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Republic of the Philippines (s
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7365

Introduced by Representatives
ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P, SUANSING, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill seeks to create and develop a Medical Reserve Corps under the
Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Department of Health whose
primary mission is to support the public health system during periods of
public health emergencies and disasters.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has shown that our healthcare system
is unable to cope with the surge of patients needing medical care, mostly due
to lack of medically-trained personnel. The creation of the Medical Reserve
Corps specifically trained to supplement the existing human health resources
will ease the burden on the country’s healthcare system, as the MRC can help
maintain the surge capacity and provide the appropriate assistance needed
in times of health crises.

The MRC shall be organized in a paramilitary structure with trained
members to ensure their readiness to immediately respond to the call to
service. There shall likewise be established mobilization centers in each
province, as many centers as needed, to which members of the MRC will
report when mobilization is ordered.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.

REP. ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING REP. HO!
1st Distict, Nueva Ecija 2nd Di

[0 P. SUANSING, JR.


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, 7365

Introduced by Representatives

ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION,
ORGANIZATION, TRAINING, MAINTENANCE AND UTILIZATION OF THE
MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Medical Reserve
Corps Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 15, Article Il of the 1987
Constitution enjoins the State to protect and promote the right to health of
the people and instill health consciousness among them. Section 11 of Article
XIII also provides for the adoption of an integrated and comprehensive
approach to health development. The State further reiterates its commitment
to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 which calls
on the State to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

The State recognizes the need for a reserve force of part-time, highly-
skilled and medically-trained professionals and volunteers that can be
mobilized to maintain surge capacity of the country’s healthcare system and
provide assistance as may be needed in times of health crises.

Pursuant to this, it is the policy of the State to maintain a strong,
proactive and responsive healthcare system at all times, but which can be
expanded rapidly by a well-trained and well-equipped Medical Reserve Corps
(MRC) in times of disaster or other health emergencies. 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 health emergencies of both national and local scale through the
mobilization of the MRC.


CYAHAWNH

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SEC. 3. Call to the Medical Reserve Corps Service. - The MRC shall be
composed of medical experts, scientists, licensed medical practitioners,
members of the Reserve Force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in
the Medical Service, non-medical volunteers trained for health emergencies
and other necessary skills, with a primary mission of supporting the public
health system during periods of disasters and other health emergencies.

‘The MRC shall be so organized, trained, developed and maintained as
to ensure their readiness to immediately respond to the call of service.

SEC. 4. Organization. - The Department of Health (DOH) shall create the
MRC under its Health Emergency Management Bureau.

The organization, structure, and manning of the MRC shall be set up
with a paramilitary structure, and in such a manner that is necessary to make
it effective, efficient and responsive to local and national disasters and other
health emergencies, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of
Health may prescribe.

SEC. 5. Registration and Training. - The DOH shall draft guidelines for the
recruitment, selection, compensation, other 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 written, practical and simulation
activities, on various aspects of health emergency management and response
and on the different health emergency situation and scenarios, such as but
not limited to natural and man-made disasters, epidemics, pandemics, and
other threats to public health. To this end, all recruits must undergo:

(1) Compulsory basic training for a period to be set by the DOH where
medical experts, scientists, licensed medical practitioners, including
members of the Reserve Force of the AFP in the Medical Service, as
necessary, shall undergo training on disaster and health emergency
response, the organization and structure of the MRC, and such other
areas as may be prescribed by the DOH. Other volunteers without any
health specializations will be trained in basic health and medical skills,
and/or other such skills deemed necessary to respond to health
emergencies. Recruits shall be given compensation for their rime during
compulsory basic training; and

(2) Continuing training, in coordination with relevant and qualified
agencies in the private and public sectors, including but not limited to
the AFP and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Council, to provide the training and other activities that will improve


and reinforce their skills. All registered members shall undergo
continuing training on a regular basis to upgrade their proficiency.

Successful completion of 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.

SEC. 6. Accounting of Members of the MRC. - All members shall be
accounted for, their records and status updated and present whereabouts
ascertained in order to ensure their readiness to the call to service. The DOH
may tap Local Government Units to assist in the accounting of members.

SEC. 7. Mobilization and Penalties. - The mobilization of the MRC shall be
by the authority of the Secretary of Health, upon the recommendation of the
Director of the Health Emergency Management Bureau, in order to meet the
needs of a disaster or health emergency, whether of local or national scale,
and for other purposes deemed necessary to respond to threats to public
health.

The MRC may be mobilized partially or in full as may be necessary. All
members, when called to service due to mobilization, shall continue to receive
all pay, allowances, and other privileges and benefits from his/her regular
employment during the mobilization period

An employer who dismisses or disciplines an employee, or deprives
him/her of pay, allowances, and other privileges and benefits by reason of
his/her training or mobilization as provided for in this Act, shall be subject to
a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00) but not more than
One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00), or imprisonment of not more
than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of a court of competent
jurisdiction.

If the offense is committed by a corporation, trust, firm, partnership,
association or any other entity, the penalty shall be imposed upon the guilty
officer or officers of such corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or
entity.

SEC. 8. Mobilization Centers. - There shall be established in each province
as many mobilization centers as needed to which members of the MRC will
report 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 but are not limited to multi-


Soemrautrwne

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purpose halls, gymnasiums, and other similar structures, and based on other
requirements that the DOH shall prescribe. The DOH, in consultation with
the local executives, shall likewise prescribe the location of the mobilization
centers. The location of these centers shall be given the widest public
information by the local executives.

SEC. 9, Mobilization Stock. - The minimum 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 shortest possible time

The DOH shall ensure and maintain the necessary capacity to scale up
the procurement of these equipment and supplies as may be needed during
the period of mobilization.

SEC. 10. Enlistment of the AFP. ~The AFP may be enlisted by the Secretary
of Health to provide expertise on the organization and paramilitary structure
of the MRC for efficient, effective and swift deployment, as well as training to
the MRC recruits in disaster and emergency response.

Further, the Secretary of Health may recommend to the President the
enlistment of the AFP to supplement the mobilized MRC for the purpose of
providing logistics and manpower for large-scale operations in times of
disaster or other health emergency, contact tracing and monitoring of
suspected cases, enforcing the quarantine of specific areas or facilitating the
transport of emerging infectious diseases patients, and for such other
purposes.

SEC. 11. Demobilization. - When the threat or emergency for which
mobilization had been ordered has passed, the Secretary of Health shall order
the demobilization of the MRC, and the mobilized members shall be reverted
to inactive status.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate and issue the
necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of this Act. The
implementing rules and regulations issued pursuant to this section shall take
effect thirty (30) days after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The funds necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the
DOH as needed. Thereafter, funding shall be included in the budget of the
DOH under the annual General Appropriations Act.


SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall
not be affected thereby.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations, other issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions

of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,