Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish the Philippine Medical Accreditation Council as an attached 
agency of the Department of Health to ensure the quality of medical residency training 
for all specialties and sub-specialties of medical residents. It aims to ensure that the 
training of our country's doctors is responsive to the current health service need of the 
population. Through the formulation of a training curriculum for the Medical Residency 
Training Programs, standards are set to be at par with international standards. 
Proper working conditions are mandated to safeguard the welfare of our medical 
residents and their salary and other benefits are guaranteed for those who choose to 
work in government hospitals. Guidelines for the professional conduct of medical 
residents are also set in this bill to ensure that they maintain professionalism in their 
service and do so with dignity. Patients are also assured of their rights, with a provision 
on the handling of complaints against medical residents and penalties thereof. 
It is the intention of this bill to help strengthen the health workforce in the country through 
an extensive residency training program and produce competent medical specialists with 
the heart to serve. It also aims to encourage more people to the field and help save 
countless Filipino people from health crisis.  
The approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
August 23, 2022
2:00 pm
3999


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
TO MANAGE MEDICAL RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE 
PHILIPPINES 
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 "Medical Residency Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is declared policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
In pursuit of such policy, the quality of medical residency training in the Philippines and 
at the same time the protection of the rights of medical residents must be upheld such 
that they are given due compensation and benefits as well as provided with humane 
working conditions. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms and Abbreviations. — The terms and abbreviations 
as used in this Act are as follows. 
a.
DOH — Department of Health
b.
DOLE — Department of Labor and Employment
c.
Foreign graduate of medicine — a graduate of Doctor of medicine who earned
his/her degree abroad or a non-citizen of the Philippines who earned his/her
degree in Philippine medical schools
3999


 
d. 
Medical residency training — a training undergone by licensed physicians in 
accredited hospitals before they can practice their specialty 
e. 
Medical residents — pertain to physicians undergoing medical residency 
training in any field of specialization 
f. 
PMAC — Philippine Medical Accreditation Council 
g. 
PRC — Professional Regulations Commission 
h. 
Specialties/Sub-specialties — specialty pertains to fields of medicine such as 
surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, family 
medicine and other medical fields. Sub-specialty pertains to highly specialized 
fields of medicine. 
 
SECTION 4. Creation of the Philippine Medical Accreditation Council (PMAC). — 
There shall be established an attached agency of the Department of Health to be called 
the Philippine Medical Accreditation Council (PMAC), which shall ensure the quality of 
medical residency training for all specialties and sub-specialties of medical residents, 
and which shall provide policies that will promote human working conditions and better 
compensation of medical residents. The PMAC is also tasked to ensure that medical 
residency training of doctors will always be responsive to the current health service 
needs of the Philippine population. 
 
SECTION 5. Roles and Functions of the PMAC. — The PMAC's roles and functions 
shall include but not limited to the following: 
a. 
Set the standards of medical residency training for all specialties and 
subspecialties; 
b. 
Ensure that the standards set for medical residency training are at par with 
international standards, such as the World Federation for Medical Education 
(WFME); 
c. 
Accredit medical residency training programs for all specialty and 
subspecialties; 
d. 
Assess whether doctors who have undergone residency training have 
satisfactorily completed the training; 
e. 
Issue certificate to doctors who have satisfactorily completed the residency 
training in either government and private hospitals; 


 
f. 
Screen foreign graduates of medicine who will undergo residency training in the 
Philippines and assess the equivalence of their basic medical education to the 
standard curriculum prescribed in Philippine schools of medicines; 
g. 
Develop and ensure implementation of policies that will provide better 
compensation and benefits and humane working conditions for medical 
residents; 
h. 
Receive and act on complaints of medical residents as well as complaints of 
patients against medical residents; 
i. 
Ensure that the medical residency training will always be responsive to the 
health service needs of the population; 
j. 
Maintain a registry or database of medical residents and accredited residency 
training programs; 
k. 
Monitor and evaluate residency training programs regularly, and prescribe 
remedial measures to deficient training programs; and 
l. 
Provide mechanisms that will promote equitable distribution of medical 
specialties into the various parts of the country. 
 
SECTION 6. Organizational Structure. — There shall be a Governing Council in the 
PMAC, which shall be composed of representatives each from the Professional 
Regulations Commission (PRC), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 
specialty societies, hospital association and medical residents as members, and the 
Secretary of the Department of Health as the Chairperson. Under the Governing Council, 
the following Committees and Secretariat shall be created to assist the PMAC in carrying 
out its roles and functions: 
a. 
Committee on Accreditation — It shall be composed of representatives from the 
different specialty and sub-specialty societies. It shall be responsible for 
accrediting residency training and developing standards for approval of the 
Council. 
b. 
Committee on Training and Certification — It shall be composed of training 
officers or their equivalent in both private and government hospitals. It shall 
determine whether doctors have satisfactorily completed residency training and 
shall issue certificate of completion of training, if appropriate. 


 
c. 
Committee on Policies, Standards and Ethics — It shall be composed of 
representatives from the Committee on Accreditation and Committee on 
Training and Certification, DOLE, PRC and medical residents. This Committee 
shall formulate standards of medical residency training program, policies on 
compensation/benefits and working conditions of medical residents and other 
policies related to the scope and practice of medical residency. It shall handle 
complaints of medical residents and patients and submit recommendations to 
the Council for approval and action regarding complaints filed. It shall also 
screen foreign graduates of medicine who would like to undergo residency 
training in the Philippines. 
d. 
Secretariat — The DOH shall provide a Secretariat for the PMAC to be 
composed of both technical and administrative staff. The Secretariat shall 
coordinate the activities of the different committees and provide technical and 
administrative support in the efficient and effective coordination of programs, 
projects, and activities among the different committees of the PMAC. 
 
SECTION 7. Accreditation of Medical Residency Training Programs. — Medical 
residency training programs shall only be conducted in accredited teaching and training 
hospitals. The PMAC is the only recognized organization that shall be given the full 
authority to accredit residency training programs. Upon approval of the Implementing 
Rules and Regulations of this Act, a period of one year shall be given to allow time for 
the transfer of accreditation from the different specialty and subspecialty societies to 
the Committee on Accreditation of the PMAC. 
 
SECTION 8. Training Curriculum of Medical Residency Training Programs. — The 
Training Officers or their equivalent shall prepare a training curriculum that shall meet 
the standards to be set by the Committee on Policies, Standards and Ethics of the 
PMAC. The training curriculum shall be at par with international standards and shall be 
responsive to the health service needs of the population. The Committee on Policies, 
Standards, and Ethics shall be given one (1) year from the time of its creation to prepare 
the standards of medical residency training programs, which will be uniform for all 
specialties and sub-specialties. 
 


 
SECTION 9. Qualifications of Applicants to medical Residency Training Programs. 
— The following shall be minimum qualifications of applicants to medical residency 
training programs: 
a. 
A passing score in the licensure examination for physicians; 
b. 
No previous criminal and/or administrative record; and 
c. 
Clearance by the PMAC for foreign graduates of medicine. 
The PMAC may set other qualifications that it may deem necessary. 
 
SECTION 10. General Conditions for the Medical Residency Training of Foreign 
Medical Graduates. — The following general conditions shall be applied to foreign 
graduates of medicine undergoing medical residency training in the Philippines: 
a. 
Accredited residency training programs shall be allowed to accept foreign 
medical graduates in cases wherein no Filipino physicians are applying for the 
same vacancy. Filipino physicians shall be given the first priority in filling up 
vacancy for medical residents; 
b. 
Foreign graduates of medicine shall secure clearance from PMAC prior to 
application to any accredited residency training program; 
c. 
Foreign medical graduates shall undergo basic language course in Filipino 
and/or the dialect that is used in the locality where the accredited institution is 
located before commencing his/her medical residency. A certificate of 
proficiency in Filipino and/or the dialect of the locality shall be obtained by the 
foreign graduate of medicine from a CHED-accredited state university or tertiary 
education institution located in the locality where the foreign graduate in 
medicine wishes to undergo residency training before the PMAC may issue a 
clearance to the foreign graduate of medicine. For accredited institutions 
located in areas wherein Filipino is the language used by the majority, 
proficiency in a dialect shall no longer be required; 
d. 
Foreign graduates of medicine shall be required to undergo a seminar on 
Philippine history, culture and government, as well as the Philippine health care 
delivery system prior to the commencement of his/her medical residency. 
 
SECTION 11. Working Conditions of Medical Residents. — The following working 
conditions of medical residents shall be observed by all accredited institutions: 


 
a. 
No medical resident shall be allowed to go on duty for more than 24 hours 
straight, except in extraordinary cases to be determined by the hospital 
administrator; 
b. 
Medical residents shall be entitled to one day off from hospital duty every week; 
c. 
Medical residents shall be given standards quarters in the hospital where he/she 
can stay during his/her tour of duty; 
d. 
Medical residents shall perform only functions that are related to his/her 
residency training. Superiors are forbidden from ordering errands that are not 
related to the training of medical residents or are demeaning to a medical 
resident's dignity as a person. The PMAP shall receive and investigate 
complaints of this nature from medical residents; 
e. 
Medical residents are also entitled to enough time for personal break, meals, 
and observing hygiene during a tour of duty, 
f. 
Since medical residents are considered to be on training, they shall be 
supervised by their superior at all times especially when performing critical 
procedures to patients. In case of junior residents, the senior resident or 
consultant shall always be available for supervision and assistance, and in the 
case of senior residents, his/her consultants. 
g. 
Medical residents shall be treated equally. No medical resident shall be 
discriminated because of his/her gender, race, and ethnicity. 
 
SECTION 12. Salary and Other Benefits. — The minimum base pay of all medical 
residents in government hospitals shall not be lower than Salary Grade 22 They shall 
be entitled to overtime pay and night differential pay for services rendered beyond eight 
(8) hours or hours of duty beyond 10:00 pm to 6:00 a.m. Hazard pay shall be given as 
stipulated in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as "The Magna Carta for Health 
Workers", for residents of public or private hospitals. 
 
SECTION 13. Professional Conduct of Medical Residents. — The medical residents, 
even though they are on training, shall observe the following professional conduct at all 
times: 
a. 
Medical residents shall always uphold the dignity, privacy and rights of his/her 
patient; 


 
b. 
Medical residents shall always perform his/her functions with utmost diligence 
especially those related to care of patients so as not to inflict any harm on the 
patient; 
c. 
Since medical residents are still on training, they shall not receive any form of 
payment from their patient; 
d. 
Medical residents shall not engage in unacceptable practices such as, but not 
limited, to the following: 
a. Accepting commission from laboratories, diagnostic facilities, pharmacies for 
referring patients to these facilities; 
b. Obtaining excess and unused medicines, drugs, and other materials from 
patients or the supply source, without proper permission; 
c. Selling medicines, drugs, and other materials to patients or their relatives; 
d. Selling free samples of drugs or other medicines; and 
e. Receiving money or any form of incentive from any pharmaceutical company 
for prescribing their brand of drugs, medicines, and other materials. 
e. 
Medical residents shall always treat his/her superiors, subordinates, coworkers 
and patient's relatives with utmost respect; 
f. 
Medical residents shall observe the Generics Act of 1988 and Cheaper and 
Quality Medicines Act of 2008; 
g. 
Medical residents shall render full time service to the hospital where he/she is 
employed. As such, he/she shall not engage in any part-time job outside the 
hospital. 
 
SECTION 14. Responsibilities of Accredited Training Institutions. — The following 
are the responsibilities of the accredited training institutions: 
a. 
The accredited training institutions shall observe all the provisions of Section 11, 
which pertain to the working conditions of medical residents; 
b. 
In relation to the preceding provision, training officers or their equivalent together 
with the medical residents shall prepare a schedule of their duty at the start of 
the year to ensure that the provisions of Section 11 (a) shall be observed at all 
times. Periodic evaluation of competencies gained shall be conducted per year 
level; 


 
c. 
The accredited training institutions shall submit the names of their medical 
residents, their level, specialty, and other relevant information related to their 
medical residency training program to the PMAC for the proposed registry or 
database; 
d. 
The accredited training institutions shall provide the necessary logistics, 
equipment, and other medical supplies. 
 
SECTION 15. Handling of Complaints. — An aggrieved party can file a complaint 
against medical residents and or accredited training institutions to the PMAC, The 
Committee on Policies, Standards and Ethics shall handle the complaint; and if deemed 
necessary, shall conduct an investigation. It shall come up with a report and 
recommendations to the Chairperson of the PMAC within thirty (30) working days upon 
receipt of the complaint. The Chairperson shall issue the final decision regarding the 
filed complaint. 
 
SECTION 16. Violations. — Any accredited training institutions and/or their medical 
residents that have been found violating any provisions of this Act shall have the 
following penalties: 
First Offense — reprimand; 
Second Offense — suspension with duration depending on the gravity of the 
offense but not exceeding six (6) months: 
Third Offense — revocation of the accreditation of the training institutions. In the 
case of medical residents, he/she shall not be given a certificate of completion 
of residency training by the PMAC and shall be removed from the residency 
training program. 
 
SECTION 17. Appeal. — Both parties, complainant and respondent, may appeal to the 
Secretary of Health within fifteen (15) working days upon receipt of the copy of the 
decision. The absence of any appeal within the specified period shall render the decision 
as final and executory. 
 
SECTION 18. Creation of Plantilla Positions. — There shall be created plantilla 
positions in the DOH needed for the implementation of the purposes of this Act. 


 
 
SECTION 19. Budget Appropriations. — The budget needed for the creation of the 
PMAC shall be chargeable to the funds of the DOH. As such, the budget allocated for 
the Department as per the General Appropriations Act shall be increased thereafter to 
provide the funds needed for the creation and maintenance of PMAC. The funds for the 
upgrading of salary of medical residents, on the other hand, shall thereafter be included 
in the General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 20. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The DOH, together with 
DOLE and PRC, shall draft the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within 
one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SECTION 21. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations 
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 23. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after 
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines. 
 
Approved,