Internship fees, including financial assistance during postgraduate
internship;

(g) Medical board review fees;

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(h) Annual medical insurance; and
(i) Other education-related miscellaneous subsistence or living
allowances.

Sec. 5. Qualification Requirements. — An applicant for the Medical
Scholarship and Return Service Program shall possess the following
qualifications:

(a) Must be a natural-born or naturalized Filipino citizen residing in
the Philippines;

(b) Must be a graduating student or a graduate of an appropriate
undergraduate program identified as a prerequisite for a Doctor of
Medicine degree, from any higher education institution (HEI) duly
recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) including
the Direct Entrant to the seven (7)-year Integrated Liberal Arts
Medicine Program (or INTARMED Program) of the University of the
Philippines who satisfactory completes the first two (2) years of the
program; Provided, That deserving incoming second year medical
students and those in the higher year levels of the Doctor of Medicine
program shall also be covered under this Act;

(c) Must have passed the entrance examinations and other related

requirements for admission for a Doctor of Medicine degree in the

SUC or PHEI where the scholar intends to enroll, including the

INTARMED Program in the University of the Philippines, as well as

the other requirements of the CHED and the DOH; and

Must have obtained a National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) score

mandated by the CHED and the cut-off score required by the SUC or

PHEI where the student intends to enroll in.

@)

Sec. 6. Conditions for the Grant of Scholarship. - Deserving students
accepted to the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program shall be
subject to the following conditionalities:

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(a)

(b)

()

()

(e)

Must sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the
scholarship on a form prescribed by the CHED and the DOH;

Must carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the
SUC or PHEI, and shall, under no circumstance drop a course which
will result in underloading;

Must finish the entire Doctor of Medicine program in the prescribed
time frame in the SUC or PHEI where the scholar is enrolled in,
subject to the retention policies of the SUC or PHEI;

Must undertake postgraduate internship in a DOH-accredited public
health facility or hospital upon graduation from a four (4)-year Doctor
of Medicine program, subject to the Association of Philippine Medical
Colleges (APMC) Internship Matching Program: Provided, further,
That, the graduate of the four (4)-year Doctor of Medicine program
must satisfy all the requirements of the APMC Internship Matching
Program: Provided, further, That, for a five (5)-year Doctor of Medicine
program, the scholar enrolled in the SUC or PHEI must undertake the
post graduate internship in the SUCs or PHEls base hospital;

Must take the board examination within a maximum period of one (1)
year after completion of an internship program which may be a
postgraduate internship program for scholars under a four (4)-year
Doctor of Medicine program or after completion of internship as a fifth-
year medical student for scholars under a five (5)-year Doctor of
Medicine Program; and

Must serve in a government public health office or government
hospital in the scholars hometown or, in the absence of a need
thereat, in any municipality within the scholar’s home province, or in
any underserved municipality closest to the scholar’s hometown in
any province determined by the DOH as priority area, for at least eight
(8) years or two (2) years for every scholarship year availed of, which
shall be completed within ten (10) years upon completion of internship
for those who have availed of a four (4)-year program, and twelve (12)

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years for those who have availed of a five (5)-year program, upon
passing the licensure examination for physicians, which shall be part
of the mandatory return service and integration into the public health
and medical service system: Provided, That this mandatory return
service shall be in addition to the required postgraduate internship
after graduating from a four (4)-year Doctor of Medicine program and
shall also be in addition to the return service requirement of the SUC
or PHEI: Provided, further, That residency training shall not be
considered as a return service under this provision: Provided, finally,
That the physician shall receive appropriate salaries and other
benefits for services rendered under the mandatory integration into
the public health and medical service system.

The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing the
enroliment, to defer availing of the scholarship and file a leave of
absence for a period not exceeding one (1) school year, subject to the
guidelines and policies of the concerned SUC and PHEI.

The scholar who fails to pass the licensure examination within
one (1) year after graduation and completion of postgraduate
internship and other academic requirements shall shoulder all the
necessary expenses for the succeeding professional licensure
examinations.

Sec. 7. Disqualifications. - The scholar shall repay the full cost of scholarship

and related benefits received, including all the expenses incurred during the

participation in the scholarship program, and the scholarship shall be
terminated in case of the following circumstances:

(a)

(b)

If the scholar accepts another scholarship from other government or
private agencies or entities while enjoying the benefits under this Act;
Ifthe scholar fails in forty percent (40%) of the subjects or fails to meet
the academic requirements of the SUCs or PHEls or to complete the
course within the prescribed period without valid cause as may be

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determined by the SUC or PHEI, the CHED or the DOH such as due
to absence without notice, reasons of willful neglect or other causes
within the control of the scholar: Provided, That, if the terminated
scholar chooses, instead of repayment of scholarship costs, to work
within the government's public health and medical service system,
such as engaging in health-related research work for the government
or by teaching health related subject in a public educational institution
or be integrated into the public health and medical service system for
a period equivalent to eight (8) years or the mandatory length of
service that should have been rendered as stipulated in this Act:
Provided, further, That the alternative return service shall exclude
residency training;

(c) _ If the scholar fails to pass the licensure examination for physicians for
the second time; and

(d) _ If the scholar commits behavioral misconduct in a manner that would
bring significant damage to the HEI, government institution
concerned, persons, and the community.

Sec. 8. Mandatory Retum Service and Integration of the Scholar into the
Public Health and Medical Service System. - Upon passing the Physician
Licensure Examination (PLE) administered by the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC), the scholar becomes a licensed physician, shall be
integrated into the public health and medical service system, through the
DOH, with the appropriate rank and salary and related benefits. The
mandatory return service upon integration into the public health and medical
service system under this Act shall be for a period equivalent to at least eight
(8) years within ten (10) years for those who availed of a four (4)-year
program, and twelve (12) years for those who availed of a five (5)-year
program, upon passing the licensure examination for physicians, which shall
be part of the mandatory service and integration into the public health and
medical service system.

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The mandatory return service and integration into the public health and
medical service system under this Act shall be separate and distinct from the
return service requirement of the SUCs or PHEIs and the mandatory
postgraduate internship in a DOH-accredited public health facility or hospital,
required by the PRC as a prerequisite for taking PLE.

Sec. 9. Sanctions. — \n the event that a physician who has availed of the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program fails or refuses to serve in
a government hospital or any local health office in the scholars hometown
or in any municipality in the scholar’s home province or in any underserved
municipality in any province, as provided under Section 6(f) hereof, or fails
or refuses to comply with the mandatory integration, as provided in Section
8 hereof, the physician shall be required to pay twice the full cost of
scholarship including other benefits and expenses incurred by reason of
participation in the scholarship program.

In case of non-payment, as provided in the preceding paragraph, the
PRC shall deny the renewal of the physician's license: Provided, That the
abovementioned penalties shall not apply to physicians who fail to comply
with the required return service on account of, or by reason of, severe or
‘serious illness.

Sec. 10. Roles of CHED. — The CHED shall perform the following functions:

(a) Conduct regular information dissemination of and recruitment to the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program in SUCs and PHEIs
to ensure that there will be an adequate number of medical doctors in
all the municipalities and provinces;

(b) Review, modify and enhance the medical education curriculum to
prepare graduates to work in community-based health programs, and
to function competently when working with experienced physicians;

(c) Coordinates, together with the SUCs and PHEls, with the DOH for the
integration of the medical scholar who has passed the PLE into the
public health and medical system;

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(9)

(h)

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(k)

Formulate, promulgate, disseminate and implement the necessary
policies, standards, guidelines, and rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program under this Act;

Develop strategies to improve the quality of the Doctor of Medicine
program and implement a system of quality control for the offering of
Doctor of Medicine program in SUCs and PHEls;

Monitor and evaluate existing Doctor of Medicine programs of SUCs
and effect the continuation or closure of programs in accordance with
the provision of Republic Act No. 7722 or the “Higher Education Act
of 1994” and other CHED issuances, as applicable;

Review and approve or disapprove proposals from SUCs and PHEIs
for the offering of new Doctor of Medicine programs;

Disseminate information on the required percentile cut-off score of
SUCs and PHEls to guide the student applicants on which school to
apply to;

Require SUCs and PHEls to submit a tracking, monitoring and
assistance proposal; and to implement and evaluate the tracking,
monitoring and assistance program in order to determine the
whereabouts of the medical scholars after graduation from SUCs or
PHEls;

Ensure that the SUCs and PHEls provide the timely release and
accurate distribution of allowances and other fees to the scholars; and
Recommend to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
the budget for implementation of the Medical Scholar and Return
Service Program in SUCs and PHEIs based on its monitoring and
evaluation results,

Sec. 11. Roles of the SUCs and PHEIs. - The SUCs and PHEIs shall perform
‘the following functions:

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(a)

(b)

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(e)

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(k)

Monitor the progress of all scholars in their respective educational
institutions, identify students who have low or failing grades, and
counsel them to improve their academic performance;

Ensure the timely release and accurate distribution of allowances and
other fees to the scholars;

Make an annual report to the CHED on the performance of Medical
‘Scholarship and Return Service Program;

Assist the CHED in the conduct of regular information dissemination
‘on, and recruitment to, the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program;

Review, modify and enhance the medical education curriculum to
prepare the scholars to work in community-based health programs;
Coordinate with the DOH in the conduct of an inventory of its trainable
personnel who can be potential beneficiaries of the program;
Coordinate with the CHED, DOH, PRC, other concerned agencies,
and local governments units (LGUs) in the integration of the scholar
into the public health and medical service system;

Develop strategies to improve the quality of the Doctor of Medicine
program and implement a system of review and evaluation for quality
control for the offering of Doctor of Medicine program in their
respective educational institutions;

Conducta tracer study on the whereabouts of their respective medical
scholars after graduation from their respective educational institutions
and submit the results of the tracer study to the CHED;

Recommend to the CHED and the DBM the budget necessary to
implement the Medical Scholarship Return Service Program in their
respective institutions, based on their own monitoring and evaluation
of results; and

Perform such other functions as the Presidents of the SUC or PHE!
may deem necessary for the success of the Medical Scholarship
Return Service Program in their respective educational institutions.

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Sec. 12 Roles of DOH. — The DOH shall perform the following functions:

(a)

(b)
()

(@)

)

(g)

(h)

(i)

0)

Determine the number of physicians needed for every municipality or
province, as well as the number of physicians needed in the town or
province where the SUC is situated;

Determine the distribution of scholars per municipality or province;
Coordinate with the CHED, SUCs, PHEls, and PRC to determine the
number of graduates of the Doctor of Medicine course and passers of
the medical board examination;

Provide for the integration of the scholar into the public health and
medical service system, including the necessary number of plantilla
positions to accommodate the new doctors in the provincial hospitals;
Assist the CHED in the conduct of the regular information
dissemination on the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program, the recruitment of scholar applicants, and the integration of
‘successful scholars into the public health and medical service system
to ensure the continuous deployment of medical doctors to all
provinces, especially in the underserved, remote, economically
underdeveloped, distressed, conflict-afflicted, and geographically
disadvantaged municipalities;

Craft a career pathway for public health practitioner in DOH and at the
local level as an incentive to the graduate of medicine to enhance their
competencies and skills for career progression;

Coordinate with the LGUs for the mandatory integrations of
doctors/scholars into the medical service system;

Conduct an inventory of its trainable personnel who can benefit from
the program;

Monitor, supervise, and evaluate the performance and length of
service of the scholars integrated into the public health and medical
service system

Provide funds for the implementation of the integration program under
this Act; and

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(k)

Recommend to the DBM the budget for the plantilla positions for the
doctors to be integrated into the public health and medical service
system, including the determination of salaries and salary increases.

SEC. 13. Roles of LGUs. -LGUs are mandated to support the integration of
the scholar into the public health and medical service system by performing
the following functions:

(a)

(b)

(©)

()

(e)

Ensure that there is a mechanism to provide the necessary support to
the integration program of physicians who will be assigned to the
LGU;

Coordinate with the DOH and the physicians to determine the specific
health needs or requirements of the community and provide the
necessary assistance, including the improvement of the health
facilitates in the municipality and involvement in the research
component of the public health and medical service system;

May maintain a regular counterpart fund to be used for providing the
balance of the scholarship budget for scholars enrolled in PHEls,
subject to availability of funds;

Provide for the board and lodging, travel expenses and other forms of
financial assistance enumerated under Section 4 of this Act, subject
to availability of funds, for the scholar enrolled in the PHEIs located in
the municipality under the concerned LGU; Provided, That the scholar
shall serve in the same LGU upon passing the licensure examination.
If the municipal government cannot afford the said expenses, the
provincial government shall shoulder the same: Provided, further,
That the said provincial government shall decide in what municipality
the scholar shall eventually serve;

Provide other forms of financial assistance, subject to availability of
funds, to support the program of doctors in the LGUs;

Ensure the safety and security of the physicians integrated into the
public health and medical service program;

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(9)

(h)

0)

0)

(K)

0)

SEC.

Recommend to the concerned SUC or PHE! any improvement in the
implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program;

Conduct an information dissemination campaign on the Medical
Scholarship and Return Service Program within the municipality or
province, with the objective of attracting bright applicants to the said
program;

Coordinate with the CHED and other government agencies and non-
governmental organizations involved in the Medical Scholarship and
Return Service Program;

Coordinate with and encourage the active participation of the parents
and other family members of the scholars in the Medical Scholarship
and Return Service Program;

Exercise such other powers and perform all other acts and duties
which shall assist the scholar and ascertain the success of the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program; and

Execute and enforce laws, ordinances and regulations which may,
directly or indirectly, have a positive impact on the Medical
Scholarship and Return Service Program.

14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the initial

implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's
appropriate of the SUCs and the DOH.

Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation

of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program for deserving
students shall be included and subsumed into the scholarship program of
SUCs and CHED in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Medical Scholarship
and Return Service System. — There is hereby created a Joint Congressional

Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and evaluate the implementation
of this Act.

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The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) members
each from the Senate and from the House of Representative, and shall
include the following; Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education,
Arts and Culture; Cl
Technical Education; Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health;
Chairperson of the House Committee on Health; and three (3) members
each to be chosen from the membership of the Senate Committee on
Education, Arts and Culture and the House Committee on Higher and
Technical Education by the Senate President and the House Speaker,
respectively; Provided, That at least one (1) member from the respective
nominees of the House of Representative and the Senate shall be chosen
from the Minority party/bloc.

sons of the House Committee on Higher and

SEC. 16. Five (5)-Year Review of the Number of Scholars to be Admitted. -
Every five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, the CHED, DOH, SUCs
and PHEls shall determine the number of scholar to be admitted every
school year. The number of physicians needed by the municipality or
province where the SUC or PHE] is situated shall be taken into consideration
in determining the number of scholars.

SEC. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the CHED and the DOH, in coordination with the
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, Coordinating
Council of Private Educational Associations, League of Municipalities,
Associations of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP), Non-
government Community-Based Health Programs, PRC, DBM, SUCs, PHEls,
APMC, APMC-Student Network and other relevant stakeholders, shall
formulate and issue the rules and regulations to fully implement the
provisions of this Act.

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Sec 18. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 20. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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