SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) cele GH
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

Second Regular Session ) "18 wy 29 P6248

SENATE fr
S.B.No._1836

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM,
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, SUPERVISOIN AND REGULATION
OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROFESSION, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

During times of emergencies, it is necessary to have a well-coordinated, fast
and effective response mechanism to prevent the loss of lives and property. The
Davao Central 911, which was launched in 2002, has been successful in providing free
emergency assistance to the people of Davao and nearby areas. It is high time that
the successful project shall be duplicated in a national scale to enable more people to
benefit from the services.

This proposed legislation seeks to establish an Emergency Medical Services
System that will provide the arrangement of personnel, facilities, equipment, and
transportation for effective, coordinated, and timely delivery of health and safety
services to victims of sudden illness or injury in the pre-hospital setting.

This bill also proposes the setting up of a dedicated dispatch center in local
government units, to be fully integrated and connected to the National Command
Center. The dispatch centers will link all Filipinos with the emergency resources of the
government. When implemented in a nationwide level, the public will just have to dial



three numbers (911) and the responder will be able to attend to the emergency
situation.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this measure is sought.

SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO



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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) Chast
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

Second Regular Session ) 18 MAY 29 P6 :24

SENATE

RE fo
s.B.No._ 1836

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM,
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, SUPERVISOIN AND REGULATION
OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROFESSION, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Emergency
Medical Services System (EMSS) Act of 2018".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t is hereby declared the policy of the
State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them. Pursuant to this national policy, the government shall
institutionalize a comprehensive, accessible and integrated system of emergency
medical services.

SECTION 3. Objectives. — In support of State policy, this Act:

a) Mandates the development and institutionalization of EMSS at the national
and local levels;

b) Creates a national EMSS Advisory Council;



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c) Establishes the national standards for the provision of Emergency Medical
Services (EMS);

d) Ensures the provision of qualified EMS personnel;

e) Mandates the adoption and use of a National Universal Emergency Number;
and

f) Establishes support services to emergency medical services.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following

terms are hereby defined:

a) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) — A network of services coordinated
to provide aid and medical assistance from the scene to the most
appropriate and definitive health facilities, involving personnel trained in
stabilization, transportation, and treatment of trauma or medical cases in
the pre-hospital setting;

b) Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) - A comprehensive
system which provides the arrangement of personnel, facilities, and
equipment for effective, coordinated, and timely delivery of health and
safety services to victims of sudden illness or injury in the pre-hospital
setting. The conceptual framework of the system revolves around five
components and core services of pre-hospital management namely:
Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Response and Care, Emergency
Transport, Inter-agency referral and Transport, and Command and Control;

c) Emergency Medical Dispatch - Involves the immediate identification and
prioritization of emergency situations, the timely dispatch of appropriate
resources, providing essential pre-arrival medical instructions and full
endorsement to the receiving hospital. Dispatch encompasses all aspects of
communication including request processing, coordination and support,
documentation and monitoring;



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d) Emergency Response and Care - Involves the arrival of resources at the
scene and the timely initiation and provision of appropriate interventions;

e) Emergency Transport - Involves transporting the patient to the most
appropriate and definitive health facility with continued provision of care
and appropriate interventions en route;

f) Inter-Agency Referral and Transport - Involves the transport of patient
with EMS personnel, if necessary, from one referring facility or agency to
another receiving facility or agency for definitive care, as the patient
requires, in an event that the services are not available in the referring
facility;

g) Medical Oversight — involves the multi-faceted supervision or medi
oversight by the EMS medical director in handling the processes of EMS
operations that may affect patient care directly through provision of orders
to an EMS personnel over the radio, by phone, or on-scene; or indirectly
through the development and promulgation of protocols, the education and
credentialing of EMS personnel, the conduction of quality improvement
activities, and the increased advocacy of appropriate EMS for the patients;

h) Emergency Medical Service Personnel — Unique health care personnel
involved in the practice of pre-hospital care which includes provision of
medical care, systematic coordination and transportation of patients with
medical direction. They may include Medical First Responder (MFR),
Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT),
Paramedics, Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) and EMS Medical
Director;

i) Emergency Medical Vehicles - An ambulance or other vehicles for
emergency medical care which provides, a minimum, (a) a driver’s
compartment; (b) a patient compartment to accommodate an emergency



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medical technician (EMT) and a patient so positioned that said patient can
be given intensive life-support during transit; (c) equipment and supplies
for emergency care at the scene as well as during transport; (d) two-way
radio, telephone or electronic communication with the primary medical
services provider, and when necessary, equipment for light
rescue/extrication procedures. The emergency medical vehicle shall be so
designed and constructed to provide the patient with safety and comfort,
and avoid aggravation of the patient's injury or illness;

j) Accredited Training Institution - Training institution offering training
programs, courses and continuing education for EMS personnel that meet
the standards established by the EMS Advisory Committee in coordination
with physicians, Emergency Medical Technicians, nurses, and other health
care professionals, TESDA, and CHED, among others, and are duly
registered in good standing with the EMS Advisory Council; and

k) Automated External Defibrillator (AEDs) - portable device that checks
the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore
a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

CHAPTER II
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM

SECTION 5. Emergency Dispatch. — This Act mandates Local Government
Units to create their Dispatch Centers with adequate and qualified personnel. The
Dispatch Centers shall follow the prescribed guidelines on dispatch protocol.

SECTION 6. Emergency Response and Care. — This Act ensures the
availability of emergency transport vehicle or ambulance with qualified EMS personnel.
Responders shall follow the prescribed guidelines on emergency response and care.



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A. Permanent Members:

a) The Secretary of the DOH as Chairperson;

b) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) as Co-Chair;

c) The Chair of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC);

d) The Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ);

) The Secretary of the Department of Education (DEPED);

f) The Secretary of the Department of Transport (DOT);

g) The Secretary of the Department of Information, Communication and
Technology (DICT;

h) The Secretary of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD);

i) The Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

j) The Director General of Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA); and

k) Chairman of the Philippine Red cross

B. Members to be appointed by the Council of the DOH upon nomination by their
respective associations:

a) Two (2) nominees of a national organization representing the EMT
profession duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) and recognized by the Council;

b) Four (4) nominees of HEMB, one (1) each from the National Capital Region,
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao;

) Two (2) registered emergency medical practitioners representing Philippine
College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM);

d) One (1) nominee from Philippine Heart association; and

e) One (1) nominee from a SEC registered association of Private Ambulance
care providers recognized by the EMSS Council

SECTION 12. Term of Office. - Each member of the EMSS Council shall not

serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. A term shall be for a period of two
(2) years.



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SECTION 13. Functions, - To carry out its mandate, the EMSS Council shall

exercise the following functions:

a) Mandate the development and institutionalization of EMSS at the national
and local levels

b) Establish the national standards for the provision of Emergency Medical
Services (EMS);

c) Formulate plans and programs that will implement EMSS;

d) Ensure the provision of qualified EMS personnel;

e) Ensure the standards of training and accreditation of EMS personnel;

f) Strengthen the existing system of networking, coordination and monitoring
among all existing government health agencies, local government units
(LGUs), private & non-government medical institutions

g) Implement the adoption and use of a National Universal Emergency
Number; and

h) Establish support services to emergency medical services.

SECTION 14. The Secretariat. — The EMSS Council shall organize a
Secretariat headed by a person of probity and shall have at least five (5) years
experience in emergency medical services or a related field.

SECTION 15. Meetings. - The EMSS Council shall meet at least once every
quarter and as needed.

CHAPTER IV
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) PERSONNEL

SECTION 16. Creation of Positions for Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) Personnel. — This Act shall create a minimum number of positions for EMS.
personnel especially Emergency Medical Services Director, Paramedics, and
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in the all local government units and
healthcare facilities, according to their context and needs. The annual financial



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requirements needed to pay for the salaries and benefits of EMS personnel shall be
included in the annual general appropriations of the respective hospitals, agencies and
local government units.

SECTION 17. Authorized Training Institution. -— Training programs,
course, and continuing education for Emergency Medical Technician may only be
conducted in an institution that has been granted a Certificate of Program Registration
(COPR) by TESDA, in the case of technical non-degree courses falling under TESDA
jurisdiction, or a Certificate of Accreditation as a Higher Education Institution (HEI) as
well as Program Accreditation by CHED, in the case of degree programs falling under
CHED jurisdiction. The requirements prescribed by the EMSS Council shall serve as
the minimum requirement for program registration. The DOH can provide training
programs for EMTs following the standards set by the EMSS Council.

CHAPTER V
EQUIPMENTS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR EMS

SECTION 18. Emergency Medical Vehicles. - This Act shall follow the
prescribed guidelines of the Department of Health on the specification and equipage
of an Ambulance Service.

SECTION 19. Adoption of a National Universal Emergency Telephone
‘Number. - There shall only be one national emergency number to enable the public
to access emergency medical services (911). Towards this end, the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall develop a program for the adoption of a
national emergency number with the LGUs and officials responsible for emergency
service and public safety; the telecommunications industry (specifically including the
cellular and other wireless telecommunications service providers); the motor vehicle
manufacturing industry; emergency medical service providers; emergency dispatch
providers; transportation officials; public safety, fire service and law enforcement



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Officials; consumer groups; and hospital emergency and trauma care personnel
(including emergency physicians, trauma surgeons and nurses).

SECTION 20. Access to Automated External Defibrillators (AED). — This
Act shall mandate all government/public and private institutions, including malls, parks
and transport stations, to place at least one (1) automated defibrillator in their
respective areas of responsibility.

CHAPTER VI
OTHER PROVISIONS

SECTION 21. Appropriations. - The amounts necessary for the implementation of
this Order shall be sourced from the appropriations of all concerned agencies and local
government units. Additional funds and possible fund sources as may be necessary
for the implementation of this Order shall be identified and provided by the
Department of Budget and Management.

SECTION 22. Separability Clause. - If any clause, sentence, paragraph or
part of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not
affect, invalidate or impact any other part of this Act.

SECTION 23. Repealing Clause. - Any provision of laws, orders,
agreements, rules or regulations contrary to and inconsistent with this Act is hereby

repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 24. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,