Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HousE b`iLL-No.   6631`
Introduced by Rep. Ray Florence T. Reves
EXPLANATORY NOTE
lt is declared a policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of
the people. To achieve this end, the Philippine government must ensure that there is
an adequate amount of health care workers at any given moment, in any municipality
or community in the country. Additionally, the health and welfare of these health care
workers must also be a priority of the government.
A study published in the Journal of Global Health states that the world entered
the  COVID19  pandemic  with  a  5.9  million  shortage  of  nurses.  Asia  is  among  the
regions with the lowest density of nurses despite being the largest supplier of nurses
worldwide. The same study states that the Philippines has supplied the Organisation
for Economic Cooperation and Development approximately 240,000 nurses.
An article published in the Philippine Star in October 2022 quoted Department
of Health  Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire that there is a shortage of around
106,000   nurses   in   the   Philippines.   Juxtaposed   with   data   from   the   Philippine
Regulation  Commission  that  102,000  nurses  have  passed  the  Nurse  Licensure
Examinations  in  the  past three  years,  and  the  yearly  outflow  of  15,000  to  20,000
nurses  from  the  country,  it  is  clear that  there  exists  a  problem  that  needs  to  be
addressed.
Undersecretary   Maria   Rosario   Singh-Vergeire,   Officer   in   Charge   of  the
Department of Health, acknowledged that implementing a deployment cap would not
solve    the    shortage    of   nurses.    Socio-economic   factors    such    as    low    pay,
disproportionate nurse-to-patient ratio and the disappointment in the implementation
of hazard  pay regimes are just a few factors that push our nurses to seek greener
pastures elsewhere.
During  the  height  of  the  COVID19  pandemic,   hospitals  have  declared  full
capacity despite still having beds to spare. This is due to a lack of nurses available to
attend to, and care for, patients. We may keep on adding bed capacities for hospitals


throughout  the  country,  but  this  may  all  be  for  naught  if  we  do  not  address  the
disparity between  nurses and  patients that cause  inhumane working  conditions for
hospital-based health care professionals.
This  bill  aims to  respond  to this  issue  by  providing  a  scholarship  scheme  to
deserving students who wish to take up nursing in college, pursue it as a profession,
and  create  a  return  service  program  to  pay  the  scholarship  forward.  This  bill  also
seeks  to  address  the  socio-economic  problems  that  are  a  key  factor  for  nurses'
exodus  by directing the  Department of Health to coordinate and recommend to the
Department of Budget and Management the budget for plantilla positions.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOusE 3,.Li ino.  §63 I
Introduced by Rep. Ray Florence T. Reves
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NURSING SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE
PROGRAM FOR DESERVING STUDENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION  1.  Short Tit/e. -This Act shall be known as the  "IVunsi.ng Soho/arshi-p
and Return Service Program Act."
SECTION  2.  Dec/arafi.on  of Po/i-ey.  -  lt is the  policy  of the  State to  protect and
promote the  right to  health  of the  people,  to develop  its  health  human  resource  to
meet  the  health  needs  of  its  citizens  and  to  ensure  the  adequacy  of  registered
nurses in the country.
Towards  this  end,  the  State  shall  establish  a   Nursing  Scholarship  and   Return
Service  Program that shall extend assistance to deserving  nursing students pursue
tertiary  education  and  training  jn  the  field  who  shall  eventually  render  services  in
government public health units and government hospitals in their hometown or in any
municipality   in   their   home   province   or   in   any   underserved   municipality   in   any
province,   as  part  of  their  integration  into  the  public  health  and  medical  service
system.  This  shall  ensure  the  availability  of nurses  who  will  provide  quality  basic,
promotive,  preventive,  and curative health  care services  in every municipality in the
country,     especially    in    underserved,     remote,     economically    underdeveloped,
distressed, conflict-afflicted, and geographically disadvantaged areas.
SECTION  3.  Establishment  of  the  Nursing  Scholarship  and  Return  Service
Program, - There shall be established a Nursing Scholarship and Return Services
(NSRS) Program for deserving students in state universities and colleges (SUCs) or
in  private higher education institutions (PHEls) jn regions where there are no SUCs
offering  a  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Nursing  course:  Provt.ded,  That the  scholarship


program  shall  accept at least one  (1)  scholar from  each  municipality of the country
per academic year:  Prov/.ded furifler,  That only upon determination that there  is  no
qualified  applicant from  a certain  municipality shall  another qualified  applicant from
another locality be considered,  irrespective of domicile:  Prov/-ded,  fuwhermore,  That
the  applicant  has  passed  the  admission  and  other  qualifying  requirements  of the
SUCs and PHEls: ProvJ.ded, fJ.na/yy, That the total number of nurses needed for each
province  or  municipality  shall  be  determined  by  the  Local  Government  Unit  and
confirmed by the Department of Health.
SECTION 4. Coverage of Nursing Scholarship and Return Service Program. -
The  Nursing  Scholarship  and  Return  Service  Program  established  under  this  Act
shall   be  made  available  to  deserving   Filipino  students  who  want  to   pursue  a
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in SUCs,  or in  PHEls in regions where there
are no SUCs.
The  student  financial  assistance  for  the  Nursing  Scholarship  and  Return  Service
Program shall include the following:
a)   Free tuition and other school fees;
b)  Allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment;
c)   Internship fees, including financial assistance during internship;  and
d)   Annual medical insurance.
SECTION   5.    Qua/I.ffcatr.on   Requi.rements.   -   An   applicant   for   the   Nursing
scholarship and Return Service Program shall possess the following qualifications:
a)   Must   be   a    natural-born   or   naturalized    Filipino   citizen    residing    in    the
Philippines;
b)   Must  be  a  graduating  student  or  a  graduate  of  Senior  High  School  duly
recognized   by   the   Department   of   Education   (DepEd):   Provi.ded,   That
deserving  incoming  second-year  nursing  students  and  those  in  the  higher
levels  of the  Bachelor's degree  in  Nursing  program  shall  also  be  covered  in
this Act:  Provt.ded,  further,  That students who have satisfactorily passed the
Philippine    Educational    Placement    Test    (PEPT)    and    other    applicable
government programs catering to alternative learning  programs shall also be
covered in this Act;
c)   Must have passed the entrance examinations and other related requirements
for admission to a Bachelor's degree in Nursing in the SUC or PHEI where the
scholar intends to enroll, as well as other requirements of the CHED and the
DOH;  and


d)   Must  have  obtained  a   National  Secondary  Admission  Test  (NSAT)  score
mandated  by the CHED and the cut-off score required  by the SUC or PHEI
where the scholar intends to enroll in.
SECTION  6.  Conditions  for  the  Gralnt  of  Scholarship.  -  Deserv-ing  stucler`\s
accepted to the Nursing Scholarship and Return Service Program shall be subject to
the following conditionalities:
a)   Must sign  an  agreement stating the terms and  conditions of the scholarship
on a form prescribed by the CHED and the DOH;
b)   Must carry the full  load  of subjects  prescribed  per semester by the  SUC  or
PHEI, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course;
c)   Must   finish   the   entire   Bachelor   of   Science   in   Nursing   program   in   the
prescribed  time  frame  in  the  SUC  or  PHEl  where the scholar  is  enrolled  in,
subject to the retention policies of the SUC or PHEl;
d)   Must   undertake   internship   in   a   DOH-accredited   public   health   facility   or
hospital,  subject  to  the  Association  of  Philippine  Medical  Colleges  (APMC)
Internship Matching  Program or any applicable internship program offered  by
their respective academic institution:  Provided, That, the graduate of the four
(4)-year   Bachelor   of   Science   in   Nursing   program   must   satisfy   all   the
requirements  of  the  APMC  Internship  Matching  Program  or  any  applicable
internship program offered by their respective academic institution;
e)   Must  take  the  board  examination  within  a  maximum  period  of one  (1)  year
after   completion   of  or  graduation   from   Bachelor   of  Science   in   Nursing
prorgam; and
f)    Must serve in a government public health office,  unit or facility or government
hospital in the scholar's hometown or, in the absence of a need thereat, in any
municipality  within   the   scholar's   home   province,   or   in   any   underserved
municipality closest to the scholar's hometown in any province determined by
the  DOH  as a  priority area,  for at least six  (6) years or one  and  a  half (1.5)
years for every scholarship year availed  of,  which shall  be completed within
ten  (10) years upon graduation from  Bachelor of Science in  Nursing  program
for  those  who  have  availed  of  a  four  (4)-year  program,  upon  passing  the
licensure examination for nurses, which shall be part of the mandatory return
service  and  integration  into  the  public  health  and  medical  service  system:
Provt.ded,  That this mandatory return service shall be in addition to the return
service requirement of SUC or PHEl.
The  scholar  may  be  allowed,  for valid  reasons  preventing  the  enrolment,  to  defer
availing of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for a period not exceeding one
(1) academic year, subject to the guidelines and policies of the concerned SUC and
PHEl.


The  scholar who  fails  to  pass  the  licensure  examination  within  one  (1)  year  after
graduation and other academic requirements shall shoulder all necessary expenses
for the succeeding professional licensure examinations.
SECTION 7. Di.squa/ffi.ca"-ons. -The scholar shall repay the full cost of scholarship
and   related   benefits   received,   including   all   the   expenses   incurred   during   the
participation  in the scholarship program,  and the scholarship shall  be terminated  in
case of the following circumstances:
a)   lf  the  scholar  accepts  another  scholarship  from  the  government  or  private
agencies or entities while enjoying the benefits under this Act;
b)   lf the scholar fails in forty per cent (40%) of the subjects or fails to  meet the
academic  requirements  of  the  SUCs  or  PHEls  or  to  complete  the  course
within the prescribed period without valid cause as may be determined by the
SUC or PHEI, the CHED or the DOH such as due to absence without notice,
reasons  or willful  neglect  or  other  causes  within  the  control  of the  scholar:
Provt.ded,  That  if the  terminated  scholar  chooses,  instead  of  repayment  of
scholarship  costs,  to work with  the  govemment's  public  health  and  medical
service  system,  such  as  taking  up  another health-related  course  in  a  public
educational  institution  and  work  in  any  public  health  and  medical  service
system  for  a  period  equivalent to  six  (6)  years  or the  mandatory  length  of
service that should have been rendered as stipulated in this Act;
c)   lf the scholar fails to pass the licensure examination for nurses for the second
time; and
d)   lf the  scholar commits  behavioral  misconduct  in  a  manner that would  bring
significant damage to  HEI,  government institution concerns,  persons  and  the
community.
SECTICIN 8. Mandatory Return Service and Integration of the Scholar into the
Pub/i-c Heam and AIedi.ca/ Servi`ce System. - Upon passing the Nursing Licensure
Exam  (NLE)  administered  by the  Professional  Regulation  Commission  (PRC),  the
scholar who becomes a  registered  nurse,  shall  be integrated  into the  public health
and  medical  and  service  system  through  the  DOH,  with  the  appropriate  rank  and
salary and  related  benefits.  The mandatory return service upon  integration  into the
public  health  and   medical  service  system   under  this  Act  shall   be  for  a  period
equivalent to at least six (6) years within the period of ten (10) years for those who
have availed of a four (4)-year program.
The  mandatory  return  service  and  integration  into  the  public  health  and  medical
service   under  this  Act  shall   be   separate   and   distinct  from   the   return   service
requirement of the SUCs or PHEls and the mandatory postgraduate internship in a
DOH-accredited   public   health   facility   or   hospital,   required   by   the   PRC   as   a
prerequisite for taking the NLE.


SECTION 9. SancfJ-ons. -ln the event that a nurse who has availed of the Nursing
Scholarship and  Return Service  Program fails or refuses to serve in a  government
hospital   or   any   local   health   office   in   the   scholar's   home   province   or   in   any
municipality in the scholar's home province or in any underserved municipality in any
province,  as provided under Section 6 thereof,  or fails or refuses to comply with the
mandatory integration as provided for in Section 8 hereof, the nurse shall be required
to  pay  twice  the  full  cost  of  scholarship  including  other  benefits  and  expenses
incurred by reason of participation in the scholarship program.
In case of non-payment, as provided in the preceding paragraph, the PRC shall deny
the  renewal  of the  nurse's  license:  Provt.bed,  That the  above-mentioned  penalties
shall  not  apply  to  nurses  who  fail  to  comply  with  the  required  return  service  on
account of, or by reason of, severe or serious illness.
SECTION   10.   Ro/es  of  the  CHED.  -  The  CHED  shall   perform  the  following
functions:
a)   Conduct regular information  dissemination  of and  recruitment to the  Nursing
Scholarship and  Return Service Program  in SUCs and  PHEls to ensure that
there   will   be   an   adequate   number   of   nurses   in   all   municipalities   and
provinces;
b)   Review, modify and enhance the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum to
prepare  graduates  to  work  in  community-based   health  programs,   and  to
function  competently  when  working  with  experienced  physicians  and  other
professionals in public health and the medical field;
c)   Coordinate,   together  with   the   SUCs   and   PHEls,   with   the   DOH   for  the
integration  of  the  nursing  scholar  who  has  passed  the  NLE  into  the  public
health and medical service system;
d)   Formulate,  promulgate,  disseminate  and  implement  the  necessary  policies,
standards,     guidelines    and     rules    and     regulations    for    the    effective
implementation of the Nursing Scholarship and Return Service Program under
this Act;
e)   Develop  strategies  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  Bachelor  of  Science  in
Nursing program and implement a system of quality control for the offering of
Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in SUCs and PHEls;
f)    Monitor  and  evaluate  existing  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Nursing  programs  of
SUCs and effect the continuation  or closure of programs in accordance with
the provisions of Republic Act No. 7722 or the "Hi.gher Educafi.on Act of 7994"
and other CHED issuances, as applicable;
g)   Review and approve or disapprove proposals from SUCs and  PHEls for the
offering of new Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs;


h)   Disseminate information on the required percentile cut-off score of SUCs and
PHEls to guide the student applicants on which school to apply to;
i)    Require  SUCs  and  PHEls  to  submit  a  tracking,  monitoring  and  assistance
program  in order to determine the whereabouts of the nursing scholars after
graduation from SUCs or PHEls;
I.)    Ensure  that  the  SUCs  and  PHEls  provide  the  timely  release  and  accurate
distribution of allowances and other fees to the scholars; and
k)   Recommend  to  the   Department  of  Budget  and   Management  (DBM)   the
budget for the implementation of the Nursing Scholarship and  Return Service
Program in SUCs and PHEls based on its monitoring and evaluation results.
SECTION 11. Ro/es of the SuCs and PHE/s. -The SUCs and PHEls shall perform
the following functions:
a)   Monitor the progress of all scholars in their respective educational institutions,
identify students who have low or failing grades, and counsel them to improve
their academic performance;
b)   Ensure the timely  release  and  accurate distribution  of allowances  and  other
fees to the scholars;
c)   Make an annual report to the CHED on the performance of nursing scholars
and   other   necessary   data   or   vital   information   regarding   the   Nursing
Scholarship and Return Service Program:
d)  Assist the CHED in the conduct of regular   information dissemination on,  and
recruitment to, the Nursing Scholarship and Return Service Program;
e)   Review, modify and enhance the nursing curriculum to prepare the scholars to
work in community-based health programs;
0    Coordinate  with  the  DOH  in  the  conduct  of  an  inventory  of  its  trainable
personnel who can be potential beneficiaries of the program;
g)  Coordinate with the CHED,  DOH,  PRC,  and  other concerned  agencies,  and
local government units (LGUs) in the integration of the scholar into the public
health and medical service system;
h)   Develop  strategies  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  Bachelor  of  Science  in
Nursing program and implement a system of review and evaluation for quality
control  for  the  offering  of  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Nursing  program  in  their
respective educational institutions;


i)    Conduct  a   tracer  study  on  the  whereabouts   of  their  respective   nursing
scholars  after  graduation  from  their  respective  educational  institutions  and
submit the results of the tracer study to the CHED;
j)    Recommend to the CHED and the DBM the budget necessary to implement
the   Nursing  Scholarship   and   Return  Service   Program   in  their  respective
institutions, based on their own monitoring and evaluation of results; and
k)   Perform  such  other functions  as  the  Presidents  of the  SUCS  or  PHEl  may
deem  necessary  for  the  success  of  the  Nursing  Scholarship  and  Return
Service Program in their respective educational institutions.
SECTION 12. Ro/es of the DOH. -The DOH shall perform the following functions:
a)   Determine the number of nurses needed for every municipality or province, as
well as the number of nurses needed in the town or province where the SUC
is situated;
b)   Determine the distribution of scholars per municipality or province;
c)   Coordinate with the CHED, SUCs,  PHEls and PRC to determine the number
of graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing course and passers of the
Nursing Licensure Exam;
d)   Provide  for the  integration  of the  scholar  into  the  public  health  and  medical
service  system,   including   the   necessary   number  of  plantilla   positions  to
accommodate the new nurses in the provincial hospitals;
e)   Assist the  CHED  in  the  conduct  of the  regular  information  dissemination  on
the  Nursing  Scholarship  and  Return  Service  Program,  the  recruitment  of
scholar applicants  and  the  integration  of successful  scholars  into the  public
health  and  medical  service  system  to  ensure the  continuous  deployment  of
nurses to  all  provinces,  especially in the underserved,  remote,  economically
underdeveloped,        distressed,        conflict-afflicted,        and       geographically
disadvantaged municipalities;
i)    Craft a career pathway for nursing  practitioners in the  DOH  and  at the local
level   as   an   incentive   to   the   graduates   of   nursing   to   enhance   their
competencies and skills for career progression;
g)   Coordinate  with  the  LGUs  for the  mandatory  integration  of  nurses/scholars
into the public health and medical service system;
h)  Conduct  an  inventory  of  its  trainable  personnel  who  can  benefit  from  the
Program;
i)    Monitor, supervise and evaluate the performance and length of service of the
scholars integrated into the public health and medical service system;


j)    Provide  funds  for  the  implementation  of  the  integration  program  under  this
Act; and
k)   Recommend to the DBM the budget for the plantilla positions for the nurses to
be integrated into the public health and medical service system,  including the
determination of salaries and salary increases.
SECTION  13.  Ro/es of LGus. - LGUs are mandated to support the integration of
the  scholar  into  the  public  health  and  medical  service  system  by  performing  the
following functions:
a)   Ensure  that there  is  a  mechanism  to  provide  the  necessary  support  to  the
integration program of nurses who will be assigned to the LGU;
b)   Coordinate  with  the  DOH  and  the  nurses  to  determine  the  specific  health
needs   or   requirements   of   the   community   and   provide   the   necessary
assistance,    including    the    improvement   of   the    health   facilities    in    the
municipality and  involvement in the research  component of the  public  health
and medical service system;
c)   Subject to availability of funds, maintain a regular counterpart fund to be used
for  providing  the  balance  of the scholarship  budget for   scholars  enrolled  in
PHEls;
d)   Provide  for  the   board   and   lodging,   travel   expenses   and   other  forms   of
financial   assistance  enumerated   under  Section  4  of  this  Act,   subject  to
availability  of  funds,  for  the  scholar  enrolled   in  the  PHEls  located   in  the
municipality under the concerned LGU: Prov/.decJ, That the scholar shall serve
in  the  same  LGU  upon  passing  the  licensure  examination.  [f the  municipal
government cannot afford the said expenses, the provincial government shall
shoulder  the  same:  Provi.ded,  furffter,  That  the  said  provincial  government
shall decide jn what municipality the scholar shall eventually serve;
e)   Provide other forms of financial assistance,  subject to availability of funds, to
support the integration program of nurses in the LGUs;
f)    Ensure the safety and security of the nurses integrated into the public health
and medical service program;
g)   Recommend   to   the   concerned   SUC   or   PHEI   any   improvement   in   the
implementation of the Nursing Scholarship and Return Service Program;
h)   Conduct an  information  dissemination  campaign  on  the  Nursing  Scholarship
and   Return  Servipe  Program  within  the  municipality  or  province,  with  trie
objective of attractirig Prigrt applic3nt§ to the said program;
I


i)    Coordinate    with     the     CHED     and     other    government    agencies     and
nongovernmental   organizations   involved   in   the   Nursing   Scholarship   and
Return Service Program;
j)    Coordinate  with  and  encourage  the  active  participation  of  the  parents  and
other family members of the scholars  in the  Nursing  Scholarship and  Return
Service Program;
k)   Exercise such other powers and perform all other acts and duties which shall
assist the scholar and ascertain the success of the Nursing Scholarship and
Return Service Program; and
I)    Execute and enforce laws,  ordinances and  regulations which  may,  directly or
indirectly,   have  a  positive  impact  on  the  Nursing  Scholarship  and   Return
Service Program.
SECTION  14.  AppropH.atr.ons.  -  The  amount  necessary  to  carry  out  the  initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations
of the SUCs and the DOH.
Thereafter,  the  amount necessary for the  continued  implementation  of the  Nursing
Scholarship  and  Return  Service  Program  for deserving  students  shall  be  included
and  subsumed  into  the  scholarship  program  of  SUCs  and  CHED  in  the  annual
General Appropriations Act.
SECTION    15.    Joint    Congressional    Oversight    Committee    on    Nursing
scholarship  and  Return  Service  System.  -  There  .is  heredy  created  a  Jo.ir\+
Congressional    Oversight   Committee   to    oversee,    monitor   and    evaluate    the
implementation of this Act.
The  Oversight  Committee  shall  be  composed  of five  (5)  members  each  from  the
Senate   and   the   House   of   Representatives,   and   shall   include   the   following:
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture;  Chairperson
of  the  House  Committee  on  Higher  and  Technical  Education;  Chairperson  of  the
Senate Committee on  Health;  Chairperson of the House Committee on  Health;  and
three   (3)   members  each   to   be  chosen   from   the   membership  of  the   Senate
Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and the House Committee on Higher and
Technical  Education by the Senate President and the House Speaker,  respectively:
Provt.ded, That at least one (1) member from the respective nominees of the House
of Representatives and the Senate shall be chosen from the minority bloc.
SECTION 16. Five (5)-Year Review Of the Number of Scholars to be Admitted. -
Every  five  (5)  years  from  the  effectivity  of  this  Act,  the  CHED,  DOH,  SUCs  and
PHEls shall determine the number of scholars to be admitted every school year. The
number of nurses needed by the municipality or province where the SUC or PHEl is
situated shall be taken into consideration in determining the number of scholars.


SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -W.ith-in sjixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the CHED and the DOH,  in coordination with the Philippine
Association  of  State  Universities  and  Colleges,   Coordinating  Council  of  Private
Educational Associations,  League of Municipalities,  Association  of Municipal  Health
Officers  of  the  Philippines  (AMHOP),   Non-Government  Community-Based  Health
Programs,  PRC,  DBM,  SUCs,  PHEls,  APMC,  APMC  Student  Network  and  other
relevant  stakeholders,  shall  formulate  and  issue  the  rules  and  regulations  to  fully
implement the provisions of this Act.
SECTION 18. Separabi./fry C/ause. -If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional  or  invalid,  the  other  parts  or  provisions  not  affected  thereby  shall
remain in full force and effect.
SECTloN  19.  Repea/i-ng C/ause. -All laws,  decrees,  executive orders,  rules and
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the  provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION  20.  Effecfi.vJ-fy.  -This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
publication in the Offlc/.a/ Gaze#e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,