Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3873

Introduced by HON. MARLYN B. ALONTE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Recent and widely-publicized incidents of tourists encountering medical
emergencies have brought out into public light the acute lack of adequate basic
trauma care, first aid, and baseline general medical care expected of tourism
destinations open to both international and domestic visitors.

Underlying this problem and situation is the absence of Department of Tourism
standards for medical facilities in resorts. The current standards, put in place in
May 2012, only provide for a “first aid facility with trained staff on site” in the
wellness category of the standards. Nothing else. This is unacceptable and should
not be allowed to persist.

To address this oversight and glaring gap, this bill establishes in every
Department of Health regional medical center at least ten (10) trauma and
emergency care field facilities in cities and municipalities where there are clusters
of tourism resorts.

This bill authorizes the Department of Budget and Management to include
funding for trauma and emergency medical care facilities in the Local
Government Support Fund.

This bill also requires the Department of Tourism and Department of Health to

jointly develop standards for trauma and emergency medical care for all three-
star, four-star, and five-star resorts to ensure that all these resorts will have such

Page | of 5


facilities. These standards must be comparable to minimum international
benchmarks within Southeast Asia.

This bill further enables the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone
Authority (TIEZA) to prioritize, formulate and approve an infrastructure program
to build the DOH-operated and privately-operated trauma and emergency care
field facilities.

This bill also tasks the DOH, TIEZA, and DOT to introduce emergency care and
the applicability in the Philippines of international emergency health care
insurance of foreign visitors.

The Philippines welcomed over 7.1 million foreign tourists in 2018, compared to
6.6 million in 2017, and 5.96 million in 2016. We need many trauma and
emergency care facilities for these foreign visitors and for the millions more
Filipinos who travel to the tourism destinations of their own country.
Considering the foregoing, swift passage of this bill is sought.

MARLYN B. ALONTE
Bifian City Representative

Page? of S


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. able

Introduced by: HON. MARLYN B. ALONTE

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING REMOTE TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
CARE OUTPOSTS, STANDARDS FOR TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY
MEDICAL CARE AT TOURISM DESTINATIONS, AND THE
APPLICABILITY OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE INSURANCE
IN THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “Tourism Sector
Trauma and Emergency Medical Care Act.”

Sec. 2. Department of Health Regional Remote Trauma Outposts.
Remote Trauma and Emergency Medical Care Outposts shall be established as
outreach operating units of all Department of Health regional medical centers.
Each regional medical center shall have least ten (10) RTEMC Outposts. The
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority shall build and equip these
RTEMC Outposts in accordance with international standards for similar facilities
in Southeast Asia.

Sec. 3. Standards for Trauma and Emergency Medical Care in
Tourism Destinations and Resorts. The Department of Health and Department

Page 3 of 5


of Tourism shall jointly develop standards for trauma and emergency medical
care for all three-star, four-star, and five-star resorts to ensure that all these resorts
will have such facilities. These standards shall include affordable health
insurance or health maintenance organization (HMO) coverage for all resort
clients. These sets of standards must be comparable to minimum international
benchmarks within Southeast Asia.

The DOH and DOT shall also establish standards of trauma and emergency
medical care applicable to the different classes of cities and municipalities
nationwide. The Department of Budget and Management shall include funding
for trauma and emergency medical care facilities in the Local Government
Support Fund.

Sec. 4. Role of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone
Authority. The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority shall
prioritize, formulate, approve, and implement an infrastructure program to build
DOH-operated and privately-owned and operated trauma and emergency care
field facilities nationwide.

Sec. 5. Rapid Emergency Transport, and International Health Care
Coverage. The Department of Health, Department of Tourism, and Department
of Foreign Affairs shall develop and cause the implementation of measures,
linkages, projects, and international executive agreements:

1) to operationalize rapid emergency medical transport services in the
Philippines and similar services for the transport of patients to medical
facilities outside of the Philippines; and

2) to enable international health insurance and health maintenance
organization coverage, whether government or by private health care
providers, acquired overseas for application to covered beneficiaries in
the Philippines through licensed health insurance or health maintenance
organizations in the Philippines.

Sec. 6. Implementing Guidelines, Rules and Regulations. The

Department of Tourism, Department of Health, and Department of Foreign
Affairs, in consultation with the Insurance Commission and stakeholders’

Page 4 of 5


organizations in the tourism and health care sectors, shall approve the
implementing guidelines, rules, and regulations not later than ninety (90) days
after this Act takes effect.

Sec. 7. Appropriations. Funding of this Act shall be included in the
annual general appropriations. The TIEZA, jointly with the Department of
Finance, may also secure augmentation, long-term funding from foreign grants
and technical assistance, and through the issuance of government bonds.

Sec. 8. Separability. - If any provision or part of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, and administrative
orders or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby
repealed or amended accordingly.

Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the online version of the Official Gazette or in two (2)

newspapers of general circulation or with established internet website presence.

Approved.

Page Sof 5