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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Emergency medical services are vital in ensuring that patients needing urgent 
medical assistance are attended to with dispatch and are provided with a better chance 
of survival from disability or death.  
In the Philippines, there is an urgent need for a more responsive and organized 
emergency medical services system.  According to the World Health Organization (2017), 
about 7,000 Filipinos die each year, and thousands more are injured or disabled, due to 
road traffic crashes, with riders of motorcycles and two-wheeler bicycles making up a 
large proportion of these statistics. Accidents, of all types including road traffic crashes, 
rank fourth among the causes of death in all ages. Most emergency calls received by an 
ambulance team are trauma related such as vehicular accidents, crime or violence 
related injuries, or common household emergencies. Hence, it is crucial that emergency 
responders and ambulance crews possess the necessary knowledge and skills to 
respond and to properly asses and manage various medical emergencies. 
One of the key issues in the field of emergency or pre-hospital care in the country 
is the lack of a national standard of practice that can be followed, as well as the minimum 
requirements for individuals who wish to enter the field. This proposed measure seeks to 
establish a standard system for emergency medical services (EMS), address the need 
to professionalize and regulate the sector, and enhance the provision of emergency 
medical services in the country. 
The bill proposes the creation of a National Emergency Medical Services System 
Council to formulate and implement policies and develop national standards for the 
provision of emergency medical services. The bill ensures that the provision of 
emergency medical services, including all vehicles, equipment, and support services, 
adheres to standards and guidelines set out by the EMSS Council. 
Hence, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly sought. 
RON P. SALO 
   KABAYAN Partylist 
July 1, 2022
8:01 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM (EMSS), 
PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL EMSS COUNCIL, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS TEHREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PUSPOSES 
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 “Emergency Medical 
Services System (EMSS) Act of 2017”. 
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them. Pursuant to this national policy, the government shall institutionalize a 
comprehensive, accessible and integrated system of emergency medical services. 
SEC. 3. Objectives. – In support of the State policy, this Act: 
a) Mandates the development and institutionalization of Emergency Medical
Services System at the national and local levels;
b) Creates a national Emergency Medical Services System Council;
c) Establishes the national standard for the provision of Emergency Medical
Services (EMS);
d) Ensures the provision of qualified EMS personnel;
e) Mandates the adoption and use of a National Universal Emergency Number;
and
f)
Establishes support services to emergency medical services.
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SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are 
defined as follows: 
 
a) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) refers to a network of services 
coordinated to provide aid and medical assistance from the scene to the most 
appropriate and definitive health facilities, involving personnel trained in 
stabilization, transportation, and treatment of trauma or medical cases in the 
pre-hospital setting. 
 
b) Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) refers to a comprehensive 
system which provides the arrangement of personnel, facilities and equipment 
for effective, coordinated, and timely delivery of health and safety services to 
victims of sudden illness or injury in the pre-hospital setting. The conceptual 
framework of the system revolves around five components and core services 
of pre-hospital management, namely: Emergency Medical Dispatch, 
Emergency Response and Care, Emergency Transport, Inter-agency referral 
and Transport, and Command and Control. 
 
c) Emergency Medical Dispatch involves the immediate identification and 
prioritization of emergency situations, the timely dispatch of appropriate 
resources, providing essential pre-arrival medical instructions and full 
endorsement to the receiving hospital. Dispatch encompasses all aspects of 
communication including request processing, coordination and support, 
documentation and monitoring.  
 
d) Emergency Response and Care involves the arrival of resources at the scene 
and the timely initiation and provision of appropriate interventions. 
 
e) Emergency Transport involves transporting the patient to the most 
appropriate and definitive health facility with continued provision of care and 
appropriate interventions en route. 
 
f) Inter-Agency Referral and Transport - Involves the transport of patient with 
EMS personnel, if necessary, from one referring facility or agency to another 
receiving facility or agency for definitive care, as the patient requires, in an 
event that the services are not available in the referring facility. 
 
g) Command and Control involves the multi-faceted supervision or medical 
oversight by the EMS medical director in handling the processes of EMS 
operations that may affect patient care directly through provision of orders to 
an EMS personnel over the radio, by phone, or on-scene; or indirectly through 
the development and promulgation of protocols, the education and 
credentialing of EMS personnel, the conduction of quality improvement 
activities, and the increased advocacy of appropriate EMS for the patients. 
 
h) Emergency Medical Service Personnel refers to a unique health care 
personnel involved in the practice of pre-hospital care which includes provision 
of medical care, systematic coordination and transportation of patients with 
medical direction. They may include Medical First Responder (MFR), 
Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), 


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Paramedics, Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) and EMS Medical 
Director.  
 
i) Accredited Training Institution refers to a training institution offering training 
programs, courses and continuing education for EMS personnel that meet the 
standards established by the EMS Council in collaboration with physicians, 
Emergency Medical Technicians, nurses, and other health care professionals, 
TESDA, and CHED, among others, and are duly registered in good standing 
with the EMS Advisory Council. 
 
j) Emergency Medical Vehicle refers to an ambulance or other vehicles for 
emergency medical care which provides, at the minimum: (i) a driver’s 
compartment; (ii) a patient compartment to accommodate an emergency 
medical technician (EMT) and a patient so positioned that said patient can be 
given intensive life-support during transit; (iii) equipment and supplies for 
emergency care at the scene as well as during transport; (iv) two-way radio, 
telephone or electronic communication with the primary medical services 
provider, and  when necessary, equipment for light rescue/extrication 
procedures. The emergency medical vehicle shall be so designed and 
constructed to provide the patient with safety and comfort, and avoid 
aggravation of the patient’s injury or illness. 
 
 
CHAPTER 2 
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM 
 
SEC. 5. Emergency Dispatch. – All local government units are mandated to 
establish their Dispatch Centers where constituents can call for all cases of emergencies, 
with adequate and qualified personnel. The Dispatch Centers shall follow the prescribed 
guidelines on dispatch protocol as determined by the EMSS Council. 
 
SEC. 6. Volunteer Organizations. – Volunteer organizations that provide free 
health emergency assistance within a specific local government unit shall be accredited 
by the local government unit concerned following guidelines established by the EMSS 
Council.  
 
Volunteer organizations that provide free health emergency assistance to a 
specific region, or across provinces, or within the entire Philippines shall be accredited 
by the Department of the Interior and Local Government following guidelines established 
by the EMSS Council. 
 
SEC. 7. Hospitals or other Organizations that Offer Emergency Assistance 
for a Fee. – Hospitals or other organizations that offer health emergency assistance for 
a fee shall be accredited by the Department of Health following guidelines established by 
the EMSS Council.  
 
SEC. 8. National Universal Emergency Telephone Number. – There shall only 
be one national emergency number to enable the public to access emergency medical 
services. Towards this end, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall 
develop a program for the institutionalization of a national emergency number with the 
LGUs and officials responsible for emergency public safety, and all other concerned 


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government and private agencies and personnel including the telecommunications 
industry (specifically including the cellular and other wireless telecommunications service 
providers); the motor vehicle manufacturing industry; emergency medical service 
providers; emergency dispatch providers; transportation officials; public safety, fire 
service and law enforcement officials; consumer groups; and hospital emergency and 
trauma care personnel (including emergency physicians, trauma surgeons and nurses). 
 
SEC. 9. Emergency Response, Care, and Transport. – All LGUs shall ensure 
the availability of adequate emergency transport vehicles or ambulances with qualified 
EMS personnel. All emergency transport vehicles and the procedures to be undertaken 
in responding and caring for patients shall follow the prescribed guidelines of the 
Department of Health (DOH) and the EMSS Council on ambulance services and on 
emergency response and care. 
 
SEC. 10 Emergency Medical Vehicles. – The EMSS Council shall develop 
minimum requirements for the design, construction, performance, equipment, testing, 
and appearance of emergency vehicles.  Only emergency vehicles shall be allowed to 
display the word “Ambulance” and the universally accepted “Star of Life” symbol. It shall 
also provide for the operation protocols of such vehicle.  
 
SEC. 11. Inter-agency Referral and Transport. – The EMSS Council shall 
establish the prescribed protocols / guidelines on inter-agency referral and transport. 
 
 
CHAPTER 3 
NATIONAL EMSS COUNCIL 
 
SEC. 12. Creation of the National EMSS Council. – A National Emergency 
Medical Services System (EMSS) Council is hereby created under the leadership of the 
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG). 
 
SEC. 13. Powers and Functions. – The EMSS Council shall have the following 
powers and functions: 
 
a) Formulate policies governing the field of emergency medical services; 
 
b) Develop national standards for the provision of emergency medical services to 
include the skills and competencies to be required for EMS professionals, and 
the development of mandatory national medical treatment protocols to be 
observed by EMS professionals and such other entities as it may consider 
appropriate; 
 
c) Promulgate Code of Ethics for EMTs; 
 
d) Develop guidelines and specifications for the design, construction, outfitting, 
and operation of emergency medical vehicles and other equipment;  
 
e) Develop standards of operation for emergency medical support service 
providers; 
 


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f) Ensure the establishment of a system of networking and coordination among 
all existing government health agencies, LGUs, and private and non-
government medical institutions for the effective implementation of this Act; 
 
g) Support research activities on EMS, technology, education and training, and 
formulation of curricula and evaluation of existing courses, assessment and 
examination procedures; 
 
h) Monitor compliance by all LGUs and health facilities of the standards and 
requirements set out in this Act; and 
 
i) Perform such other acts related to the above functions.  
 
SEC. 14. Membership of the EMSS Council. – The EMSS Council shall be 
composed of the following: 
 
a) Ex-officio members:  
i) The Secretary of the DOH as Chairperson; and 
 
ii) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG). 
 
b) Members to be appointed by the Secretary of the DOH upon nomination by 
their respective associations: 
 
i) One (1) nominees of a national organization representing the 
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) profession duly registered with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and recognized by the 
DOH; 
 
ii) Four (4) nominees of Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB), 
one (1) each from the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and  
Mindanao; 
 
iii) One (1) registered emergency medical practitioners representing 
Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM); and 
 
iv) One (1) representative from the Emergency Response Service of the 
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) 
 
The Council shall promulgate its rules regarding quorum and conduct of meetings 
and other administrative matters. 
 
SEC. 15. Term of Office. – Each member of the EMSS Committee shall not serve 
for more than three (3) consecutive terms. A term shall be for a period of two (2) years. 
 
SEC. 16.  Meetings. –The EMSS Council shall meet at least once every quarter, 
and as needed.  
 
 
SEC. 17. Compensation and Remuneration. – The Secretaries of the DOH and 
DILG shall perform their duties as such without compensation or remuneration, subject 


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to reasonable per diem allowances as approved by the Council and subject to existing 
rules and regulations of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Members 
thereof who are not government officials or employees shall be entitled to necessary 
traveling expenses, per diem and representation allowances chargeable against funds of 
the DOH, as approved by the Council, subject to existing rules and regulations of the 
DBM. 
 
CHAPTER 4 
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL 
 
SEC. 18. Creation of Positions for Emergency Medical Services Personnel. 
– There shall be created a minimum number of positions for EMS personnel especially 
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) in all LGUs, hospitals, and healthcare facilities, 
according to their context and needs. The annual financial requirements needed to pay 
for the salaries and benefits of EMS personnel shall be included in the annual general 
appropriations of the respective hospitals, agencies and local government units. 
 
SEC. 19. Authorized Training Institution. – Training programs, courses, and 
continuing education for Emergency Medical Technician may only be conducted in an 
institution that has been granted a Certificate of Program Registration (COPR) by the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in the case of technical 
non-degree courses falling under TESDA jurisdiction, or a Certificate of Accreditation as 
a Higher Education Institution (HEI) as well as Program Accreditation by CHED, in the 
case of degree programs falling under CHED jurisdiction. The requirements prescribed 
by the EMSS Council shall serve as the minimum requirement for program registration. 
The DOH can provide training programs for EMTs following the standards set by the 
EMSS Council. 
 
CHAPTER 5 
FINAL PROVISIONS  
 
SEC. 20. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after 
the effectivity of this Act, the DOH Secretary and the EMSS Council shall promulgate 
the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 21. Appropriations. – The Secretaries of the Departments concerned shall 
include in their programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. – If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this 
Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect, invalidate 
or impact any other part of this Act. 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. – Any provision of laws, orders, agreements, rules 
or regulations contrary to and inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed, amended or 
modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved.