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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES } 
Second Regular Session 
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SENATE
S.B. No. 1818
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20 SEP-8 P3S4
RECEiV;n[^,i p-
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
AN ACT MANDATING PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO ANNUALLY 
SUBMIT A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE SHOWING FITNESS TO WORK
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It is the mandate of public officers and employees to serve the people with 
utmost responsibility and efficiency at all times. Intelligence and skills alone are not 
enough to carry out this sworn duty. A good state of health is of equal importance and 
critical factor in discharging one's function, yet often overlooked.
The proposed legislation seeks to require public officers and employees to 
annually submit a medical certificate as a means to ensure that they are in a state of 
health that would enable them to perform their tasks satisfactorily and provide prompt 
and adequate service to the public. Failure to submit the required medical certificate 
shall be considered as an administrative offense.
In keeping with the commitment of public officers and employees to remain 
sincere and transparent to the Filipino people, the bill shall allow access to, for lawful 
purposes, the medical certificate filed. Be it noted, however, that it excludes the 
inspection or reproduction of the laboratory test results attached to it in recognition that 
these are confidential and private documents.


The medical certificate required under this bill must be Issued by a government 
physician after proper evaluation of the public servant's physical examination and 
laboratory test results. It shall be submitted every first quarter of the year, on or before 
April 30, so as to give ample leeway for the conduct of the physical exams and release 
of laboratory test results.
More importantly, this legislation further aims to utilize such requirement as a tool 
in promoting the well-being of the people working in the government and raise the level 
of their health consciousness as it would necessarily require them to undergo physical 
examination every year.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this biil is earnestly sought.
ENTE Q. SOTTO III


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES } 
Second Regular Session 
}
f!@l
&ni;c &i'a-ctnr{'
20 SEP “8 P3S4
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1818
RECEi:/ or'
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
AN ACT MANDATING PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO ANNUALLY 
SUBMIT A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE SHOWING FITNESS TO WORK AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Fit-to-Work Act".
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SECTION 2. Objectives. - This Act shall have the following objectives:
a) To raise the level of health consciousness among public officials and 
employees;
b) To ensure that the State's public servants are in a good state of health to 
perform their duties and responsibilities;
c) To promote transparency as to the health status of public officials and 
employees.
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term: 
a) "Government" refers to the national government, the local governments, 
and all other instrumentalities, agencies or branches of the Republic of the 
Philippines, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and their 
subsidiaries.


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b) "Public officials and employees" refers to elective and appointive officials 
and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career 
service, including military and police personnel
c) "Medical Certificate" refers to a written statement, issued by a government 
physician, attesting to the result of a medical examination undergone by a 
patient.
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SECTION 4. Annual Physical Examination of Public Officials and
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Employees. - Performance of the physical examination and laboratory tests may be in
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a hospital, private or government, or a DOH-accredited diagnostics clinic. Annual
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physical exams sponsored by the government agency or conducted in partnership with
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its health maintenance organization (HMO) shall also be allowed under this Act.
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SECTION 5. Evaluation of the Medical Examination Results. - Results of
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the physical examination and iaboratory tests performed shall be subjected for
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evaluation by a government physician who shall issue a medical certificate containing a
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summary of its findings and a declaration whether the patient is fit to work or needs
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further tests.
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SECTION 6. Submission of Medical Certificate; Mandatory. - Every on or
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before Aprii 30, all public officials and employees shall submit a medical certificate
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showing their physical fitness to perform the duties and responsibilities attendant to
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their position. This requirement shall also include the submission of their laboratory test
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results.
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SECTION 7. Accessibility of the Medical Certificate. - The medical
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certificate submitted under this Act, excluding the laboratory test results attached to
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it, shall be made available for inspection at reasonable hours.
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It shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10) working
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days from the time they are submitted as required under this Act.


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Any person requesting a copy of the said document shall be required to state 
its purpose, which must be lawful, and to pay a reasonable fee to cover its 
reproduction and mailing costs.
It shall be available to the public for ten (10) years after receipt. The 
document may be destroyed after such a period unless needed in an ongoing 
investigation.
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SECTION 8. Administration and Enforcement Agency. - The Civil Service 
Commission shall have the primary responsibility for the administration and 
enforcement of this Act as well as the promulgation of rules and regulations 
necessary to carry out its provisions.
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SECTION 9. Non-compiiance with the requirement. - Failure to comply
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With the requirement of this Act shall constitute an administrative offense and
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subject the public official or employee to administrative discipline.
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SECTION 10. Liabiiity under the Revised Penai Code. - Issuance and use
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of a false medical certificate for purposes of this Act shall be governed by Articles
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174 and 175 of the Revised Penal Code.
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SECTION 11. Separabiiity Ciause. - In case any provision of this Act is
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall have no effect in the
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validity or constitutionality of the remaining provisions hereof.
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SECTION 12. Repeaiing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules and regulations
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended
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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 the Official Gazette ov in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,