FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
1 
7 
JUL. -2 
1' ' . 1 I 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The is no integrated medical professional organization, though there exists 
the Philippine Medical Association, Inc. (PMA) which is an organization of doctors 
licensed to practice medicine in the Philippines. 
The PMA is one of the most prestigious organizations in the Philippines, the 
umbrella organization of the medical profession of the country. It is duly registered 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit 
organization and is the mother association of all medical organizations in the 
Philippine. The PMA brings together the entire medical profession under one roof 
to serve as an authoritative source of information on health, disease and medical 
practice. It is responsible for the training of Specialists through its Specialty 
Societies. It is also responsible for the sustained excellent quality healthcare 
delivery through its continuing medical education, formulation of clinical practices, 
guidelines, directly or through the specialty societies. It polices its ranks through 
the Code of Ethics of the medical profession. 
The PMA has eight specialty divisions such as Pathology, Radiology, 
Anesthesiology, Surgery, Physicians, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology and 
Family Medicine. All of these specialty divisions have several sub-specialty 
societies. 
There are 28,000 physicians who are member of the PMA. 
Membership in the Philippine Medical Association is coursed through the 
Component Society, the basic unit of the Association. There are presently 117 
Component Societies equitably distributed in all regions of the country. All 
provinces and cities in the Philippines have component societies, more popularly 
known as medical societies. A group of these medical societies form a region or 
regional councils. The Board of Governors exercise control and supervision over 
the regional councils and the component societies. The Board of Governors has 
the power to realign regions and component societies and further has the power to 
create new component societies or delist existing ones. 
For the benefit of its members, the PMA and its specialty societies 
periodically conducts seminars, workshop and conventions educating its members 
on the latest medical technology and medicines. Its specialty societies determine 
who are going to be the specialists in the several fields of medicine. 
There is no other medical organization that possesses the breadth, 
composition, membership and nationwide coverage of the PMA. In almost all 
matters affecting health or the medical profession, the government seeks the 
advice of the PMA. This bill will put the PMA as a partner of the Government in 


the improvement of the health care delivery system to include the alleviation of the 
exodus of the doctors to foreign lands. 
Further, this bill will rid the medical profession of so called misfits found to 
be negligent in their practice. The negligent acts of doctors led to a spate of 
incidents wherein patients either died, were maimed, scarred or suffered physical 
injuries. 
Under present laws, a patient has three options to remedy or punish such 
negligent acts. One is the filing of a criminal action under the Revised Penal Code 
under Article 365 (reckless imprudence). The second is the filing of a case for the 
recovery of damages, and the third is the filing of a case before the Professional 
Regulations Commission for the revocation of the license of the doctor. 
Patients might find the current options not suitable for his need because of: 
a) Court or administrative actions are time consuming as the courts and the 
PRC are clogged with many cases. 
b) Filing of such actions is financially burdensome on the patient. 
c) Court or administrative actions are mired in technicalities especially those 
concerning evidence, the presentation and weighing of which must adhere 
to the strict technical rules of procedures and evidence. 
This Bill will provide a patient with a fourth option which is to file a case before 
an integrated professional medical organization. An aggrieved patient may now 
seek for the revocation of membership of the doctor from the integrated 
professional medical organization. The threat of revocation will carry a lot of 
weight since the livelihood of the doctors depends on his continued membership in 
the organization. 
This bill seeks to accredit and acknowledge the Philippine Medical Association 
as the integrated professional medical organization. If the bill pass, the medical 
profession, just like the legal profession, shall be integrated into one accredited 
organization. Since the PMA is already in existence, the government will not be 
spending a single centavo. It shall serve as an extension of the government in 
regulating the medical profession, maintaining the high standard, ethical 
conduct of the medical professionals and help in the continued delivery of 
quality health care. 
Early approval of this bill is earnestly recommended. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
7 
JUL -2 ,? i . - J ~ I  
~~ 
~ 
~ 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ACCREDITING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AS THE 
INTEGRATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE 
PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the 
“INTEGRATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACT OF 2007.” 
SEC 2. 
The Philippine Medical Association, Inc. shall be the only 
Integrated Medical Association Professional Organization in the Philippines. 
SEC 3. Membership -All physicians duly registered with the Professional 
Regulations Commission shall become members of the Philippine Medical 
Association, Inc. Membership in good standing of the PMA shall be a condition 
precedent for his renewal of license and for the continuous practice of medicine. 
SEC 4. 
Organization - The organizational structure of the Philippine 
Medical Association, Inc. including the specialty divisions, specialty and sub- 
specialty societies and the component medical societies and as a non-stock, non- 
profit corporation duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
shall be retained 
SEC 5. Rules and Regulations -The Philippine Medical Association shall 
prescribe rules and regulations to implement the integration of the medical 
profession including the various specialty divisions, the specialty and subspecialty 
societies and their training program, and the component and affiliate medical 
societies. 
SEC 6. 
Complaints - The Philippine Medical Association shall hear 
complaints against its members. The Philippine Medical Association shall 
prescribe its procedures. The rules shall be liberally construed and the technical 
rules of procedure on evidence shall not be strictly applied. 


SEC 7. Grounds - A person may file a verified complaint before the 
Philippine Medical Association against a PMA member based on the following 
gross negligence, ignorance or incomplete in the practice of hislher 
profession resulting in death, physical injury to a person; 
conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense 
involving moral turpitude 
immoral or dishonorable conduct; 
insanity; 
fraud in the acquisition of the certificate of registration, and 
professional license or renewal thereof; 
addiction to alcoholic beverages or to any habit forming drug 
rendering him or her incompetent to practice his or her profession; 
false or extravagant or unethical advertisement; 
performing or aiding in any criminal abortion; 
knowingly issuing any false medical certificate; 
issuing any statement or spreading any news or rumor which is 
derogatory to the character and reputation of another physician 
without justifiable motive; 
aiding or acting as a dummy of unqualified or unregistered person to 
practice medicine; and 
violation of the Code of the PMA 
SEC 8. Penalties - The Philippine Medical Association may impose 
penalties of reprimand, suspension or expulsion. All cases filed or pending under 
this act shall not be discussed or taken in any forum until after the same shall have 
been decided with finality. 
SEC 9. 
lmplementing Rules - The Philippine Medical Association 
shall promulgate the implementing rules and guidelines within 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC I O .  
Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions not affected herein shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SEC 11. 
Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, order, rule and 
regulations that are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed and/or modified 
accordingly. 
SEC 12. 
Effectivity - This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of national 
circulation, which ever is earlier. 
Approved,