Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 3037

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AT LEAST ONE (1) MEDICAL SCHOOL IN EVERY REGION OF THE
COUNTRY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that, “The State
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them. Likewise, Article XIII, Section 11 states that the “State shall adopt an integrated
and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make
essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable
cost.” Article XII, Section 12, on the other hand, provides that “The State shall establish and
maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health
manpower development and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and
problems.”

Pursuant to the aforesaid provisions of the Constitution, this bill seeks to make quality
and world-class medical education accessible to all Filipinos through the establishment of
medical schools in every administrative region of the country.

The bill is in support of ensuring the “formulation and implementation of a National
Health Human Resource Master Plan that will provide policies and strategies for the
appropriate generation, recruitment, retraining, regulation, retention and reassessment of
health workforce based on population health needs” as provided under Section 23 of
Republic Act No. 11223, otherwise known as the “Universal Health Care Act’.

Last year, Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa said the Philippines has a shortage of
190,000 healthcare workers.! This includes not only nurses and midwives, but also
physicians — the backbone of diagnosis, treatment, and medical leadership in every
community.

This is the sad situation of most hospitals especially in rural areas in Visayas and
Mindanao, which has become even more alarming inasmuch as prestigious medical
institutions find it difficult to attract fresh graduates to fill up slots for doctors. The
government has acknowledged the reality that, indeed, the country is facing an alarming
shortage of medical doctors along with other medical professionals. Medical studies in the

' Bettran, B, (2025. March 26). Uplifting healthcare’ vital professionals. BusinessWorld Online.


country are also too costly that it has become beyond the reach of Filipino families even
those belonging to the higher middle-income class.

The establishment of a medical school in all seventeen (17) regions of the country is
envisioned to meet the target number of doctors that the country badly needs, especially
during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and to bolster the implementation of UHC for all
Filipinos. Moreover, the bill serves as a complementary policy to strengthen the existing and
future medical scholarship program of the government that seeks to create a steadily
expanding pool of medical doctors in order to enable the government to deliver timely,
adequate, competent and affordable medical and health care services to the people,
especially the poor.

In view thereof, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
—.
7] o_o
Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan
Ath District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.3037

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AT LEAST ONE (1) MEDICAL SCHOOL IN EVERY REGION OF THE
COUNTRY 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 “Paaralang Medikal sa Bawat
Rehiyon ng Bansa Act”.

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy. - \t is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to
protect and promote the right to health of the people through the formulation and
implementation of policies and strategies for the appropriate generation, training, and
education of health workforce to meet the health needs of the population and to ensure that
the shortage of medical practitioners in the country is properly addressed.

Towards this end, the State shall guarantee the provision of world-class, quality and
accessible medical training and education to all Filipinos by establishing medical schools
throughout the administrative regions of the country.

SEC. 3. Purposes and Objectives. - The main purposes and objectives of this Act are to:

(a) Ensure the establishment of quality and accessible medical schools in every region
of the country that do not have existing state universities and colleges (SUCs) offering a
degree in medical education;

(b) Provide a simplified and rationalized guidelines of granting authority to offer a
doctor of medicine program; and

(c) Make an inventory of existing medical schools and Department of Health (DOH)-
operated hospitals in the country.

SEC. 4, Establishment of At least One (1) Medical School in Every Region. - Within three
(3) years after the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in
coordination with the DOH, shall facilitate the establishment of at least one (1) medical
school in every region of the country where there is no existing state colleges and
universities (SUCs) offering a degree in medicine.

SEC. 5, Identification of SUCs and DOH-operated hospitals. - The CHED, in coordination


with the DOH, shall identify the SUCs and the DOH-operated hospitals that shall be
mandated to work together in the establishment of medical schools in their respective
administrative regions.

SEC. 6. Streamlining of Requirements for the Application for Authority to Offer a Doctor
of Medicine Program. - To expedite the establishment of medical schools, particularly in
priority regions of the country, the CHED shall streamline the requirements for the
application for authority to offer Doctor of Medicine Program. The CHED and DOH shall issue
the appropriate guidelines within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act to facilitate
the partnership between SUCs and DOH-operated hospitals with the view of increasing the
number of medical schools throughout the country with one (1) region having at least one
(1) state-operated medical school.

SEC. 7. Implementation. - The CHED is hereby mandated to be the lead agency in the
implementation of this Act. It is also mandated to formulate a guideline of requirements and
to structure a timetable to ensure the implementation of this Act, in consultation with the
DOH.

SEC. 8. Tax Exemption. - All medical schools that shall be established under this Act
shall be exempt from payment of all taxes, fees, assessments and other charges of the
Government, its branches and subdivisions.

It shall likewise be exempt from the payment of customs duties, taxes and tariffs on
the importation of equipment, books, supplies, instruments, materials and goods, including
donations. Provided, That these are of international standards and are not available from
local manufacturers; Provided, further, That the importation shall only be in such numbers
as may be required by the medical schools.

SEC. 9. Tax Deduction or Exemption of Donations and Contributions. - All legacies, gifts
and donations for the benefit of the medical schools that shall be established under this Act,
or for its support and maintenance, or for aid to any of its students shall be tax-exempt and
shall be an allowable deduction from the gross-income of the donors.

SEC. 10. Funding. - As lead agency to carry out the provisions of this Act, the CHED
shall be allocated a budget of Five billion pesos (Php5,000,000,000.00) revolving fund
starting from the effectivity of this Act.

The DOH is authorized to charge against its current appropriations such amounts as
may be necessary for the implementation of this Act. Subsequent funding requirements shall
be incorporated in the annual budget proposals of the respective agencies through the
General Appropriations Act. Additional funds and possible fund sources as may be necessary
for the implementation of this Act shall be identified and provided for by the Department of
Budget and Management.

SEC. 11. Annual Report. - The CHED, through its Chairperson, shall submit to the Office
of the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives, within the first quarter of the
succeeding year, an annual report relating to the progress of the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Chairperson of the CHED, in
consultation with the DOH and key stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after
approval of this Act.


SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and rules
and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional
or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain m full force and effect.

SEC. 15. Effectivity Clause. - 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,