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Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Piimentel Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Over the years, dramatic advances in various disciplines in the 
science and technology of medicine have revolutionized the diagnosis, 
treatment, and management of disease. The rapid progress of modern 
medicine dictates the need to upgrade and update the curriculum of the 
study and practice of medicine. There is an urgent need therefore, to 
update the existing Medical Act of 1959 that has been the standard 
reference in the practice of medicine. 
This proposed legislation aims to govern the standardization, 
upgrading and regulation of the operation of medicine-proper courses 
including internship training; the examination for registration and licensure; 
the supervision, control and regulation of the practice of medicine: the 
integration of the profession; and the development of the competence, 
moral values, and the professional attitude of physicians through 
continuing professional medical education (CPME). 
To meet the challenges of improving the quality of health care of our 
citizenry and the imperatives of global competitiveness in medicine, the 
passage of this bill is urgently requested. 


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JU!. -4 p 5  '?'% 
14th Congress of the Republic 
1 
Of the Philippines 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
~~~~~~v~~ 
m:-- k 
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S E N A T E  
S.B. No. 1173 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimenfel, Jr. 
"AN ACT 
REGULATING THE EDUCATION AND LICENSURE OF 
PHYSICIANS AND THEIR PRACTICE OF MEDICINE 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" 
Be if enacted by the Senafe and House of Represenfafives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
TITLE, POLICY AND OBJECTIVES 
SECTION 1. Title. - 
This shall be known as the "Physician's 
Act of 2007" 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy - 
The State recognizes 
the vital role of physicians as professionals involved in the 
preservation, safeguard, cure and enhancement of life, health, and 
general welfare of the citizenry. Physicians' professional services 
shall, therefore, be promoted as a regular component of the 
primary health care system and as a vehicle towards the progress of 
the country. 
SEC. 3. 
Objectives .- 
This Act provides for and shall 
govern: (a) the standardization, upgrading, and regulation of the 
operation of medicine-proper courses including internship training: 
(b) the examination for registration and licensure; (c) supervision, 
control and regulation of the practice of medicine; (d) the 
integration of the profession; and (e) the development 
of the 
competence, moral values, and professional attitude of physicians 
through continuing professional medical education (CPME). 


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ARTICLE II 
THE BOARD OF MEDICAL EDUCATION 
SEC. 4. 
Composition of the Board of Medical Education 
-The Board of Medical Education (BME) shall be headed by the 
Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 
and composed of the following as members: the Secretary of 
the Department of Health (DOH] or his/her duly authorized 
representative; the Chairperson of the Professional Regulation 
Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission: the 
President of the integrated association of physicians: 
the 
President of the Philippine Medical Colleges 
and the 
Chairperson of the Board of Medicine. 
The Chairperson and members of the Board of Medical 
Education shall hold office during their incumbency in their 
respective positions. 
The Board of Medical Education shall, within sixty (60) days 
after the effectivity of this Act, appoint a technical panel 
composed of 
specialists and academicians from the 
Government and private sector to be appointed by the BME in 
the discharge of its functions and powers. 
SEC.5 
Compensation and 
other 
Benefits. 
- The 
Chairperson, members, and the staff of the Board of Medical 
Education shall receive compensation and other benefifs as 
may be provided for by law. 
SEC. 6. 
Functions and Duties.- 
The 
Board 
of 
Medical Education shall have the following functions and 
duties: 
[a) To 
determine and prescribe requirements for 
admission into a recognized college of medicine: 
(b) To 
determine and prescribe requirements for 
minimum physical facilities of colleges of medicine, 
to wit: buildings including hospital equipment and 
supplies, 
apparatus, 
instruments, 
appliances, 
laboratories and bed capacity for instruction 
purposes, operating and delivery rooms, facilities for 


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outpatient services and other requirements used for 
didactic and practical instruction in accordance 
with modern trends; 
To determine and prescribe the minimum number 
and standard and qualification of 
teaching 
personnel including student-teacher ratio; 
To determine and prescribe the minimum required 
curriculum with internship leading to degree 
of 
Doctor of Medicine; 
To authorize and regulate the implementation of 
experimental or innovative medical curriculum in a 
medical school that has exceptional faculty and 
instrumental facilities. 
Such an experimental or 
innovative curriculum may prescribe admission and 
graduation 
requirements 
other 
than 
those 
prescribed in this Act: 
Provided, That only 
exceptional students shall be enrolled in the 
experimental curriculum; 
To accept applications and issue eligibility for 
certification for admission to a medical school and 
keep a registry of those issued with said certificate; 
and to collect from said applicants a reasonable 
fees as may be determined by the Board which shall 
accrue to the operating funds of the CHED; 
To select, determine and approve hospitals, or some 
departments of the hospitals, for training which 
comply with the minimum specific physical facilities 
as provided in subparagraph (b) hereof; 
To 
recommend to the CHED the closure or 
suspension of the degree of Doctor of Medicine 
program of a College of Medicine upon evaluation 
of the statistical information on the performance of 
the said 
college in the 
Physician Licensure 
Examination as furnished by the Board of Medicine 
and the Commission; and 
To 
promulgate, 
prescribe, 
and 
enforce 
the 
necessary rules and regulations for the proper 
implementation of the foregoing functions. 
SEC. 7. 
Minimum Required Course - Students seeking 
admission to medical course must have a bachelor's degree in 
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science or arts. The medical course leading to the degree of 


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doctor of medicine shall be five (5) years including internship 
and shall consist of the following subjects: 
Anatomy 
Physiology 
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 
Pharmacology and Therapeutics 
Microbiology and Parasitology 
Medicine 
Pathology and Oncology 
Psychiatry 
Gynecology 
Pediatrics and Nutrition 
Neurology and Psychiatry 
Ophthalmology, Otology and Laryngology 
Orthopedics 
Urology 
Radiology 
Surgery 
Preventive Medicine and Public Health/Family and 
Legal Medicine, Medical Jurisprudence, Ethics and Health 
Community Medicine 
Economics 
Provided, that the Board of Medical Education is hereby 
authorized to modify, rearrange, recluster, add to or reduce 
the subjects listed above as the needs and demands of 
progress in the medical profession may require. 
SEC. 8. 
Admission Requirements. - 
The 
medical 
college may admit any student who has not been finally 
convicted by any court of any criminal offense involving moral 
turpitude and who presents: (a)a record showing completion of 
a bachelor's degree in science or arts; (b) a certificate of 
eligibility for entrance to a school of medicine from the Board 
of Medical Education: (c) a certificate of good moral 
character issued by two former professors in the college 
offering the pre-medicine course(s); and (d) certificate of live 
birth. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to inhibit any 
college of medicine' from establishing, in addition to the 
preceding, any other entrance requirements that may be 
deemed reasonable. 


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For the purpose of this Act, the term “College of 
Medicine” shall include faculty of medicine, institute of 
medicine, school of medicine or of her similar institution that 
has met the standards and requirements set forth by the Board 
of Medical Education, offering a complete medical course 
leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine or its equivalent 
course obtained. 
Every college of medicine must keep complete records of 
enrolment, grades, graduates and must publish each year a 
catalogue giving the following information: 
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date of publication 
calendar of academic year 
faculty roll indicating whether on full or part time 
basis 
requirements for admission 
grading system 
requirements for promotion 
requirements for graduation 
curriculum and description of course by department 
number of students enrolled in each class in the 
preceding year 
ARTICLE 111 
BOARD OF MEDICINE 
SEC. 9. Composition of the Board. - The Board of Medicine, 
hereinafter referred to as the Board, is hereby created as a collegial 
body under the administrative control and supervision of the 
Commission, composed of a Chairman, a Vice-chairman and five 
(5) members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines 
from among three (3) recommendees of the Board for every 
vacancy 
chosen from nominees of the integrated national 
organization of physicians. 
SEC. 10. Qualifications of Board Members. - Each Board 
Member must, at the time of his appointment, 
(a) Be a natural born Filipino citizen and a resident of 
the Philippines for at least (1 0) consecutive years; 
(b) Be at least forty (40) years old; 


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(c) Be a holder of a valid certificate of registration and 
a valid professional identification card as a 
physician and a practitioner for at least ten (10) 
years; 
(d) Be a bona fide member of the integrated national 
organization of physicians accredited by the Board 
of Medicine and the Commission.; 
(e) Not be convicted by final judgment by a 
competent court of a criminal offense involving 
moral turpitude; 
(f) Have an experience of at least two (2) years as 
faculty member in a college of medicine; 
(9) Not be a member of the faculty or a lecturer, nor 
shall have any direct or indirect pecuniary interest 
in any institute, school or college offering the course 
of Doctor of Medicine or conducting review classes 
for the licensure examinations; and 
(h) Not be an officer of the integrated national 
organization of physicians accredited by the Board 
of Medicine and the Commission. 
SEC. 11. Term of Office. -The Members of the Board shall hold 
office from the date of their appointment for a term of three (3) 
years or until their successors shall have been appointed and 
qualified. They may, however, be reappointed for another term 
after the expiry of their first term. Appointments to fill up nominees 
created by causes other than through expiration of regular terms 
shall be for the unexpired period only. Each member shall qualify by 
taking an oath of office before entering upon the performance of 
his duties. The incumbents whose terms have not yet expired or who 
are merely holding over, at the effectivity of this Act, shall be 
allowed to serve the unexpired portion of their terms or may be 
appointed under this Act. 
SEC. 12. Removal of Board Member. - The President, upon 
recommendation of the Commission after due investigation, may 
remove any member of the Board on the following grounds: 
(a) Neglect of duty or incompetence; 
(b) Unprofessional, unethical or dishonorable conduct; 


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(c) Manipulation or rigging of the Physician Licensure 
Examination’s results, or disclosure of the examination 
questions prior to 
the 
conduct of 
the said 
examination, or tampering of the grades therein: or 
(d)Final conviction by the court of a criminal offense 
involving moral turpitude. 
SEC. 13. 
Compensation of the Board Members. - The 
Chairman, Vice-chairman and Members of the Board shall receive 
compensation and allowances or other benefits in accordance with 
law and the rules of the Commission. 
SEC. 14. Powers and Duties of the Board. - The Board shall 
exercise executive/administrative or quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial 
powers in carrying out the provisions of this Act. It shall be vested 
with the 
following specific 
powers, functions, duties 
and 
responsibilities: 
(a) Supervise and promulgate regulations on the practice of 
medicine; 
(b) Determine and evaluate qualifications of the applicants 
for registration with physician licensure examinations and for 
the grant of temporary/special permits; 
(c) Prepare the examination questions in accordance with 
Section 25 hereof or the modifications thereof, prescribe the 
syllabi of the subjects and their relative weights for the 
licensure examinations; formulate or adopt test questions in 
accordance with the rules of the Commission and conduct 
the examinations; correct and rate the examination papers 
through process of computerization and submit the 
examination results to the Commission within the period 
provided for by the rules of the Commission; 
(d) Prescribe, amend or revise the requirements for the 
subjects in the physician licensure examination and their 
relative weights, subject to the approval of the Commission: 
Register successful examinees in the physician licensure 
examination and issue the corresponding certificates of 
registration and professional identification card: 
(e) 
(f) Issue special/temporary permits to foreign physicians to 
practice medicine for specific projects and for a specific 
duration of time; 


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(9) Look into the conditions affecting the practice of 
medicine, adopt measures for the enhancement of the 
profession and the maintenance of high professional, 
technical, and ethical standards and conduct ocular 
inspections of places where physicians practice their 
profession whenever necessary: 
(h) Promulgate rules and regulations including a Code of Ethics 
and Code 
of 
Technical Standards 
for 
physicians, 
administrative policies, orders, and issuances to carry out 
the provisions of this Act; 
(i) Upon verified complaint, investigate violations of this Act 
and the rules and regulations, Code of Ethics, administrative 
policies, orders and issuances promulgated by the Board. 
The rule on administrative investigation promulgated by the 
Commission shall govern in such investigation; 
(j) Issue subpoena ad testificandum or subpoena duces 
tecum to secure the attendance of respondents or 
witnesses or the production of documents at and relative to 
the investigation conducted by the Board; 
(k) Delegate to the Chairman, Vice-chairman, member of the 
Board, or a Commission Attorney (PRC attorney) the 
hearing of an administrative case. If the case is technical 
or concerns strictly the practice of the profession, the 
investigation shall be presided by the Chairman, Vice- 
Chairman or a Member of the Board with the assistance of 
a PRC attorney and/or representative of the integrated 
national organization of physicians; 
(I) Render decision, order or resolution on preliminary 
investigation or inquiry against violators of this Act, rules and 
regulations or any policy on undocketed cases and on 
docketed administrative cases against examinees or 
registrants which shall become final and executory unless 
appealed with the Commission within fifteen (1 5) days from 
receipt of the copy thereof. 
The decision of the 
Commission may be appealed to the Court of Appeals in 
accordance with the procedures provided in the Rules of 
Court: 
(m) After due notice and hearing, if found guilty, cancel 
examination papers and/or bar any examinee from future 


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examination; refuse or defer his registration; reprimand the 
registrant with stern warning: suspend him from the practice 
of his profession; revoke his certificate of registration; cancel 
special/temporary permit; remove his name from the roll of 
physicians 
for 
continuous 
non-payment 
of 
annual 
registration fees and non-compliance with the CPE 
requirements; reinstate or re-enroll his name in the said roll; 
reissue or 
return his certificate of registration and 
professional license. A decision of suspension, revocation of 
the certificate of registration or removal from the roll by the 
Board as provided herein maybe appealed initially to the 
Commission within fifteen (1 5) days from receipt thereof. 
The decision of the Commission may be appealed to the 
Court of Appeals in accordance with the procedures 
provided in the Rules of Court; 
(n)Administer oath in connection with the administration, 
implementation, or enforcement of this Act; 
(0) Prosecute or institute criminal action against any violator 
of this Act and or the rules and regulations of the Board; 
(p) Adopt an official seal; 
(9) Coordinate with the Board of Medical Education in 
prescribing, amending and/or revising the courses: 
(r) Assist 
the Commission in the implementation of its 
prescribed guidelines and criteria on the CPE for registered 
and licensed physicians; and 
(s) Perform such other functions and duties as may be 
necessary to effectively implement this Act. 
The policies, resolutions, rules and regulations, orders or 
decisions issued or promulgated by the board shall be subject to the 
review and approval by the Commission; however, the Board’s 
decisions, resolutions or orders which are not interlocutory, rendered 
in an administrative case, shall be subject to review only if on 
appeal. 
SEC. 
15. 
Administrative 
Management, Custody of 
Records, Secretariat and Support Services. - The Board shall be 
under the administrative and executive management of the 
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Commission with the Commission Chairman as the Chief 


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Executive Officer thereof. All records of the Board shall be 
under the custody of the Commission. 
The Commission shall designate the Secretary of the Board 
and shall provide the Secretariat and other support services to 
implement the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Board 
with the approval of the Commission shall prescribe, issue, and 
promulgate Rules and Regulations implementing and carrying out 
the provisions of this Act, which shall be effective after fifteen (15) 
days following the completion of its publication in the Official 
Gazette or a major daily newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines, or whichever comes earlier. 
SEC. 17. Annual Report. - The Board shall, on or before the 
end of January of the following year, submit to the Commission and 
the 
Board 
of 
Medical 
Education, its 
annual 
report 
of 
accomplishments on programs, projects, and activities for the 
calendar year together with its appropriate recommendations on 
issues or problems affecting the practice of medicine. 
ARTICLE IV 
MEDICAL LICENSURE EXAMINATION 
SEC. 18. 
Examinations 
Required. - All applicants for 
registration, before they can be issued a Certificate of Registration 
and a Professional Identification Card as a physician, shall be 
required to pass a written technical licensure examination for 
physician as provided for in this Act, subject to the payment of the 
fees prescribed by the Commission. 
SEC. 19. Qualifications of Applicant for Examination. - Every 
applicant for examination, prior to admission to the examination, 
must have the following qualifications: 
(a) Filipino citizenship or citizenship of a foreign state 
which provides reciprocal rights with fhe Philippines in 
the practice of medicine; 
(b) Mentally, emotionally and physically competent to 
practice medicine: 


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(c) Non-conviction by final judgment by a court of any criminal 
offense involving moral turpitude: 
(d) Holder of the degree of Doctor of Medicine conferred by a 
College of Medicine established in the Philippines and duly 
recognized by the CHED or of a degree conferred by a 
college of medicine abroad and accredited by the CHED 
as substantially equivalent to the Degree of Doctor of 
Medicine offered by a Philippine College of Medicine: and 
(e) Completion of one (1 ) year of internship in an accredited 
Philippine hospital or a training abroad accredited as 
equivalent to such internship by the Technical Panel. 
SEC. 
20. 
Venue and Schedule of Examination. 
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The 
Examination shall be held simultaneously in venue/s and scheduleh 
that the Commission shall fix after consultation with the Board. 
SEC. 21. Scope of Exurnination. - The Physician Licensure 
Examination shall cover the following thirteen ( 1  3) individual or 
combined/clustered subjects with equal weights for each in one 
final examination after completion of internship. 
1. Anatomy 
2. 
Physiology 
3. Biochemistry 
4. Pharmacology and Therapeutics 
5. Microbiology and Parasitology 
6. Medicine 
7. Pediatrics and Nutrition 
8. Pathology and Oncology 
9. Obstetrics and Gynecology 
10. Surgery/Otolaryngology/otorhinotoryngology/ophthalmolo 
1 1. Preventive Medicine and Public Health 
12. Legal Medicine, Code of Ethics for Physicians, and 
13. Psychiatry/Neurology 
As urgent and important need arises so as to conform to 
technological, modern changes, the 
Board may recluster, 
rearrange, modify the foregoing, subjects, add to or exclude any 
subject, prescribe the number of final examination(s) per year in 
consultation with the Technical Panel and after approval by the 
Commission. The Board resolution thereon shall not only be officially 
published in the Official Gazette or major daily newspapers of 
gY 
Jurisprudence on the Practice of Medicine. 


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general circulation but also circularized and disseminated to all 
colleges of medicine. 
Each of the thirteen (1 3) subjects shall have its syllabus or table 
of specification. 
The Board shall apply the syllabi only after 
necessary consultation with the concerned academe, approval by 
the Commission, publication of its Board Resolution pursuant to legal 
requirements, dissemination to all colleges of Medicine, and a lapse 
of at least three (3) months from its effectivity. Each syllabus shall be 
subject to modification or amendment, as the need arises. 
SEC. 22. Rafing in the examination. - To pass the Physician 
Licensure Examination, an examinee must obtain a general average 
rating in all thirteen (13) subjects of no less than seventy-five percent 
(75%) with no rating in any subject below fifty percent (50%). 
However, an examinee who has obtained a general average 
rating in all thirteen (13) subjects of no less than seventy-five percent 
(75%) with a grade of below fifty percent (50%) in any subject/s must 
retake the same subject/s within one ( 1 )  year from the date of his 
last examination and must get a grade of no less than seventy-five 
percent (75%) in each subject retaken in order to pass the said 
examination. 
SEC. 23. Report and Publicafion of the Resulfs of Examination. 
- 
The Board shall report the rating of each examinee to the 
Commission within ten (10) days from the last day of examination. 
The official results of the examination containing the list of 
topnotcher examinees without indication of their respective 
schools/colleges, the names of the schools/ colleges obtaining top 
percentages of successful graduate-examinees shall be published 
by the Commission in the major daily newspapers of general 
circulation. 
The Report of Rating of every examinee shall be mailed to his 
given address, using the mailing envelope he submitted during the 
examination. 
ARTICLE V 
REGISTRATION 
SEC. 24. 
Oath. - All successful examinees shall be required to 
take their oath before the Board or any officer authorized by the 
Commission to administer oath, before they are issued with their 


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certificates of registration and 
before they start the practice of their profession. 
professional identification card or 
SEC. 25. Registration, Issuance of Certificate of Registration 
and Professional Identification Card, Non-registration. 
- All 
successful examinees upon compliance with all legal requirements 
and payment of fees prescribed by the Commission shall be 
registered and issued with certificates of 
registration and 
professional identification card. 
The certificate of registration as a physician shall bear the 
registration number and date of issuance and the signatures of the 
Commission Chairman and the members of the Board stamped with 
the seal of the Commission and the Board, certifying that the name 
of the person stated therein appears in the Registry/Roster/Roll of 
Physicians under the custody of the Commission; that he has met or 
complied with all the legal requirements for registration as a 
physician; and that he is entitled to exercise all the privileges 
appurtenant to the practice of his profession provided that he does 
not violate this Act, the Rules and Regulations, Code of Ethics for 
Physicians, and other regulatory policies of fhe Commission and 
Board, and that he holds a valid and unexpired professional 
identification card. 
The professional identification card shall bear the name of the 
registered/licensed physician, his registration number and date of 
issuance and its date of expiry, and shall be an evidence that he 
can lawfully practice his profession. 
A successful examinee who has been finally convicted by a 
court of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, or found guilty 
by the Board for dishonorable or immoral conduct, or declared by 
the court to be of unsound mind shall not be registered. The 
decision of the Board, finding the examinee guilty of dishonorable or 
immoral conduct, may be appealed by the examinee to the 
Commission and/or to the Court of Appeal. The facts and the 
reasons for refusal to register shall be in writing communicated to the 
examinee, and duly incorporated in the records of the Commission. 
ARTICLE VI 
THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE 
SEC. 26. Prerequisite to the Practice of Medicine - No 
person shall engage in the practice of medicine unless he/she 
holds a (1) a valid Certificate of registration and a valid 


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professional identification card issued by the Commission, or (2) 
a valid speciaWemporary permit issued by the Board of 
Medicine subject to approval by the Commission, unless he/she 
is exempted from this Act from holding any of the foregoing 
license. 
SEC. 27. 
Acfs Consfifufing Pracfice of Medicine. 
- 
A 
person shall be considered as engaged in the practice of 
medicine who shall: 
(1 ) for compensation, fee, salary or reward in any form 
paid to him directly or through another, even without 
the same, physica'lly examine any person, 
and 
diagnose, treat, operate or prescribe any remedy for 
human disease, injury, deformity, physical, 
mental, 
psychical condition or any ailment, real or imaginary, 
regardless of the nature of the remedy or treatment 
administered, prescribed or recommended, or 
(2) by means of signs, cards, advertisements, written or 
printed matter, or through the radio, television or any 
other means of communication, either offer or 
undertake by any means or method to diagnose, treat, 
operate or prescribe 
any remedy for any human 
disease, injury, deformity, physical, mental or physical 
condition. 
SEC. 
28. 
Practice through Special PermitlTemporary 
Permit. - Special/ Temporary permit may be issued by the 
Board subject to approval by the Commission and payment of 
the fees it has prescribed and charged thereof to the following 
persons: 
(1 ) Licensed physicians from foreign countries/states whose 
services are either for a fee or free. 
[a) if they internationally well-known specialists or 
outstanding experts in any branch or specialty of 
medicine; and 
(b) if their services are urgently and importantly 
necessary for lack or inadequacy of available local 
specialists/experts or for the promotion or 


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advancement of the practice of medicine through 
transfer of technology; 
(2) Licensed physicians from foreign countries/states whose 
services shall be free and limited to indigent patients in a 
particular hospital, center of clinic; 
(3) Licensed physicians from foreign countries/states employed 
as exchange professors in a brand of specialty of medicine 
by colleges of medicine. 
The permit shall, among other things, include these limitations 
and conditions: the period for no more than one (1 ) year subject to 
renewal, the branch or specialty of medicine, and the specific 
place of practice such as clinic, hospital, center, college of 
medicine. The Board, subject to approval by the Commission, shall 
prescribe rules and regulations on the implementation of this 
particular Section. 
SEC. 
29. 
Persons Exempted from Holding Valid Certijicate of 
Registration and Valid Professional Identification Card or SpeciaVTemporary 
Permit. - The preceding section shall not be construed to affect 
(a) 
any medical student duly enrolled in an approved 
medical college or school, or graduate under 
training, serving without any professional fee in any 
governmenf or private hospital, provided that he 
renders such service under the direct supervision and 
control of a registered physician: 
any legally registered dentist engaged exclusively in 
the practice of dentistry; 
(b) 
(4 
any duly registered masseur or physiotherapist, 
provided that he applies massage or other physical 
means upon written order or prescription of a duly 
registered 
physician, 
or 
provided 
that 
such 
application of massage or physical means shall be 
limited to physical or muscular development; 
(dl 
any duly registered optometrist who mechanically fits 
or sells lenses, artificial eyes, limbs or other similar 
appliances or who is engaged in the mechanical 
examination of eyes for the purpose constructing or 
adjusting eyeglasses, spectacles and lenses; 


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le) 
any person who renders any service gratuitously in 
cases of emergency, or in places where the services 
of a duly registered physician, nurse or midwife are 
not available; 
(f) 
any person who administers or recommends any 
household remedy as per classification of existing 
Pharmacy Laws; 
(9) 
any clinical psychologist, or mental hygienist, in the 
performance of his/her duties in regard to patients 
with 
psychiatric 
conditions 
provided 
such 
performance is done with the prescription and direct 
supervision of a duly registered physician, 
prosthetists who fit artificial limbs under the supervision 
of a registered physician, and 
(h) 
(i) 
cosmetologists who compound and sell beauty skin 
products 
provided they do not perform surgical 
intervention. 
SEC. 30. 
Revocaflon of fhe Certificate of Registration, 
Suspension from fhe Pracfice of the Profession, Reprimand, 
Cancellation of the TemporarylSpecial Permit. - The Board shall 
have power, upon proper notice and hearing, to revoke the 
Certificate of registration of a physician, suspend him from the 
practice of his profession or reprimand him, or to cancel the 
special/temporary permit issued to a foreign physician, for any of 
the following grounds/causes: 
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Final conviction by a court of a criminal offense involving 
moral turpitude; 
Immoral or dishonorable conduct; 
Insanity; 
Fraud in the acquisition of the certificate of registration 
and professional license or temporary/special permit; 
Gross negligence, ignorance or incompetency in the 
practice of his profession, resulting in an injury to or death 
of the patient; 
Addiction to alcoholic beverages or to any habit-forming 
drug rendering him incompetent to practice his profession: 


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7. 
8. 
9. 
False, extravagant, or unethical advertisements. 
Performance of or aiding in any criminal abortion: 
Knowingly issuing any false medical certificate: 
10. Issuing any statement or spreading any news or rumor 
which is derogatory to the character and reputation of 
another physician ; 
11. Aiding or acting as a dummy of unqualified or unregistered 
or unlicensed person to practice medicine; 
12. Violation of any provision of the Code of Ethics for 
Physicians as prescribed by the organization of physicians 
accredited by the Commission or by the integrated and 
accredited 
national organization of physicians, and 
adopted and promulgated by the Board subject to 
approval by the Commission: 
13. Practicing his profession during the period of his suspension 
from the practice thereof: 
14. Violation of this Act, the Rules and Regulations, and other 
policies of the Board and the Commission issued pursuant 
to this Act. 
The rules on administrative investigation prescribed and 
promulgated by the Commission shall govern the procedures and 
conduct of administrative investigation before the Board. The rules 
on evidence in the Rules of Court shall be suppletory to the 
Commission rules. The Board may delegate the investigation of the 
case to any of its members or any attorney of the Commission. 
A 
case that directly and technically involves the practice of the 
profession shall require the presence of a Board Member and an 
uttorney of the Commission. 
SEC. 31. Righfs of Respondents. - The respondent physician 
shall be entitled to be represented by counsel or be heard in person, 
to have a speedy and public hearing, to confront, and to cross- 
examine witnesses against him, and to all other rights guaranteed 
by the Constitution and provided for in the Rules of Court. 
SEC. 32. Appeal from Judgment. - The decision of the Board 
shall automatically become final fifteen ( 1  5) days after the date of 


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its promulgation unless the respondent, during the same period, has 
appealed the said decision to the Commission. If the final decision 
is not satisfactory, the respondent may appeal the decision to the 
Court of Appeals. 
SEC. 
33, Reissuance of Revoked Certificate of Registration 
and Professional Identification Card and Replacement of Lost 
Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card. - 
After two years, the Board may order the reinstatement of any 
physician whose certificate of registration has been revoked, if the 
respondent has acted in an exemplary manner in the community 
wherein he resides and has not committed any illegal, immoral or 
dishonorable act. 
A new cerfificafe of registration or professional identification 
card that has been lost, destroyed or mutilated may be reissued, 
subject to the rules of the Commission. 
SEC. 34. Indication of Professional Identification Card Number 
and Professional Tax Receipt. - A registered and licensed physician 
shall indicate his certificate of registration/professional identification 
card number with date of issuance, the expiry date of the 
professional identification card, and the professional tax receipt 
number, if required, on the prescription and other documents he 
signs, uses or issues in connection with the practice of his profession. 
SEC. 35. Integration of the Profession. -The profession shall be 
integrated into one national organization of registered and licensed 
physicians upon recognition and accreditation by the Board and 
the Commission. A physician duly registered and licensed by the 
Board and the Commission shall automatically become a member 
of the said organization and shall receive the benefits and privileges 
appurtenant hereto upon payment of required fees and dues. 
Membership in the integrated organization shall not be a bar 
membership in any other association of physicians. 
SEC. 36. 
Continuing Medical Educafion. 
The Board shall 
implement the continuing medical education among practicing 
physicians in consonance with the guidelines of the Continuing 
Professional Education (CPE) of the Commission. 
SEC. 37. Automatic Registration of Physicians. - All 
physicians whose name appear in the Registry/Roll/Roster of 
Physicians at the time of the effectivity of this Act shall be 
automatically registered. 


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ARTICLE VI1 
PENALTIES AND SUNDRY PROVISIONS 
SEC. 38. Penalties. - Any person who shall practice or offer 
to practice medicine without a valid certificate of registration and a 
valid professional identification card, or a valid temporary/special 
permit in accordance with the provision of this Act, or any person 
presenting or attempting to use as his own the certificate of 
registration or professional identification card or temporary/special 
permit of another or any person who shall give any false or forged 
evidence of any kind to the Board or Commission in obtaining a 
certificate of 
registration or professional identification card or 
temporary/special permit, or any person who shall falsely 
impersonate any registrant with like or different name, or any 
registered and licensed physician who shall abet or assist the illegal 
practice of a person who is not lawfully 
qualified to practice 
medicine, or any person who shall attempt to use a revoked or 
suspended certificate of registration or an invalid or expired 
professional identification card or a cancelled special/temporary 
permit of another, or any person who shall use or advertise any title 
or description tending to convey the impression 
that he is a 
registered and licensed physician when he is not in fact a registered 
and licensed physician, or any person who shall violate any of the 
provisions of this Act and of the rules and regulations shall, upon 
conviction by the court, suffer the penalties of imprisonment of not 
less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years or not less than 
fifty thousand pesos (P50,OOO.OO) nor more than two hundred 
thousand pesos (P200,000,00), or both upon discretion of the court. 
SEC. 
39. 
Enforcement. - 
The Commission shall be the 
enforcement agency of the Board. As such, the Commission shall 
implement the concerned provisions of this Act, enforce its 
implementing rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, assist 
the Board in the investigations of complains against violators of this 
Act, its rules and regulation, Code of Ethics for Physicians, and other 
policies of the Board. 
The Commission or the Board shall call upon or request any 
department, instrumentality, office, bureau, institution, or agency of 
the Government including local government units to render such 
assistance as it may require, or to coordinate or cooperate in order 
to carry out, enforce or implement the professional regulatory 
policies of the Government or any program or activity it may 
undertake. 


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SEC. 40. Appropriations. - Such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and 
thereafter. 
SEC. 
41. 
Separability Clause. - 
If any clause, provision, 
paragraph or part hereof be declared unconstitutional or invalid, 
such judgment shall not affect, invalidate or impair any other part 
hereof, but such judgment shall be merely confined to the clause, 
provision, paragraph or part directly involved in the controversy in 
which such judgment has been rendered. 
SEC. 42. Repealing Clause. - R. A. No.2382 known as “The 
Medical Act of 1959”, all laws amending the said Act, all other laws, 
decrees, executive orders, and other administrative issuances and 
parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby modified, amended, superseded, or repealed accordingly. 
SEC. 43. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen 
(15) days, following the completion of its publication in the Official 
Gazette or any major daily newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines, whichever comes earlier. 
Approved,