HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) RECEIVED
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIILIPPINES =) 0 1 AUG 2016
First Regular Session )

ES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H. No. 2166

REGIST™ATION UNIT

BILLS AND (Nix SERVICE

Introduced by Representative Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY, ESTABLISHING
THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Explanatory Note

Section 12, Article XII (Social Justice and Human Rights) of the Constitution 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.

Various health advocate organizations claim that hospitals in rural areas in Visayas and
Mindanao face a crisis and even imminent closure because of the lack of doctors. Even
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 and other medical professionals.

The cost of medical studies has become so prohibitive that it has become beyond the
reach of Filipino families even those belonging to the upper middle class. In the past few years,
the situation has been aggravated by doctors taking up nursing and leaving the country for more
lucrative jobs abroad.

Since medical doctors constitute the core of a country's public health service system, the
shortage of doctors severely prejudices the capacity of the government to deliver timely,
adequate, competent and affordable medical and health care services to our people. This affects
especially the poor who need such services but can hardly afford them.

Thus, there is an urgent need to create a steadily expanding pool of medical doctors to
strengthen the core of our public health service system. This should be done through institutional
mechanisms and programs that will enable a greater number of qualified and public-service
oriented young people to pursue medical education, while at the same time, effectively
integrating them into the public health service system. In such manner, their talents would be
harnessed within an optimum time for the benefit of our country and people.

This bill seeks to address that need by creating a Philippine Medical Academy and
establishing a Philippine Medical Scholarship and Service Program.

The Academy shall provide the institutional mechanism for the envisioned sustained
human resource development for the Philippine public health care system. The scholarship
program shall provide the financial and other educational resource support mechanisms for the
pursuit of studies in the field of medicine by deserving and qualified young people. The
University of the Philippines, through its College of Medicine, shall serve as the institutional


core or principal medical educational institution where grantees or scholars of the program shall
pursue their medical training and studies. Other colleges and universities nationwide shall be
accredited to serve as adjunct medical educational institutions to provide medical training to
scholars.

The government shall provide the physical, technical and financial resources to equip,
man, and develop the U.P. College of Medicine as the institutional core of the Philippine
Medical Academy. It shall also provide funds to pay for all the necessary expenses such as
tuition, matriculation and all other school fees, prescribed textbooks and other educational
supplies and equipments, board and lodging expenses, clothing and uniform allowances,
traveling expenses and other related miscellancous living allowances of qualified entrants to the
Philippine Medical Academy and recipients of the scholarship program.

It is envisioned that a scholar shall undergo higher post-graduate internship in a public
health and medical institution which shall be considered as part of the mandatory public service.
Upon passing the medical board examination, the scholar shall commence integration into the
public health service system and shall accordingly be given the appropriate rank and salary. Such
integration into the public service system shall be required for a period equivalent to at least one
(1) year for each year of scholarship benefits received,

The Academy, the Scholarship and Service programs shall be administered by a Board
empowered to formulate and implement policies, rules and regulations, and all such other
activities for the effective management and development of the programs. :

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage ofthis bill is eamestly 8

VILMA SANTOS-RECTO,


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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

H.No, 2166

Introduced by Representative Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY, ESTABLISHING
THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 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 “Philippine Medical Academy
and Scholarship Act”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to undertake health

manpower development responsive to the country’s health service needs. Towards this end, the

State shall establish mechanisms inclusive of creating educational institutions and scholarship
programs to enable deserving and qualified individuals to pursue education and training in the
field of medicine, and shall formulate and implement such policies and programs to
systematically integrate these individuals, upon qualifying as doctors of medicine, into the public
health care system.

SEC. 3. The Philippine Medical Academy. - There shall be established a Philippine
Medical Academy (PMA) which shall be the primary educational institutional mechanism for the
sustained human resource development for the Philippine Public Health Care System. The
government, on its own and, when feasible, in partnership with other lawful entities in the public
and private sectors, shall provide and undertake measures to generate the necessary financial,
technical, physical and other resources needed to efficiently and effectively man, equip, manage
and develop the University of the Philippines - College of Medicine as the institutional Core of
the Philippine Medical Academy. Other colleges and universities upon fulfillment of prescribed
conditions may be accredited and integrated into the Philippine Medical Academy as adjunct
educational institutions that will provide training and education in the field of medicine to
qualified entrants to the Philippine Medical Academy.

SEC. 4, Philippine Medical Academy Scholarship Board (PMASB). - There is hereby

created a Philippine Medical Academy and Scholarship Board (PMASB) which shall administer
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the Philippine Medical Academy, the Scholarship and Service Program and shall be empowered
to formulate, consolidate, integrate, systematize and implement all policies, rules and regulations
and programs related thereto and intended to enhance the effectiveness thereof.

‘The PMASB shall be composed of the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher
Education as chairman of the Board; and as members: the Secretary of Education, the Secretary
of Health, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the President of the University of the
Philippine System, The Dean of the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines, the
Executive Director of the PMASB Seeretariat, and the Chairpersons of the Committees on
Health and Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The members of
the PMASB shall be entitled to reasonable amounts of per diems, representation, travel and
transportation allowances.

SEC. 5. Functions of the Board.- The PMASB shall have the following functions:

a. Determine, formulate and promulgate the appropriate policies, measures, rules and
regulations necessary to operate, manage, maintain, and enhance the effectiveness of
the PMA and the scholarship and services programs integral to its operations;

b. Establish cooperative and coordinative linkages with other educational and related
institutions in the public and private sectors to ensure the effective operation,
management and development of the PMA and the scholarship and services
programs;

c. Approve the accreditation of medical colleges and universities who will be adjunct
educational institutions and who in addition to the University of the Philippines -
Philippine General Hospital will accept medical scholars to their respective

institution

d. Prescribe such tests, standards and criteria for the selection of medical scholars; and

the relevant and appropriate terms and conditions governing the scholarship grants

and the integration of qualified medical scholars into the public health service system;

Determine the various expenses to be covered by the scholarship, and approve the

schedule of payments thereof to medical scholars from such sums appropriated by
law and other funds available for the purpose;

£. Design the staffing pattern, salaries and other compensation of officials and personnel
of the Secretariat subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and
Management and in accordance with the Salary Standardization Law:

g. Conduct regular meetings as often as may be decided by the Board and special
meetings when necessary as may be called by the Chairman of the Board; and

h. Perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned by the President of the
Philippines.

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SEC. 6. Secretariat. - There shall be a Secretariat to provide administrative and technical
assistance to the PMASB. It shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall perform duties
and responsibilities as may be determined and delegated by the PMASB. The support staff of the
Secretariat shall be recruited preferably from qualified professionals from the academe and
medical profession.

SEC. 7. Medical Scholarship. - There shall be an annual selection through appropriate
examinations and screening processes of those who shall be admitted to the Philippine Medical
Academy to be known as Medical Academy Scholars. The candidates shall come from among
qualified graduating students or graduates of appropriate courses in colleges and universities
nationwide, The qualified and selected scholars shall be granted scholarship in a medical course
and shall cover expenses for, among others, tuition, matriculation and other school fees;
prescribed textbooks, supplies and equipment; board and lodging expenses; clothing and uniform
allowances; traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living allowances: Provided,
That at least five (5) candidates per region, or when practicable, one (1) candidate from every
province and city shall be chosen to participate in the annual selection: Provided, further, That at
least fifty (50) Medical Academy Scholars shall be selected annually.

SEC. 8 Qualifications of Candidates. - Candidates for admission into the Philippine

Medical Academy and for medical scholarship grants shall possess the following minimum

qualifications:

a. Must belong to the top thirty per centum (30%) of their respective graduating classes
and must be completing or already completed undergraduate courses identified by the
PMASB as a prerequisite course to the pursuit of studies in the field of medicine;

b. Family and or personal incomes are not sufficient to finance their education in the
field of medicine: Provided, That those who are financially capable and are willing to
serve in public health and medical institutions after graduation may be accepted:
Provided, further, That they do not compose more than 10 percent of the total scholars
for a particular year;

¢. Must be not more than twenty-five (25) years of age and a natural-born citizen of the
Philippines;

d. The PMASB shall determine such other qualifications as it deems necessary for the
purpose.

SEC. 9. General Conditions for Adm

Scholarship Grant. - A medical academy scholar shall be accepted to the Academy and the

on to the Philippine Medical Academy and for the

programs and shall receive and continue to enjoy the benefits of the scholarship until the
completion of the course, subject to the following conditions:
a. He shall pass the entrance/admission examinations and related requirements of
PMASB and the medical school the scholar intends to enroll;

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b. The scholar shalll carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the medical
school, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in under-
loading; and

¢. The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing his enrolment, to defer
availing of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for a period not exceeding one
school year.

d. The scholar shall sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the scholarship
on a form prescribed by the Philippine Medical Academy Scholarship Board;

€. He shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received, and the
scholarship shall be terminated in the event the grantee accepts another scholarship
from other government or private agencies or entities; and

£, The full cost of scholarship and related benefits received shall be paid by the scholar in
case of failure to complete the medical course without valid cause as may be
determined by PMASB: Provided, That, if the terminated medical scholar completes
another course and qualifies as an allied medical service practitioner, he may choose,
instead of repayment of scholarship costs, to render public service and be integrated
into the public health and medical service system.

SEC. 10. Medical Service Program. - The scholar shall, pursuant to the agreement
provided in Section 9 hereof, render services and be integrated into the public health and medical
service system as medical doctor, with the appropriate rank and salary upon passing the medical
board examination: Provided, That such service and integration in the public service shall be
mandatory for a period equivalent to at least one (1) year for every year of scholarship availed:
Provided, further, That the scholar when he obtains a very satisfactory performance rating, shall
be entitled to salary step increases for at least every two years in the service: Provided, finally,
That the scholar shall undertake post graduate internship in a public health or medical institution
that shall ensure his acceptance and such internship shall be part of the mandatory service and
integration into the public health and medical service system.

SEC. 11. Appropriation. - The sum of One Hundred Million (P100,000,000.00) pesos
for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the Contingent Fund.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the subsequent annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Donations, Grants, etc. - the Board may accept donations, legacies, grants, and
other contributions to form part of the Medical Scholarship Fund: Provided, That such donations,
legacies, grants, and other contributions shall be exempt from taxation and shall be allowable
deductions for income tax purposes. Proceeds from at least two (2) draws of the Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes per year shall also be allocated to finance the PMA, the Scholarship and the

Services Programs.

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SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Chairman of the Commission on

Higher Education in coordination with the Secretary of Health, The President of the University
of the Philippine System and the Chairpersons of the Committees on Health and Education of the
Senate and the House of Representatives shall issue such rules and regulations as may be
necessary for the implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity thereof.
SEC. 14. Separability Clause.~ If, for any reason, any provision of this Act or any part
thereof shall be held unconstitutional and invalid, the other parts or provisions of this Act, which

are not affected thereby, shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, resolutions, orders or ordinances or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly

SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.

Approved,