Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The State, under Article II, Section 15, is mandated to “protect and
promote the right to health of the people” and, under Article XIII, Section 11,
is likewise responsible for “adopt[ing] an integrated and comprehensive
approach to health development.”
However, the Philippines faces a two-pronged problem when it comes
to mustering its medical professionals as a workforce: 1) there is a shortage
of medical professionals; and 2) there is no systematic way to pool and
deploy our medical professionals, on short notice, in times of public health
emergencies.
The repercussions of this complex problem has never been felt as
harshly as during the early months of the pandemic:1
As Luzon entered its 3rd week of the enhanced community quarantine,
private hospitals in Metro Manila are facing a shortage of health workers
and medical supplies to battle the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic, a group said Friday.
Dr. Rustico Jimenez, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the
Philippines (PHAP), appealed for government help as the crisis is stretching
the private health care system to its limits.
"Dito sa Metro Manila, talagang kulang po tayo," he told radio DZMM.
x x x
"Kailangan na po talaga na humingi ng tulong kasi 'yong naka-handle ng
COVID iqu-quarantine ng 14 days, nababawasan na po ang ating mga
nurse at doctors," Jimenez added.
1 Davinci Maru, “As coronavirus rages, Metro Manila private hospitals face shortage of staff,
medical supplies,” ABS-CBN News, April 3, 2020, available at
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/03/20/as-coronavirus-rages-metro-manila-private-ho
spitals-face-shortage-of-staff-medical-supplies.
July 29, 2022
1:04 pm
2752


x x x
As the virus continues to spread in the country, which has so far infected
3,018 people, dealing with an influx of coronavirus patients is straining
hospital systems, Jimenez said.
The current doctor-to-patient ratio stands at 1 to 40,000, far from the ideal
1 to 10,000 as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), he
added.
While the the situation within the NCR already sounds dire, we must
also address the state the other regions, whose situations are far worse:2
It
is
extremely
important
that
the
country’s
COVID-19
infection
be
contained within Metro Manila and Luzon as the shortage in medical
workers is generally more severe in the Visayas and Mindanao.
In fact, Metro Manila, the location of more than 70% of the country’s
COVID-19 cases as of April 14, had a healthy 1.1 medical doctors per 1,000
population ratio. The rest of Luzon, meanwhile, only had 0.32 doctor per
1,000, and Visayas and Mindanao, had even less at 0.30 and 0.24 doctor
per 1,000, respectively. ARMM only had 0.1 doctor per 1,000 population.
The picture for nurses and midwives is similar: Metro Manila had 1.6 per
1,000, the Visayas had 1.3 per 1,000, and other Luzon and Visayas both
had 1.2 per 1,000.
These numbers, combined with the generally inferior medical facilities and
equipment in the rural areas, suggest the spread of COVID-19 in the
Visayas and Mindanao could be potentially catastrophic.
Further complicating this situation, on a national level, is the fact that
many of our medical professionals have themselves been felled by the
COVID-19 pandemic. “Physicians comprise more than 1 in 10 of those who
have been reported to have died of the coronavirus in the Philippines.”3 More
specifically:4
In the Philippines, more than 252 healthcare workers — 152 doctors and 63
nurses — have been infected by the virus that results in COVID-19 as of
April 8, according to the Department of Health (DoH), while the Private
Hospitals Association of the Philippines reported the disease has already
killed 21 doctors as of April 7. And despite an absence of an official count of
nurse deaths due to COVID-19, sporadic reports suggest it is also on the
rise.
4 Ducanes and Daway-Ducanes, “Need to increase supply of medical workers and build
telemedicine infrastructure to prepare for future public health crises.”
3 Julie McCarthy, “Pandemic Claims The Lives of Doctors In The Philippines At Startling
Rates,” NPR, April 3, 2020, available at
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/03/826804519/pandem
ic-claims-doctors-in-the-philippines-at-startling-rates.
2 Geoffrey Ducanes and Sarah Lynne Daway-Ducanes, “Need to increase supply of medical
workers and build telemedicine infrastructure to prepare for future public health crises,”
BusinessWorld, April 16, 2020, available at
https://www.bworldonline.com/need-to-increase-supply-of-medical-workers-and-build-tele
medicine-infrastructure-to-prepare-for-future-public-health-crises/#:~:text=Even%20before
%20the%20current%20pandemic,population%20ratio%20of%200.4%3A1%2C000..


It is true that we have put into place certain measures to alleviate
this,5 these do not directly address the problem.
This is the gap that the present bill aims to fill. As part of the various
measures to be proposed, this bill aims to: 1) establish the Medical Reserve
Corps; and 2) provide a system for the Corps’ mobilization.
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is
earnestly sought.
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List
5 Cliff Venzon, “Philippines bans medical staff from leaving to work abroad,” Nikkei Asian
Review, April 10, 2020, available at
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Philippines-bans-medical-staff-from-leavin
g-to-work-abroad.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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 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 instill upon
them patriotism and nationalism, and 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 4. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization. –
In times of
national emergencies and other contingencies, the members of the Medical
2752


Reserve Corps may be called upon and mobilized to assist the national
government, its agencies and instrumentalities, and the local government in
their functions related to addressing the medical needs of the public.
The mobilization shall be initiated by the Secretary of the 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 to take refresher courses to maintain
and enhance their level of competency and readiness for mobilization.
SECTION 5. Annual Reports. – The DOH shall regularly publish an
annual report containing a list of its accomplishments, the status of its
operations, the number and demography of the Medical Reserve Corps, 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 6. Request for Deployment. – 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 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.
SECTION 7. Evaluation of the Request 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.
SECTION 8. Deployment in case of a Declaration of a State of War,
State of Lawless Violence, or a 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 propio 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.
SECTION 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 applied in
close coordination with the DOH and other national agencies and offices,
with the end view of achieving rapid mobilization.
SECTION 10. Expenses 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 12. Serial Numbers and Registry. –
Upon completion of
their
respective
degrees,
the
graduates
shall
be
issued
individual
identification 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 identification 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 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 employment.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 17. Appropriations. – The Medical Reserve Corps Fund shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 19. Penal Provisions; Failure to Respond. –
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: Four hundred and eighty
(480) hours of community service.
SECTION
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.
SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The DOH
shall
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.
SECTION 22. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall
be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such declaration shall not invalidate
other parts thereof which shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
23.
Repealing
Clause.
–
All
laws,
executive
orders,
presidential decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative
orders, rules, and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 24. 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,