Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 410 1

HON. ELISA T. KHO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to exempt public hospital doctors from the coverage of
R.A, 6758, otherwise known as the Salary Standardization Law, providing
them with competitive remuneration, thus encouraging our medical doctors to
work in government hospitals and clinics instead of leaving the country in
search forgreener pastures,

Based on the data from the Professional Regulation Commission, there
are currently 72,000 licensed doctors in the country, which makes the ratio of
seven (7) doctors per 10,000 patients or one physician to 1,429 people, which
is way below the standard ratio prescribed by the World Health Organization
(WHO) of 1 to 1,000, The shortage is even more evident in rural areas where
only one doctor is available to serve 33,000 people.

This shortage results from our medical professionals leaving our
country because of economic needs, lower salaries, and inhumane working
conditions. With our doctors migrating, the Philippines is said to be the
second biggest importer of doctors in the world.

To this end, our public hospital doctors will be provided with a more
competitive salary structure thus, discouraging our medical professionals to
Icave the country and at the same time addressing the governments’ crisis in
health workforce leading to providing quality health care and services for the
Filipinos.

Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ui

HON, ELISA T, KHO.
Representative
2" District, Masbate


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4101

Introduced by Hon, ELISA T. KHO

AN ACT
GRANTING EXEMPTION TO MEDICAL DOCTORS FROM THE
COVERAGE OF REPUBLIC ACT 6758, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAW AND AUTHORIZING
APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. \t shall be the policy and
responsibility of the State to provide quality health care and services to its
people through the retention of its highly qualified practitioners by providing
them with adequate remuneration and benefits, to encourage them to work for
the government and at the same time addressing the government’s crisis in
health workforce most especially in rural areas. To this end, this Act provides
for the granting of exemption of public hospital doctors from the coverage of
the Salary Standardization Law, and enabling the Department of Health to

come up with a salary structure for them that is responsive enough to enable

them to cope up with the demands of rising costs of living.


SECTION 2. Eligibility. - All doctors with proper employment
requirements and documents in the government service and passed the Board
Examinations for Medical Doctors with permanent status shall be eligible
under this Act.

SECTION 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The
Department of Health in consultation with the Department of Budget and
Management shall study, review, analyze, revise, adjust, and implement a
comprehensive and competitive salary structure for public hospital doctors,
independent from the provisions of the Salary Standardization Law. The
implementing rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this
Act shall be issued by the Department of Health, in consultation with the
Department of Budget and Management within ninety (90) days from the
approval thereof.

SECTION 4. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to
efiectively implement the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the
Department of Health’s budget for the year following the approval of this
‘Act. Thereafter, such funds as may be necessary for its continuous
implementation shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act
of the above-mentioned agency.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, which are

inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


SECTION 6. Separability Clause. ~ If any part or provision of this
Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall
remain in force and effect.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,