THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
6 
--;' I '  ', 8 
Third Regular Session 
) 
I" 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by SENATOR COMPANERA PIA S. CAYETANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The medical profession is one of the most prestigious professions. Given that the 
profession deals with life and health, there is a need to regulate the profession to 
ensure the quality of service given to the people. Considering the number of doctors 
situated in the different provinces all over the country, there is a need to allow the 
profession to self-regulate, similar to the legal profession. However, unlike the legal 
profession, there is no integrated medical professional organization. 
What currently exists is the Philippine Medical Association, Inc. (PMA) which is 
the umbrella organization of the medical profession of the country. It is duly registered 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-stock, non-profit organization 
and is the mother association of all medical organizations in the Philippines. It was 
founded September 15, 1903, at a time when the country was under the American rule. 
The Philippine Medical Association 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 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 rigid Code of Ethics of the 
medical profession. 
Aside from its by-laws, duly registered with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, the PMA has codes governing its affairs and the conduct of its members. 
Among its codes are the Administrative Code, the Code on Continuing Medical 
Education, Code of Ethics, the Election Code and Mutual Aid Code and Guidelines on 
Protocol and Procedures and Guidelines on Affiliate Societies. 
Given the need for an integrated medical professional organization and the 
breadth, composition, membership and nationwide coverage of the PMA, this bill seeks 
to accredit the PMA as the integrated medical professional organization in the 
Philippines and all physicians wanting to practice medicine will be required to become 
members of the PMA. If the bill is passed into law, we will be creating a professional 
medical organization already in place that can serve as an extension of the government 
in regulating the medical profession, maintaining the high and ethical conduct of the 
medical professionals and help in the continued delivery of quality health care. 
The immediate approval of this bill is recommended. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
) 
6 
N[lV -! "'? 
t'h 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
1 
8 
Introduced by SENATOR COMPANERA PIA S. CAYETANO 
AN ACT ACCREDTING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AS THE 
INTEGRATED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
SEC. 1. Title - This Act shall be known and cited 'as the "INTEGRATED 
Congress assembled: 
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION ACT OF 2005. 
SEC. 2. The Philippine Medical Association, Inc., shall be the only Integrated 
Medical Professional Organization in the Philippines. 
SEC. 3. Membership - All physicians duly registered by 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 rules to 
govern the conduct of its proceedings and the rules of 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 grounds: 
a,) 
b.) 
c.1 
immoral or dishonorable conduct; 
gross negligence, ignorance or incompetence in the practice of hislher 
profession resulting to death, physical injury to a person 
conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense 
involving moral turpitude; 
insanity 
fraud in the acquisition of the certificate of registration, and 
professional license or renewal thereof; 
d.) 
e.) 


f.) 
addiction to alcoholic beverages or to any habit-forming drug 
9.) 
h.) 
i.) 
j.) 
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 humor 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; 
Violation of the Code of Ethics of the PMA. 
k.) 
1.) 
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. Implementing Rules - The Philippine Medical Association shall 
promulgate the implementing rules and guidelines of this act within 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC. I O ,  Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or not valid, other provisions not affected herein shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SEC. 
11. 
Repealing 
Clause - Provisions 
on 
the 
integration of 
professionalslprofessions in the professional regulatory laws and all provisions of 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 any major leading newspaper of national 
circulation, which ever is earlier. 
Approved.