REPRESENTATIVES: |
RECEI |
Republic of the Philippines VED

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DATE:
Quezon City

i HOUSE OF

TNE:
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

858

HOUSE BILL NO. BULLS av?

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP AND SERVICE
PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The 1987 Constitution provides that: The State shall establish and maintain an
effective food and drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health manpower
development and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and problems
(Article XII, Section 12).

‘The Philippine Star in its editorial reports that “Several years after some 100
private hospitals across the archipelago were forced to close shop for lack of health
professionals particularly physicians, the country continues to suffer from a shortage of
doctors (19 July 2013). This is the sad situation of most hospitals especially in rural areas
in Visayas and Mindanao. Even prestigious medical institutions find it difficult to attract
fresh graduates to fill up slots for doctors. The government has acknowledged the reality
that, indeed, the country is facing an alarming shortage of medical doctors and other
medical professionals.

Medical studies in the country are too costly that it has become beyond the reach
of Filipino families even those belonging to the higher middle income class. To make this
problem even worse is the fact that doctors are already taking up nursing and leaving the
country for more lucrative jobs overseas.

This bill secks to address the shortage of doctors by establishing a medical
scholarship and service program. It shall provide the institutional mechanism for the
envisioned sustained human resource development for the Philippine public health care
system. The scholarship program shall provide the financial and other cducational
resource support mechanisms for the pursuit of studies in the field of medicine by
deserving and qualified young people.

It is envisioned that a scholar shall undergo higher post-graduate internship in a
public health and medical institution which shall be considered as part of the mandatory
public service. After passing the medical board examination, the scholar shall commence
integration into the public health service system and shall accordingly be given the
appropriate rank and salary. The integration into the public service system shall be
required for a period equivalent to at least two (2) years for each year of scholarship
benefits received.

In view of the urgent need to create a steadily expanding pool of medical doctors
in order to enable the government to deliver timely, adequate, competent and affordable
medical and health care services to the people, especially the poor, immediate passage of
this bill is earnestly sought.

Pin

ANGELINA “HELEN” D.L. TAN, M.D.
4° District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILLNo. 898

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP AND SERVICE
PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Medical Scholarship
and Service Program Act of 2013”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to undertake health
manpower development responsive to the country's health service needs. Towards this
end, the State shall establish a scholarship and service program to enable deserving and
qualified individuals to pursue education and training in the field of medicine and shall
formulate and implement such policies and programs to systematically integrate these
individuals, upon qualifying as doctors of medicine, into the public health care system.

SEC. 3. Medical Scholarship and Service Program (MSSP). - There shall be an
annual selection through appropriate examinations and screening processes of those
who shall be admitted to the Medical Scholarship and Service Program (MSSP). The
candidates shall come from among qualified graduating students or graduates of
appropriate courses in colleges and universities nationwide. The qualified and selected
scholars shall be granted scholarship in a medical course and shall cover expenses for,
among others, tuition, matriculation and other school fees; prescribed textbooks,
supplies and equipment; board and lodging expenses; clothing and uniform allowances;
traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living allowances: Provided, That at
least five (5) candidates per region, or when practicable, one (1) candidate from every
province and city shall be chosen to participate in the annual selection: Provided,
further, That at least fifty (50) scholars shall be selected annually.

The scholar shall render services and be integrated into the public health and
medical service system as medical doctor, with the appropriate rank and salary upon
passing the medical board examination: Provided, That such service and integration in
the public service shall be mandatory for a period equivalent to at least two (2) years for
every year of scholarship availed: Provided, further, That the scholar when he obtains a
very satisfactory performance rating, shall be entitled to salary step increases at least
every two years in the service: Provided, finally, That the scholar shall undertake post
graduate internship in a public health’ or medical institution that shall ensure his
acceptance and such internship shall be part of the mandatory service and integration
into the public health and medical service system.

SEC. 4. Qualifications of Candidates. - Candidates for the MSSP shall possess the
following minimum qualifications:

a. Must belong to the top thirty per centum (30%) of their respective graduating
classes and must be completing or already completed undergraduate courses identified
by the Department of Health (DOH) as a prerequisite course to the pursuit of studies in
the field of medicine;

b. Family and or personal incomes are not sufficient to finance their education in
the field of medicine: Provided, That those who are financially capable and are willing to
serve in public health and medical institutions after graduation may be accepted:



Provided, further, That they do not compose more than ten percent (10%) of the
total scholars for a particular year;

c. Must be not more than twenty-five (25) years of age and a natural-born citizen
of the Philippines;

d. The DOH shall determine such other qualifications as it deems nec
the purpose.

sary for

SEC. 5. General Conditions for Admission to the MSSP. - A medical scholar shall
be accepted to the MSSP and shall receive and continue to enjoy the benefits of the
scholarship until the completion of the course, subject to the following conditions:

a. He shall pass the entrance/admission examinations and related requirements
of the DOH and the medical school the scholar intends to enroll;

b. The scholar shall carry the full load of subjects preseribed per semester by the
medical school, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in
under- loading; and

c. The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing his enrolment, to
defer availing of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for a period not exceeding one
school year.

d. The scholar shall sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the
scholarship on a form prescribed by the DOH;

¢. He shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received, and the
scholarship shall be terminated in the event the grantee accepts another scholarship
from other government or private agencies or entities; and

£, The full cost of scholarship and related benefits received shall be paid by the
scholar in case of failure to complete the medical course without valid cause as may be
determined by the DOH: Provided, That, if the terminated medical scholar completes
another course and qualifies as an allied medical service practitioner, he may choose,
instead of repayment of scholarship costs, to render public service and be integrated into
the public health and medical service system.

SEC. 6. Secretariat. ~ The Department of Health, through its Secretary, may
create a Secretariat to provide administrative and technical assistance to effectively and
efficiently implement the MSSP. It shall perform duties and responsibilities as may be
determined and delegated by the Secretary of Health. The support staff as may be
created shall be recruited preferably from qualified professionals from the academe and
medical profession.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The sum of One Hundred Million
(PI00,000,000.00) pesos for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged
against the Contingent Fund and over-all savings of the Executive Branch. Thereafter,
such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the subsequent annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Donations, Grants, and other contributions. - The DOH may accept
donations, legacies, grants, and other contributions to form part of the Medical
Scholarship Fund. Provided, that such donations, legacies, grants, and other
contributions shall be exempt from taxation and shall be allowable deductions for
income tax purposes, Proceeds from at least two (2) draws of the Philippine Chari
Sweepstakes per year shall also be allocated to finance the Program.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the Department
of Health, in coordination with the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education,
the President of the University of the Philippine System and the Chairpersons of the
Committees on Health and Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives


shall issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this,
‘Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity thereof.

SEC 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this,
‘Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or the Official Gazette.

Approved,