Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7361

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

EXPLANATORY NOTE

When the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health
emergency, the status of our healthcare system is under scrutiny. The increasing
number of cases daily has impacted our healthcare workers physically and
psychologically as they are required to work long hours and under stressful conditions.

‘The adequate numbers of health workers will be a big factor to help us combat Covid-
19 disease or any other pandemic that will strike our country. There is a need to boost
or capacitate our health care professionals by a strong support system.

This bill seeks to establish a Medical Reserve Corps which shall be composed of all
persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing, medical technology, and
other health-related fields but have yet to have their respective licenses to practice. The
members of the Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon and mobilized to assist the
national government and the local government units in their functions related to
addressing the medical needs of the public in times of national emergencies.

This bill further seeks to uphold the role of medical and health-related personnel in
nation-building, promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and
social well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism and nationalism; and to encourage
their involvement in public and civie affairs.

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

DI GRACE C. YU


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7361

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

AN ACT INSTITUTIONG THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Medical Reserve Corps Act of
2020"

Sec. 2. Statement of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State:

a. To institutionalize the vital role of medical and health-related personnel in nation-
building, promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social
well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism and nationalism; and to encourage their
involvement in public and civic affairs; and

b. To train, equip and organize medical and health-related personnel, within the
current frameworks of national and territorial defense, law enforcement and peace
and order and national disaster risk reduction and management, to prepare them for
rapid mobilization at the soonest possible time in order to address national and/or
local contingencies which may require manpower beyond the capabilities of existing
national government agencies or local government units.

See. 3. Medical Reserve Corps. - There is hereby established a Medical Reserve Corps
which shall be composed of all persons who have degrees in the field of medicine,
nursing, medical technology, and other health-related fields but have yet to have
their respective licenses to practice for reasons such as but not limited to not having
taken and/or passed the licensure examinations in their respective professions.

Sec. 4. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization. - In times of national emergencies and
other contingencies, the members of the Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon


and mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities,
and the local government units in their functions related to addressing the medical
needs of the public.

The mobilization shall be initiated by the Secretary of Department of Health (DOH),
in coordination with the Secretaries of the Department of National Defense (DND),
the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG), or their duly authorized representatives with a rank of at least
Undersecretary.

From time to time as manpower and training resources may allow during the period
of national emergencies and other contingencies, the Medical Reserve Corps may be
called for retraining to maintain and enhance its level of competency and readiness
for mobilization.

Sec. 5. Annual Reports. - The DOH shall regularly publish an annual report
containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, number and
demography of the Medical Reserve Corps, 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.

Sec. 6. Requests for Deployment - The Medical Reserve Corps may be called
instrumentalities, and the local government units In their functions related to
addressing the medical needs of the public through requests for deployment by the
heads of such national government agencies or local government units submitted to
the DOH. The requests shall contain a justification for the deployment of the Corps
and shall contain information as may be required by the DOH, including the nature
of the national or local contingencies to be addressed, the purpose of the requested
deployment, the number of personnel requested to be deployed and the period of
deployment.

Sec. 7. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment - The DOH shall evaluate the
requests for deployment. When the number of personnel requested does not exceed.
one hundred and fifty (150) and the period of deployment does not exceed sixty (60)
days, the DOH shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within
twenty-four (24) hours from receipt thereof. When the number of personnel
requested exceeds one hundred and fifty (150) or the period of deployment exceeds
sixty (60) days, the DOH shall make a recommendation to the Office of the President
(OP) within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the request. The OP shall decide
whether to approve or disapprove the request within twenty-four (24) hours from
receipt of the recommendation of the DOH.

In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the DOH shall issue an Order
of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, to assist the national


government, its agencies and instrumentalities and the local government units in
their functions related to addressing the health-related needs of the public.

Sec. 8. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of Lawless

Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. - In case of a declaration
of a State of war, state of lawless violence or state of calamity, the DOH may motu
proprio recommend the mobilization of the Corps to the President of the
Philippines. The President of the Philippines, by himself, shall also have the power to
order the mobilization of the Corps to respond to national or local contingencies
related to external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order
and/or disaster risk reduction management.

Sec. 9. Mobilization Centers. ~ There shall be established in each province and city as
many mobilization centers as needed according to the number and geographical
distribution of the Corps, where they will report in case of deployment.

In case of mobilization, the equipment of the Corps shall be supplied in close
coordination with the DOH and other national agencies and offices, with the end in
view of achieving rapid mobilization.

Sec. 10. Expense of Deployment - Upon deployment, the national government
agency or the local government unit to which the Corps is deployed shall shoulder
the operational expenses of deployment.

Sec. 11. Operationalization of Deployment - The DOH shall promulgate the specific
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.

Sec. 12. Serial Numbers and Registry. - Upon completion of their respective degrees,
the graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, which will serve as their
identification In case of deployment.

The DOH shall maintain and update a registry/database containing the names of the
members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact details and such other
information as the DOH may determine, in accordance with any applicable privacy
laws. For this purpose, all public and private colleges, universities and learning
institutions are hereby mandated to annually transmit their records of the graduates
covered under this Act to the DOH, in the form as may be determined by the DOH.

All graduates covered under this Act are required to update their addresses and
contact details on file with the DOH as often as necessary. Orders of deployment sent
to the addresses and/or through the contact details on file with the DOH shall be
sufficient notice for purposes of deployment.


Sec. 13. Termination of Deployment - Upon the expiration of the requested period
of deployment, without an extension having been requested and approved by the
DOH, the Corps shall be discharged of its duties. The deployment may also be
terminated earlier upon a determination by the DOH, in consultation with the
requesting national government agency or local government unit, that such
deployment is no longer in accordance with the objectives and purposes of this Act.

Sec. 14. Effect on Employment ~ Deployment of employees in accordance with the
provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal or diminution of any benefit
enjoyed by such graduates prior to their deployment. The members of the Corps shall
be entitled to their regular wage or salary during the period of their deployment.

Sec. 15. Medical Reserve Corps Fund. - A Medical Reserve Corps Fund Is hereby
established exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this
Act. The Office of the President shall monitor and evaluate the activities and the
balances of the Fund.

Sec. 16. School Fees. ~ Public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions
covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act, shall not collect any fee from the members of the
Medical Reserve Corps in addition to the normal fees and charges pertinent to their
education and training in said colleges, universities and other similar institutions.

Sec. 17. Appropriations. - The Medical Reserve Corps Fund shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 18. Audit of Funds. - Audit of any and all funds used through the implementation
of this Act shall be in accordance with the audit jurisdiction of the Commission on
Audit, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Department of Health, under existing
laws and regulations.

Sec. 19. Penal Provisions; Failure to Respond. -

a. Failure to respond to the order of deployment despite notice sent to the address
and/or contact details on file with the DOH without any justifiable reason shall,
upon conviction by a civil court, be punishable as follows:

1, First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service;

2. Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and

3. Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four hundred
and eighty (480) hours of community service.

Sec. 20. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. - Administrative offenses
committed by persons involved In or in relation to the implementation of 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.

Sec. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - The DOH shall be tasked to
formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations to Implement the
objectives and purposes of this Act within thirty (30) days from its effectivity. The
rules and regulations shall include provisions on the structure and organization of the
Corps, the specific mechanisms for the efficient mobilization and deployment of the
Corps, and such other matters as the DOH may deem necessary or essential to fully
Implement the objectives and purposes of this Act.

Sec. 22. Repealing Clause. All laws, orders, rules regulations and other issuances, or
parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

Sec. 23. Separability Clause. - Any provision of this Act declared unconstitutional
shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

Sec. 24. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,