Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9518 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM IN 
THE PHILIPPINES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State provides that it shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them and 
as such it enacted legislations such as the National Health Insurance 
Act of 1995 as well as the Philippine Universal Health Care Act.  
The COVID-19 pandemic however immensely challenged the 
healthcare system with the barriers imposed by the lockdowns and 
curfews, the resource-limited facilities, and the overall capability of the 
health system. 
Less urgent services were either cancelled or postponed and cases 
that needed immediate healthcare were accommodated in facilities 
albeit with an added risk of being exposed to indirect morbidity or 
mortality.   
The proposed measure of Institutionalizing a Telemedicine System 
in the country aims to address the existing gaps in the healthcare 
system that the pandemic revealed. The bill seeks to create an 
innovative, unified, and comprehensive policy framework for the 
practice and development of telemedicine in the country.  
It seeks further to ensure access to healthcare services such as 
consultation, diagnosis, treatment, and prescription of medicines, 
especially in areas that have inadequate or are far from traditional 
healthcare institutions and services.  
By 
institutionalizing 
and 
allowing 
information 
and 
communication technology in the process of healthcare services 
November 13, 2023
10:20 am


delivery, especially in times of emergencies and disasters, the State 
strengthens the health system and infrastructure in the country 
enabling Filipinos to better withstand unforeseen events, and making 
the country closer to achieving universal health care for all.  
 
In view of the foregoing immediate passage of the bill is earnestly 
sought.  
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District of Quezon City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9518 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM IN 
THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “National 
Telemedicine Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
consciousness among them. Hence, it is the policy of the State to 
continuously search for, develop, and utilize innovative ways and 
systems to fully protect the health of all Filipinos, from the dense 
populations of urban centers to the far-flung and unreachable rural and 
remote areas. 
It shall likewise be the policy of the State to encourage and 
strengthen initiatives for promoting health in times of emergencies and 
calamities using information and communication technology. 
SECTION 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this Act are: 
(a) To create an innovative, unified, and comprehensive policy
framework for the practice and development of telemedicine
in the country;
(b) To provide healthcare services, including consultation,
diagnosis, treatment, and prescription of medicines,
especially in areas that have inadequate or are far from
traditional healthcare institutions and professionals;
(c) To allow the use of information and communication
technology in the delivery of healthcare services especially in
times of emergencies and disasters; and


(d) To strengthen the health system and infrastructure of the 
country that will enable it to serve all Filipinos and withstand 
any unforeseen events. 
 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the 
following definitions shall apply: 
 
(a) Telemedicine - also referred to as telehealth or electronic 
healthcare, is a system of delivering healthcare services 
using information and communication technology as a 
complement to traditional healthcare systems. It includes 
the total management of a patient’s health care from 
consultation, diagnosis, and treatment to prescription of 
medicine and record-keeping. It likewise includes the 
education and training of health personnel to capacitate 
them to use telemedicine systems as well as the development 
of applications and programs for the furtherance of health. 
(b) Information and Communications Technology - includes but 
is not limited to: 
i. 
Digital 
interactive 
video, 
audio, 
and/or 
data 
transmission; 
ii. Video or web-conferencing technology; 
iii. Still image capture or asynchronous store and forward; 
iv. Modern medical devices for patient care and diagnosis. 
 
SECTION 5. National Telemedicine Council. - A National 
Telemedicine Council, hereinafter referred to as “Council”, is hereby 
established and composed of the following: 
 
(a) Secretary of Health, who shall serve as Chairperson; 
(b) Secretary of Information and Communication Technology; 
(c) Secretary of Science and Technology; 
(d) Secretary of the Interior and Local Government; 
(e) President of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation; 
(f) Director-General of the Food and Drug Administration; 
(g) Presidents of healthcare professional associations such as 
the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Nurses 
Association, and the Philippine Pharmacists Association; 
and 
(h) Director of the Office for Telemedicine. 
 
 
 
SECTION 6. Functions of the Council. - The Council, with regard to 
telemedicine in the Philippines, shall: 
 
(a) Establish guidelines and regulations on the practice and 
provision of services; 
(b) Create a national roadmap for the achievement and furtherance 
of the objectives of this act; 


(c) Establish and provide for a mechanism of accreditation for 
electronic healthcare providers; 
(d) Establish a national integrated database system for medical 
information; 
(e) Establish a system for electronic prescription of medicine; 
(f) Spearhead and promote research and development activities; 
(g) Capacitate and train existing and new healthcare professionals 
on the provision of health services; and 
(h) Set quality standards for systems, professionals, and services. 
 
 
 
The Council shall convene as frequently as necessary to perform its 
mandated functions. 
 
 
SECTION 7. Implementing Agency and Secretariat. - The 
Department of Health shall be the lead agency in implementing this Act. 
For this purpose, an Office for Telemedicine shall be created under the 
Department which shall serve as the Secretariat shall be created under 
the Department which shall serve as the Secretariat for the Council. 
The Office for Telemedicine shall be headed by a Director. 
 
SECTION 8. Practice of Medicine. - The provision of Telemedicine 
services shall be limited only to registered physicians. Telemedicine 
services shall be deemed as acts of the constitutional practice of 
medicine and shall result in the establishment of a doctor-patient 
relationship. 
 
SECTION 9. Emergency. - The Council shall establish special rules 
and systems for the enhanced utilization of Telemedicine in times of 
emergencies and calamities. 
 
 
SECTION 10. Privacy. - All medical records generated, including 
records maintained via video, audio, electronic, or other means 
acquired through Telemedicine must conform to the laws regarding the 
confidentiality of healthcare information of the patient, rights to medical 
information, and recordkeeping requirements. Any violation of this 
provision shall be penalized to the maximum extent under the law. 
 
SECTION 11. Standard of Care. - The standard of care shall be the 
same as the standard of care required in traditional or non-telemedicine 
healthcare services. 
 
SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Council 
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to effectively 
implement this Act within ninety (90) days from its effectivity. 
 
 
SECTION 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current 
appropriations of the DOH. Thereafter, the amount needed for the 


continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual 
appropriations of the DOH as a distinct and separate item. 
 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, and issuances, or parts thereof 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,