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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. pane

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create a medical scholarship program in State Universities and Colleges
(SUCs) that offer a course in the field of medicine. The scholarship program shall provide
educational aid and financial assistance to deserving Filipino students who want to pursue a
degree in Doctor of Medicine in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) or in Private Higher
Education Institutions (PHEIs) in regions where there are no SUCS.

Our country is facing a doctor shortage based in the DOH performance report wherein there
was an 11.62% decrease in the number of doctors deployed, from 516 in 2017 to 456 in
2018. One of the contributing factors in the shortage of doctors is majority of physicians are
based in the National Capital Region and chosen to go into private practice since they can
earn more instead of community health service.

This bill aims to increase the number of physicians primarily in far-flung areas in the country
where medical doctors are extremely needed. Scholars who passed the licensure exam shall
be mandated to serve in a government public health office or government hospital for a
period equivalent to the program prescribed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
and the Department of Health (DOH).

This bill was previously filed in the 17% Congress and its immediate passage in the 18"
Congress is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

: 5343
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE
PROGRAM FOR DESERVING STUDENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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 Scholarship
and Return Service Program Act".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right to health of the people, and to develop its health human
resources to meet the health needs of its and to ensure that the shortage of medical
practitioners in the country is addressed.

Towards this end, the State shall establish a Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program that will help deserving medical students pursue medical education
and training in the field of health and medicine who shall eventually render services
in government public health offices or government hospitals in their hometown or in
any municipality in their home province or in any underserved municipality in any
province, as part of their integration into the public health and medical service system.
This shall ensure the availability of doctors who will provide quality basic, promotive,
preventive and curative health care in every municipality in the country, especially the
underserved, remote, economically underdeveloped, distressed, conflict-afflicted, and
geographically disadvantaged areas.

SECTION 3. Establishment of the Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program. — There shall be established a Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program for deserving students in state universities and colleges (SUCs) or in
private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in regions where there are no SUCs
offering medicine: Provided, That the scholarship program shall accept at least one
(1) scholar from each municipality of the country: Provided, further, That only upon
determination that there is no qualified applicant from a certain municipality shall
another qualified applicant be considered, irrespective of domicile: Provided,


furthermore, That the applicant has passed the admission and other qualifying
requirements of the SUCs and PHEIs: Provided, finally, That the total number of
scholars per province or municipality shall depend on the number of government
physicians needed for each province or municipality. as determined by the Department
of Health (DOH).

SECTION 4. Coverage of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program. - The Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program established under
this Act shall be made available to deserving Filipino students who want to pursue a
degree in Doctor of Medicine in SUCs or in PHEIs in regions where there are no SUCs.

The student financial assistance for the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program shall include the following:

(a) Free tuition and other school fees;

(b) Allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment;

(c) Clothing or uniform allowance;

(d) Allowance for dormitory or boarding house accommodation;

(e) Transportation allowance;

(f) Internship fees, including financial assistance during postgraduate internship;

(g) Medical board review fees;

(h) Annual medical insurance; and

(i) Other education-related miscellaneous subsistence or living allowances.
SECTION 5. Qualification Requirements. — An applicant fir the Medical

Scholarship and Return Service Program shall possess the following qualifications:

(a) Must be a natural-born or naturalized Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines;

(b) Must be a graduating student or a graduate of an appropriate undergraduate
program identified as a prerequisite for a Doctor of Medicine degree, from any
higher education institution (HET) duly recognized by the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) including the Direct Entrant to the seven (7)-year Integrated
Liberal Arts Medicine Program (or INTARMED Program) of the University of the
Philippines who satisfactorily completes the first two (2) years of the program:
Provided, That deserving incoming second year medical students and those in

the higher year levels of the Doctor of Medicine program shall also be covered
under this Act;


(c) Must have passed the entrance examinations and other related requirements
for admission for a Doctor of Medicine degree in the SUC or PHEI where the
scholar intends to enroll, including the INTARMED Program in the University of
the Philippines, as well as the other requirements Of the CHED and the DOH;
and

(d) Must have obtained a National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) score mandated
by the CHED and the cut-off score required by the SUC or PHEI where the
student intends to enroll in.

SECTION 6. Conditions for the Grant of Scholarship. — Deserving
students accepted to the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program shall be
subject to the following conditionalities:

(a) Must sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the scholarship on
a form prescribed by the CHED and the DOH;

(b) Must carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the SUC or PHEI,
and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in
underloading;

(©) Must finish the entire Doctor of Medicine program in the prescribed time frame
in the SUC or PHEI where the scholar is enrolled in, subject to the retention
Policies of the SUC or PHET;

(d) Must undertake postgraduate internship in a DOH-accredited public health
facility or hospital upon graduation from a four (4)-year Doctor of Medicine
program, subject to the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC)
Internship Matching Program: Provided, That, the graduate of the four (4)-year
Doctor of Medicine program must satisfy all the requirements of the APMC
Internship Matching Program: Provided, further, That, for a five (5)-year Doctor
of Medicine program, the scholar enrolled in the SUC or PHEI must undertake
the postgraduate internship in the SUCs or PHEI's base hospital;

(e) Must take the board examination within a maximum period of one (1) year after
completion of an internship program which may be a postgraduate internship
program for scholars under a four (4)-year Doctor of Medicine program or after
completion of internship as a fifth-year medical student for scholars under a
five (5)-year Doctor of Medicine program; and

(f) Must serve in a government public health or government hospital in the
scholar's hometown or, in the of a need thereat, in any municipality within the
scholar home province, or in any underserved municipality closest to the
scholars hometown in any province determined by the DOH as a priority area,
for at least eight (8) years or two (2) years for every scholarship year availed


of, which shall be completed within ten (10) years upon completion of
internship for those who have availed of a four (4)-year program, and twelve
(12) years for those who have availed of a five (5)-year program, upon passing
the licensure examination for physicians, which shall be part of the mandatory
return service and integration into the public health and medical service system:
Provided, That this mandatory return service shall be in addition to the required
postgraduate internship after graduating from a four (4)-year Doctor of
Medicine program and shall also be in addition to the return service requirement
of the SUC or PHEI: Provided, further, That residency training shall not be
considered as a return service under this provision: Provided, finally. That the
physician shall receive appropriate salaries and other benefits for services
rendered under the mandatory integration into the public health and medical
service system. The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing the
enrollment, to defer availing of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for
a period not exceeding one (1) school year, subject to the guidelines and
policies of the concerned SUC and PHEI. The scholar who fails to pass the
licensure examination within one (1) year after graduation and completion of
postgraduate internship and other academic requirements shall shoulder all the
necessary expenses for the succeeding professional licensure examinations.

SECTION 7. Disqualifications. - The scholar shall repay the full cost of
scholarship and related benefits received. including all the expenses incurred during
the participation in the scholarship program, and the scholarship shall be terminated
in case of the following circumstances:

(a) If the scholar accepts another scholarship from other government or private
agencies or entities while enjoying the benefits under this Act;

(b) If the scholar fails in forty percent (40%) of the subjects or fails to meet the
academic requirements of the SUCs or PHEIs or to complete the course within
the prescribed period without valid cause as may be determined by the SUC or
PHEI, the CHED or the DOH such as due to absence without notice, reasons of
willful neglect or other causes within the control of the scholar: Provided, That,
if the terminated scholar chooses, instead of repayment of scholarship costs to
work within the government's public health and medical service system, such
as engaging in health-related research work for the government or by teaching
health-related subjects in a public educational institution or be integrated into
the public health and medical service system for a period equivalent to eight
(8) years or the mandatory length of service that should have been rendered
as stipulated in this Act: Provided, further, That the alternative return service
shall exclude residency training;

(©) If the scholar fails to pass the licensure examination for physicians for the
second time; and


(d) If the scholar commits behavioral misconduct in a manner that would bring
significant damage to the HEI, government institution concerned, persons, and
the community.

SECTION 8. Mandatory Return Service and Integration of the Scholar
into the Public Health and Medical Service System. — Upon passing the
Physician Licensure Examination (PLE) administered by the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC). the scholar becomes a licensed physician, shall be integrated into
the public health and medical service system, through the DOH, with the appropriate
rank and salary and related benefits. The mandatory return service upon integration
into the public health and medical service system under this Act shall be for a period
equivalent to at least eight (8) years within ten (10) years for those who have availed
of a four (4)-year program, and twelve (12) years for those who availed Of a five (5)-
year program, upon passing the licensure examination for physicians. which shall be
part of the mandatory service and integration into the public health and medical
service system.

The mandatory return service and integration into the public health and medical
service system under this Act shall be separate and distinct from the return service
requirement of the SUCs or PHE and the mandatory postgraduate internship in a DOH
accredited public health facility or hospital, required by the PRC as a prerequisite for
taking the PLE.

SECTION 9. Sanctions. — In the event that a physician who has vailed of the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program fails or refuses to serve in a
government hospital or any local health office in the scholars hometown or in any
municipality in the scholar's home province or in any underserved municipality in any
province, as provided under Section 6(f) hereof. or fails or refuses to comply with the
mandatory integration, as provided in Section 8 hereof. the physician shall be required
to pay twice the full cost of scholarship including other benefits and expenses incurred
by reason of participation in the scholarship program. In case of nonpayment, as
provided in the preceding paragraph, the PRC shall deny the renewal of the physician's
license: Provided, That the abovementioned penalties shall not apply to physicians
who fail to comply with the required return service on account of, or by reason of,
severe or serious illness.

SECTION 10. Roles of the CHED. - The CHED shall perform the following
functions:

(a) Conduct regular information dissemination of and recruitment to the Medical
Scholarship and Return Service Program in SUCs and PHEIs to ensure that there
will be an adequate number of medical doctors in all the municipalities and
provinces;

(b) Review, modify and enhance the medical education curriculum to prepare
graduates to work in community-based health programs, and to function
competently when working with experienced physicians;


(c) Coordinate, together with the St-ICs and PHEIs, with the DOH for the
integration of the medical scholar who has passed the PLE into the public health
and medical service system;

(d) Formulate, promulgate, disseminate and implement the necessary policies,
standards, guidelines, and rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program under
this Act;

(e) Develop strategies to improve the quality of the Doctor of Medicine program
and implement a system of quality control for the offering of Doctor of Medicine
program in SUCs and PHEIs;

(f) Monitor and evaluate existing Doctor of Medicine programs of SUCs and effect
the continuation or closure of programs in accordance with the provisions of
Republic Act No. 7722 or the "Higher Education Act of 1994" and other CHED
issuances, as applicable;

(g) Review and approve or disapprove proposals from SUCs and PHEIs for the
offering of new Doctor of Medicine programs;

(h) Disseminate information on the required percentile cut-off score of SUCs and
PHEIs to guide the student applicants on which school to apply to;

(i) Require SUCs and PHEIs to submit a tracking, monitoring and assistance
proposal; and to implement and evaluate the tracking. monitoring and
assistance program in order to determine the whereabouts of the medical
scholars after graduation from SUCs or PHEIs;

(j) Ensure that the SUCs and PHEIs provide the timely release and accurate
distribution of allowances and other fees to the scholars; and Recommend to
the Department Of Budget and Management (DBM) the budget for
implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program in SUCs
and PHEIs based on its monitoring and evaluation results.

SECTION 11. Roles of the SCCS and PHEIs. - The SUCs and PHEIs shall
perform the following functions:

(a) Monitor the progress of all scholars in their respective educational institutions,
identify students who have low or failing grades, and counsel them to improve
their academic performance;

(b) Ensure the timely release and accurate distribution of allowances and other
fees to the scholars;


(c) Make an annual report to the CHED on the performance of medical scholars
and other necessary or vital information regarding the Medical Scholarship and
Return Service Program;

(d) Assist the CHED in the conduct of regular information dissemination on, and
recruitment to, the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program;

(e) Review, modify and enhance the medical education curriculum to prepare the
scholars to work in community-based health programs;

(f) Coordinate with the DOH in the conduct of an inventory of its trainable
personnel who can be potential beneficiaries of the program;

(g) Coordinate With the CHED, DOH, PRC, other concerned agencies, and local
government units (LGUs) in the integration of the scholar into the public health
and medical service system;

(h) Develop strategies to improve the quality of the Doctor of Medicine program
and implement a system of review and evaluation for quality control for the
offering of Doctor of Medicine program in their respective educational
institutions;

(i) Conduct a tracer study on the whereabouts of their respective medical scholars
after graduation from their respective educational institutions and submit the
results of the tracer study to the CHED;

(J) Recommend to the CHED and the DBM the budget necessary to implement the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program in their respective institutions,
based on their own monitoring and evaluation of results; and

(k) Perform such other functions as the Presidents of the SUC or PHEI may deem
necessary for the success of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program in their respective educational institutions.

SECTION 12. Roles of the DOH. - The DOH shall perform the following functions:

(a) Determine the number of physicians needed for every municipality or province,
as well as the number of physicians needed in the town or province where the
SUC is situated;

(b) Determine the distribution of scholars per municipality or province;


(c) Coordinate with the CHED, SUCs, PHE1s and PRC to determine the number of
graduates of the Doctor of Medicine course and passers of the medical board
examination:

(d) Provide for the integration of the scholar into the public health and medical
service system, including the necessary number of plantilla positions to
accommodate the new doctors in the provincial hospitals;

(e) Assist the CHED in the conduct of the regular information dissemination on the
Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program, the recruitment of scholar
applicants, and the integration of successful scholars into the public health and
medical service system to ensure the continuous deployment of medical doctors
to all provinces especially in the underserved, remote, economically
underdeveloped, distressed, —conflict-afflicted, and geographically
disadvantaged municipalities;

(f) Craft a career pathway for public health practitioners in the DOH and at the
local level as an incentive to the graduates of medicine to enhance their
competencies and skills for career progression;

(g) Coordinate with the LGUs for the mandatory integration of doctors/scholars into
the public health and medical service system;

(h) Conduct an inventory of its trainable personnel who can benefit from the
program;

(i) Monitor, supervise, and evaluate the performance and length of service of the
scholars integrated into the public health and medical service system;

(j) Provide funds for the implementation of the integration program under this Act;
and

(k) Recommend to the DBM the budget for the plantilla positions for the doctors
to be integrated into the public health and medical service system, including
the determination of salaries and salary increases.

SECTION 13. Roles of LGUs. —GUs are mandated to support the integration
of the scholar into the public health and medical service system by performing the
following functions:

(a) Ensure that there is a mechanism to provide the necessary support to the
integration program of physicians who will be assigned to the LGU;

(b) Coordinate with the DOH and the physicians to determine the specific health
needs or requirements of the community and provide the necessary assistance,
including the improvement of the health facilities in the municipality and
involvement in the research component of the public health and medical service
system;


(c) May maintain a regular counterpart fund to be used for providing the balance
of the scholarship budget for scholars enrolled in PHEIs, subject to availability
of funds;

(d) Provide for the board and lodging, travel expenses and other forms of financial
assistance enumerated under Section 4 of this Act, subject to availability of
funds. for the scholar enrolled in the PHEIs located in the municipality under
the concerned LGU; Provided, That the scholar shall serve in the same LGU
upon passing the licensure examination. If the municipal government cannot
afford the said expenses, the provincial government shall shoulder the same:
Provided, further, That the said provincial government shall decide in what
municipality the scholar shall eventually serve;

(e) Provide Other forms of financial assistance, subject to availability of funds, to
‘support the integration program of doctors in the LGUs;

(f) Ensure the safety and security of the physicians integrated into the public health
and medical service program;

(g)Recommend to the concerned SUC or PHEI any improvement in the
implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program;

(h) Conduct an information dissemination campaign on the Medical Scholarship and
Return Service Program within the municipality or province, with the objective
of attracting bright applicants to the said program;

(i) Coordinate with the CHED and other government agencies and
nongovernmental organizations involved in the Medical Scholarship and Return
Service Program;

(j) Coordinate with and encourage the active participation of the parents and other
family members of the scholars in the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program;

(k) Exercise such other powers and perform all other acts and duties which shall
assist the scholar and ascertain the success of the Medical Scholarship and
Return Service Program; and

() Execute and enforce laws, ordinances and regulations which may, directly or
indirectly, have a positive impact on the Medical Scholarship and Return Service
Program.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out 2 the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations
of the SUCs and the DOH. Thereafter, the amount necessary fir the continued
implementation of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program for deserving
students shall be included and subsumed into the scholarship program of SUCs and
CHED in the annual General Appropriations Act.


SECTION 15. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Medical
Scholarship and Return Service System. — There is hereby created a Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and evaluate the
implementation of this Act. The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5)
members each from the Senate and from the House of Representatives, and shall
include the following: Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and
Culture; Chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education;
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health; Chairperson of the House Committee
on Health; and three (3) members each to be chosen from the membership of the
Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and the House Committee on Higher
and Technical Education by the Senate President and the House Speaker, respectively:
Provided, That at least one (1) member from the respective nominees of the House
of Representatives and the Senate shall be chosen from the Minority party bloc.

SECTION 16. Five (5)-Year Review of the Number of Scholars to be
Admitted. — Every five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, the CHED, DOH,
SUCs and PHEIs shall determine the number of scholars to be admitted every school
year. The number of physicians needed by the municipality or province where the SUC
or PHEI is situated shall be taken into consideration in determining the number of
scholars.

SECTION 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the CHED and the DOH, in coordination with the
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, Coordinating Council of
Private Educational Associations, League of Municipalities. Association of Municipal
Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP), Nongovernment Community-Based Health
Programs, PRC, DBM, SUCs, PHEIs, APMC, APMC-Student Network and other relevant
stakeholders, shall formulate and issue the rules and regulations to fully implement
the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 18. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act shall
be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 19. Repealing Clause. — A\l 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.

SECTION 20. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,