Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___________ 
Introduced by Representative Ambrosio “Boy” C. Cruz, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is without any doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented 
challenges to the country, particularly to our healthcare system.  
The country bore witness to the overwhelming difficulties faced by our frontliners in 
treating COVID-19 patients. Nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals took shifts that 
lasted days, sacrificing even the smallest window of opportunity for rest to cater to those who are 
infected. With daily exposure, many of them were inevitably infected and sadly, some succumbed 
to the virus. 
Unfortunately, the battle against COVID-19 is yet to be finished. In fact, as of August 02, 
2022 the Department of Health has tallied a total of 3,780,178 cases, comprising 34,268 active cases, 
3,685,173 recoveries, and 60,737 deaths. On a worldwide scale, the World Health Organization 
lists a total of 572,239,451 cases, including 6,390,401 deaths.  
To make matters worse, on July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared 
Monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern. According to Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Monkeypox is a communicable disease that can be spread 
from person to person through respiratory droplets, body fluids, sores, and items such as clothing 
and bedding contaminated with the virus. Right now, there are 20,638 confirmed cases around 
the world as per the CDC. Considering this information, the said disease has the potential of 
wreaking havoc in the same way that COVID-19 did. 
In this regard, there is considerable urgency to strengthen our healthcare system. The first 
step to attain this goal is to increase the number of medical personnel that can be deployed to take 
care of the medical needs of our citizens. In relation to this, this bill aims to establish a Medical 
Reserve Corps which shall be composed of medical professionals who may be called upon to 
assist in addressing the health and safety concerns of our communities in times of public health 
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emergencies.  
 
 
Through this bill, our current stream of medical professionals need not be overwhelmed 
anymore by the sheer number of people they have to attend to during critical times, especially in 
the middle of a pandemic. In return, other equally important health concerns will also be 
provided with adequate attention as our doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel will not 
have to spread themselves thin anymore in providing medical care.  
 
 
With the Medical Reserve Corps Act of 2022, public health, emergency response, and 
community resiliency will be greatly improved. 
 
In view thereof, the immediate approval of this proposed measure is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AMBROSIO “BOY” C. CRUZ, JR. 
Representative, Fifth District of Bulacan 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___________ 
Introduced by Representative Ambrosio “Boy” C. Cruz, Jr. 
AN ACT INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Medical Reserve Corps Act of 
2022". 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to ensure the 
delivery of health care services to the people by maintaining a responsive healthcare system at all 
times. 
Section 3. Medical Reserve Corps. Service - There is hereby established a Medical Reserve 
Corps which shall be composed of licensed physicians, including those who are retired and those 
who are no longer practicing in the hospital setting, medical students who have completed four 
(4) years of medical course, graduates of medicine, registered nurses, and other allied health
professionals.
Those who have yet to attain license to practice shall be issued by the Secretary of Health 
limited authorization to render medical service, in consonance with Republic Act No. 2382 or the 
Medical Act of 1959.  
Section 4. Organization. – The MRC shall be under the direct control and supervision of 
the Health Management Bureau (HEMB) of the Department of Health (DOH). 
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Section 5. Registration and Training. – The  DOH shall draft guidelines for the 
recruitment, training, compensation, and the terms and conditions of membership of the MRC 
members.  
 
Section 6. Registry of Members – The  DOH shall maintain a registry of all members of 
the MRC which shall include their names, addresses, contact details, and such other information 
deemed necessary, subject to applicable privacy laws.  
 
Section 7. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization. - The Secretary of Health, upon the 
recommendation of the Director of HEMB or upon the request of national government agencies 
or local government units (LGUs), shall call for the mobilization of the MRC in times of public 
health emergencies and such other instances of threats to public health.  
 
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 9. Mobilization Mechanisms. - The MRC may be mobilized partially or in full, as 
may be necessary. The DOH shall promulgate the mechanisms by which deployment is efficiently 
implemented, including the organization of the Corps to be deployed, their territorial 
assignments, how deployment orders are communicated to each member of the Corps and to 
which mobilization center they will report. 
 


Section 10. 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 11. Mobilization Centers. - There shall be established in each province as many 
mobilization centers as needed to which members of the MRC shall 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 local executives, prescribe the 
location of the mobilization centers. The local executives shall disseminate to the widest extent 
possible information to the public on the location of these centers.  
 
Section 12. Mobilization Equipment and Supplies. - 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 needed during the period of mobilization.  
 
Section 12. Compensation and Benefits. - Members of the MRC who render service shall 
receive the pay and allowances, medical care, hospitalization, other privileges and benefits 
during the period of mobilization as prescribed by law or regulation. They shall also continue to 
receive all pay, allowances, and other privileges and benefits from their regular employment 
during the mobilization period.  
Section 13. 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 government agency or 
LGU, that such deployment is no longer required in accordance with this Act.  
Section 14. Annual Reports. — The DOH shall regularly publish an annual report 
containing a list of the accomplishments, 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 annual report shall also include the 
results of the audit investigation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected, or advanced 
for the implementation of the provisions of this Act.  


Section 15. 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.  
Section 16. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. — MRC members who shall violate 
this Act shall be subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the applicable civil service 
rules or the rules and regulations of the Professional Regulation Commission, as the case may be. 
Section 17. Appropriations. — The Secretary of Health shall include the implementation 
of this Act in the DOH’s programs. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
Section 18.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the effective 
implementation of this Act.  
Section 19. 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.  
Section 20. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other 
issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly.  
Section 21.  Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,