REPUBLIC OF THE PIHLIPPINES
HouSE oF REPREsm`ITATlvEs
QUEZON CITY
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOusEB]iLiro.    5220
Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE AITY. GERVILLE "|INKY BITRICS" R. LUISTRO
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article 11, Section 15 of the Constitution prescribes that the State shall protect
andpromotetherighttohealthofthepeopleandinsti]lhealthcousciousnessamong
them.  Further, Article Xm, Section 11 provides for the adoption of an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development.
The country's healthcare facilities went full tending to the medical needs of
thosewhosufferedseveresymptomsaftertheemergenceandre-emergenceofvarious
vinlsesanddiseases,mostparticularly,theCOVID-19vius.Ourmedicalhealthforce
was burdened, and even reached a certain point where a significant number of our
healthcare professionals, including a]]ied medical service persormel, have acquired a
highly contagious virus, such as the Covid-19; Some, even lost their lives.  Tis has
resulted to the thining of the available manpower in the medical force and made the
maLnagement and contairment Of highly{ommuricable viuses and diseases such as
the COVID-19 more difficult and challenging.
With  the  experience  and  wisdom  imparted  from  our  experience  of  the
pandemic, it is imperative for the State to ensure the preparedness of the country in
dealing with national and local health crises.   This proposed measure envisions to
organize a group of trained and equipped medical and health-related persormel for
swift mobihization during national and local pubhic health emergencies, particularly,
onsituatiousthatrequireadditionalmanpowertosupport,reinforce,andstrengthen
theexistingcapabimesofthenationalandlocalgoverrmentutts(LGUs).
This bill proposes to estabnsh a Medical Reserve Corps quc) which will be
under  the  jurisdiction  and  management  of  the  Department  of  Health  a)OH),
comprised of persons who are nceused medical `practitioners, medical students who
have  completed their  four  (4)  years  of medical program,  graduates  of medicine,


registered nurses, and licensed allied health professionals who may be called upon to
assist  the  government,  its  agencies  and  iustrumentalities,  and  the  LGUs  in  the
discharge of their functions in addressing the medical needs of the public.
Further,thisbillacknowledgestheneedforareserveforceofhighlyskilledand
medically trained professionals and volunteers who can be mobilized to maintain our
medical capacity, meet surges in the demand for the country's healthcare system, and
provide support, as may be needed in times of health emergencies.  It also enlists the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide expertise and training in disaster
and emergency resporrse to make the MRC more effective and efficient for its swift
deployment in times of disaster and public health emergencies, while mandating the
DOH to develop a mechanism for their deployment.
The  same  measure  was  filed  on  the  18th  Congress  and  passed  on  the  3rd
Reading.    It is  noteworthy  to  acknowledge  the  efforts  exhausted  by  its  primary
sponsors,  namely,  Representatives Joy  Myra  Tambunting,  David  C.  Suarez,  Luis
Raymund  Villafuerte,  Tr.,  Alfred  D.  Vargas,  Rufus  8.  Rodriguez,  Raul  R.  Daza,
Angelina ``Helen" D.L. Tan, M.D., Divina Grace C. Yu, Estrehita 8. Suausing, Horacio
P. Suausing, |r., Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr., Manuel DG. Cabochan Ill, Eric L. 0livarez,
and Tumel Anthony I. Espino.


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY
NINETEENTII CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOusE BiLL~rdo. ` 5 2 2 0
Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE ATTY. GERVILLE ``TINKY BITRICS" R. LUISTRO
AN ACT INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
B.e^:t...:.I_aJc.ted by  the  Senate  and  House  of Rapresentatives  of the  Philippines  in  Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1.   Short Title. This Act shah be known as the ``Medical Reserve Corps
Act."
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy.  Article n, Section 15, of the Constitution enjoins
the State to protest and promote the right to health of the people and iustiu health
consciousness among them. Article XHI, Section 11 also provides for the adoption of
an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development. The State further
reiteratesitscommitmenttotheSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs),particularly
SDG3,whichcallsontheStatetoensurehealthylivesandpromotewell-beingforall
at an ages.
TheStaterecognizestheneedforareserveforceofhighlyskilledandmedicany
trained professionals and volunteers who can be mobihized to maintain the capacity
to  meet  surges  in  the  demand  for  the  country's  healthcare  system  and  provide
assistance as may be needed in times of health crises.
Pursuant to this, it is the poHcy of the State to maintain a strong, proactive and
responsive healthcare system at all times, the workforce complement of which can be
expanded  rapidly  by  a  well-trained  and  well€quipped  Medical  Reserve  Corps
(MRC) in times of pubhc health emergency and health threats. Towards this end, the


State  shall enhance the capacity of the nation to produce and call on the needed
manpower and expand its human health resources in times of disasters and public
health emergencies of both national and local scale through the mobifization of the
MRC.
SECTION 3. Medical Reserve Corps Service.   There is hereby established an MRC
whose primary mission is to support the country' s health system in times of public
healthemergenciesorhealththreats,andwhichshallbecomposedofthefollowing:
a)  Licensed physicians including those who are retired and those who are no
longer.practicinginthehospitalsetting.TheDepartmentofHealth(DOH)may
coordinate   and   collaborate   with   the   accredited   integrated   professional
organization  or  accredited  professional  organization  of  physicians  for  the
engagement of private practitioners;
b)  Medical  students  who  have  completed  four  (4)  years  of  medical  course,
graduates  of  medicine,  and  registered  nurses  who  may  be  issued  by  the
Secretary of Health with a limited and special authorization to render medical
service pursuant to Republic Act No. 2382, otherwise known as the Medical
Act of 1959; and
c)   Licensed allied health professionals.
The  MRC shall be  organized,  trained,  developed  and  maintained  so  as  to
ensure their readiness to immediately respond to the can to service.
SECTION 4. Organization.  The MRC shall be under the control and supervision of
the Health Emergeney Management Bureau (HEMB) of the DOH.
The  DOH  shall  develop  an  effective  and  efficient  MRC  organization  and
structure that is responsive to national and lcx:al disasters and other public health
emergencies,  under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the  Secretary  of  Health  may
prescribe.
SECTION 5.  Registration and Training.   The DOH shall draft guidelines for the
recruitment,  selection,  compensation,  and  provision of incentives  for joining  and
continued membership, and length of service of the MRC members.
The DOH shall also prescribe  a continuing  training program for the MRC
recruits and members, through whtten, practical and simulation activities on various
aspects of health emergency management and response and on the different health
emergency  situations  and  scenarios,  such  as  natural  and  man-made  disasters,
epidemics, pandemics, and other threats to public health. To this end, an recruits must
undergo:
a)  Compulsory basic training for a period to be set by the DOH on disaster and


health emergency response, the organization and structure of the MRC, and
such other areas as may be prescribed by the DOH. Recruits shau be given
compensation for their attendance thereto; and
b)  Continuing training and other activities to be conducted in coordination with
relevant and qualified agencies in the private and public sector, including the
Armed  Forces  of  the  Philippines  (AFP)  and  the  National  Disaster  Risk
Reduction  and  Management  Council,  to  improve  and  reinforce  skills.  All
registered members shall undergo continuing training on a regular basis to
upgrade their proficiency.
Successful completion of the compulsory basic training shall be a requisite for
admission  into  the  MRC.  Successful  completion  of  activities  in  the  continuing
training program shall be a requisite for promotion within the MRC.
SECTION  6.  Registry  and  Accounting  of  Members  of  the  MRC.    Registered
members of the MRC shall be issued individual serial numbers which will serve as
their identification in case of deployment.
The  DOH shah maintain and  update  a registry or database containing the
names of the members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact detafls and
such other information as the DOH may determine, in accordance with applicable
privacy  laws.  For  this  purpose,  all  public  and  private  colleges,  universities  and
learning iustitutious shall transmit amually their records of the graduates covered
under this Act to the DOH.
An MRC Identification Card  that describes the certification information of
Corps  members,  as  well  as  other  necessary  identifying  information  that  may  be
determined by the DOH, shall also be issued.
All graduates covered under this Act are required to update their addresses
andcontactdetailsonfflewiththeDOHasoftenasnecessary.Ordersofdeployment
sent to the addresses and/or through the contact details on file with the DOH shall
be sufficient notice for purposes of deployment.
In  cases   when  a  graduate   has   changed   address  immediately  prior  to
deployment,   the   LGU   shall   immediately   exert   efforts   to   locate   his   known
closest resident kin, who is then mandated to exert similar efforts. The use of digital
communicatiousandsocialmediashallbeencouragedinlocatingsuchgraduates.
SECTION 7. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization.  The prompt mobilization of the
MRC  sham  be  carried  out  by  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  Health,  upon  the
recommendation  of  the  Director  of  the  HEMB  or  upon  the  request  of  national
government agencies or local government units (LGUs), in order to meet the needs of
thepopulaceintimesofpublichealthemergencies,whetheroflocalornationalscale,
and for such other purposes in response to threats to public health.


TheMRCmaybemobhizedpartiallyorinfullasmaybenecessary.TheDOH
sham promulgate the mechanisms by which deployment is efficiently implemented,
including the organization of the Corps to be deployed, their territorial assignments,
howdeploymentordersarecommunicatedtoeachmemberoftheCorpsandtowhich
mobihzation center they will report.
As defined in Republic Act No, 11332, otherwise known as the "Mandatory
Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act,"
public health emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or
health condition that:
(1) Is caused by any of the following:
(i)     Bio terrorism;
(ii)    Appearance     of     a     novel     or     previously     controlled     or
eradicated infectious agent or biological toxin;
(iii)   A natural disaster;
(iv)   A chemical attack or accidental release;
(v)    A nuclear attack or accident; or
(vi)   An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and
(2) Poses a high probability of any of the following:
(i)     A large number of deaths in the affected population;
(ii)    A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the
affected population;
(iii)   Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a
significant risk of substantial harm to a large number of people in
the affected population;
(iv)   International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses
a significant risk to the health of citizens of other countries; or
(v)    Trade and travel restrictions.
SECTION   8.   Deployment   Order.      The   President   of   the   Philippines,   upon
recommendation of the DOH, may order the nationwide mobilization of the MRC to
complement the AFP Medical Corps in case of a declaration of a state of war, state of
lawless violence or state of calamity.
SECTION 9. Mobilization Centers.   There shall be established in each province as
many mobilization centers as needed to which members of the MRC shah report to
when mobilization is ordered.
Mobilization centers may be any establishment or facility that can adequately
house the MRC members, and their equipment and supplies during the period of
deployment,   including   multi-purpose   halls,   gymnasiums,   and   other   similar
structures,  based  on other requirements  that the  DOH  shall  prescribe.  The  DOH
shall,   in  consultation  with  the  lor=al  executives,   prescribe  the  lor=ation  of  the


mobihzation  centers.  The  local  executives  sham  disseminate  to  the  widest  extent
possible information to the public on the location of these centers.
SECTION   10.   Mobilization   Stock.      The   mirimun   essential   individual   and
organizational and medical equipment and supplies shall be procured, stored, and
maintained to enhance rapid transition to readiness required for employment in the
shortestpossibletime.TheDOHshallensureandmaintainthenecessarycapacityto
scale up the procurement of these equipment and supplies as needed during the
period of mobilization.
SECTION 11. Enlistment of the AFP.  The Secretary of Health may enlist the AFP to
provide expertise on the organization and structure of the MRC for efficient, effective
and swift deployment, as weu as for training of the MRC recruits on disaster and
emergency response.
The Secretary of Health may also recommend to the President the enlistment
oftheAFPtosupplementthemobilizedMRCforthepuxposeofprovidinglogistics
and manpower  for  large-scale  operations  in  times  of  pubhc  health  emergency,
contact tracing and monitoring of suspected cases, enforcing-quarantine measures in
specificareasorfacilitatingthetransportofemerginginfectiousdiseasespatients,and
for such other related purposes.
SECTION 12. Protection to MRC Members.   All MRC members shall be accorded
protection  as  provided  by  existing  labor  laws  and  standards  and  other  relevant
occupations, safety, environmental, and social legislation.
SECTION  13.  Compensation  and  Benefits.    Members  of  the  MRC  who  render
service shall receive au the pay and allowances, medical care, hospitalization, other
privileges and benefits during the period of mobilization as prescribed by law or
regulation.Theyshaflalsocontinuetoreceiveanpay,allowances,andotherprivileges
and  benefits  from  their  regular  employment  during  the  mobilization  period  in
accordance with law.
SECTION 14. Legal Liability and Malpractice Insurance.   No MRC member sham
beheldliableforthedeathoforinjurytoanypersonorforthelossof,ordamageto,
the  property  of  any  person  where  such  death,  injury,  loss,  or  damage  was
proximately caused by the circumstance of an actual public health emergency or its
subsequentconditious,orthecircumstancesoftheformalexerciseortrainingifsuch
formalexerciseortrainingsimulatesconditiousofanactualemergency.
The Insurance Commission is mandated to develop public health emergeney-
specific malpractice insurance policy or modify existing policies that would protect
MRC professionals' efforts from any legal liability as provided for by this Section to
allow them to respond in good faith during public health emergencies.
Tis Section shall not preclude liability for civil damages as a result of gross


negligence, recklessness, or wiHful misconduct.
SECTION 15. Termination of Deployment.   Upon the expiration of the period of
deployment,  without  an  extension  having been  requested  and  approved  by  the
DOH,  members  of  the  MRC  who  are  deployed  pursuant  to  a  public  health
emergency   shall   be   discharged   from   the   performance   of   their   duties.   The
deployment may also be terminated  earlier  upon  a  determination  by  the  DOH,
in  consultation  with  the requesting national goverrment agency or LGU, that such
deployment is no longer required in accordance with this Act.
SECTION 16. Annual Reports.  The DOH shall regularly publish an armual report
containing  a  list  of  the  accompHshments,  status  of  the  operations,  demographic
profile of the membership of the MRC, an assessment of readiness for mobilization,
and  the  incidence  and  details  of each  mobilization  for  the  year  concerned.  The
annualreportshaualsoincludetheresultsoftheauditinvestigationonthespending
of  funds  appropriated,  couected,  or  advanced  for  the  implementation  of  the
provisions of this Act.
SECTION 17. Failure to Respond to Deployment.   Any member of the MRC who
fails to respond to the order of deployment without any justifiable reason despite
due  notice  shall  be  required  to  reimburse  the  total  expenses  incurred  by  the
goverrment in the member's recruitment, selection, training, and compensation, as
may be determined by the DOH.
SECTION 18. Appropriations.  The Secretary of Health sham immediately include in
the  Department's  Program  the  implementation of this  Act,  the  funding of which
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations.   Within thirty (30) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the
effective implementation of this Act.
SECTION  20.   Separability  Clause.     If  any  provision  of  this  Act  is  declared
uncoustitutionalorotherwiseinvalid,thevalidityoftheotherprovisiousshallnotbe
affected thereby.
SECTION 21. Repealing Clause.   All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations,
otherissuances,orpartsthereofincousistentwiththeprovisiousofthisActarehereby
repealed or modified accordingly.


',
negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct.
SECTION 15. Termination of Deployment.   Upon the expiration of the period of
deployment,  without  an  extension  having been  requested  and  approved  by  the
DOH,  members  of  the  MRC  who  are  deployed  pursuant  to  a  public  health
emergency   shall   be   discharged   from   the   performance   of   their   duties.   The
deployment may also be terminated  earlier  upon  a  determination  by  the  DOH,
in  consultation  with  the requesting national goverrment agency or LGU, that such
deployment is no longer required in accordance with this Act.
SECTION 16. Annual Reports.  The DOH shall regularly pubHsh an armual report
containing  a  list  of  the  accomphihments,  status  of  the  operations,  demographic
profile of the membership of the MRC, an assessment of readiness for mobilization,
and  the  incidence  and  details  of each  mobflization  for  the  year  concerned.  The
armualreportshallalsoincludetheresultsoftheauditinvestigationonthespending
of  funds  appropriated,  collected,  or  advanced  for  the  implementation  of  the
provisions of this Act.
SECTION 17. Failure to Respond to Deployment.   Any member of the MRC who
fails to respond to the order of deployment without any justifiable reason despite
due  notice  shall  be  required  to  reimburse  the  total  expenses  incurred  by  the
government in the member's recruitment, selection, training, and compensation, as
may be determined by the DOH.
SECTION18.Appropriations.TheSecretaryOfHealthshanimmediatelyincludein
the  Department's  Program  the implementation of this  Act,  the  funding of which
shallbeincludedintheannualGeneralAppropriatiousAct.
SECTION 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations.   Within thirty (30) days from
theeffectivityofthisAct,theDOHshallpromulgatethenecessaryguidelinesforthe
effective implementation of this Act.
SECTION  20.   Separability  Clause.     If  any  provision  of  this  Act  is  declared
unconstitutionalorotherwiseinvahid,thevalidityoftheotherprovisiousshallnotbe
affected thereby.
SECTION 21. Repealing Clause.   Au laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations,
otherissuances,orpartsthereofincousistentwiththeprovisiousofthisActarehereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 22. Effectivity Clause.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the O#cz.flJ G¢ze££g or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,