Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2 85

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

AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The report by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), an independent

monitoring and advocacy body that aims to assess the world's ability to protect itself from
health emergencies and identify critical gaps to preparedness across multiple perspectives,
warns that humankind is stumbling toward the 21st-century equivalent of the 1918 influenza
pandemic, which affected one-third of the world's population and killed approximately 50
million people.

Based on the report, only one third of countries, as of 2018, have the capacities

required under the International Health Regulations (IHR) and that the great majority of
national health systems would be unable to handle a large influx of patients infected with a
respiratory pathogen capable of easy transmissibility and high mortality.

As pointed out in the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) Mission report, the Philippines,

due to its location, is one of the most natural-disaster prone countries in the world and in the
past decade the country has faced challenges in making solid progress in infectious disease
control. Given this situation, the country's preparedness in times of public health emergencies
is significantly necessary such as during pandemics and natural disasters

The COVID-19 pandemic has, for instance, exposed the weaknesses of the country's

healthcare system, among them is the inability to cope with the surge of patients needing
medical care due to lack of medically-trained personnel.

This measure, which was approved by the House and transmitted to the Senate during

the 18th Congress, seeks to create and develop a Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) under the
Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Department of Health. It aims to’strengthen the
national preparedness and response of the government to public health emergencies and
reduce the adverse health, economic, and social impact of pandemics to the Filipino people.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is urgently sought.

fo
Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L, Tan

4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

285

HOUSE BILL NO.

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

AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Medical Reserve Corps Act.

‘SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Article \I, Section 15, of the Constitution enjoins the
State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them. Article XIII, Section 11 also provides for the adoption of an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development. The State further reiterates its commitment
to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, which calls on the State to
ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

The State recognizes the need for a reserve force of highly skilled and medically
trained professionals and volunteers who can be mobilized to maintain the capacity to meet
surges in the demand for the country's healthcare system and provide assistance as may be
needed in times of health crises.

Pursuant to this, it is the policy of the State to maintain a strong, proactive and
responsive healthcare system at all times, the workforce complement of which can be
‘expanded rapidly by a well-trained and well-equipped Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) in times
of public health emergency and health threats. Towards this end, the State shall enhance the
capacity of the nation to produce and call on the needed manpower and expand its human
health resources in times of disasters and public health emergencies of both national and local
scale through the mobilization of the MRC.

SEC. 3. Medical Reserve Corps Service. - There is hereby established an MRC
whose primary mission is to support the country's health system in times of public health
emergencies or health threats, and which shall be composed of the following

a. Licensed physicians including those who are retired and those who are no longer
practicing in the hospital setting. The Department of Health (DOH) may coordinate and
collaborate with the accredited integrated professional organization or accredited professional
organization of physicians for the engagement of private practitioners;

b. Medical students who have completed four (4) years of medical course, graduates
of medicine, and registered nurses who may be issued by the Secretary of Health with a
limited and special authorization to render medical service pursuant to Republic Act No. 2382,
otherwise known as the Medical Act of 1959; and

c. Licensed allied health professionals.

The MRC shall be organized, trained, developed and maintained so as to ensure their
readiness to immediately respond to the call to service.

SEC. 4. Organization. - The MRC shall be under the control and supervision of the
Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB) of the DOH.


The DOH shall develop an effective and efficient MRC organization and structure th’ is
responsive to national and local disasters and other public health emergencies, under such
tules and regulations as the Secretary of Health may prescribe.

SEC. 5. Registration and Training. - The DOH shall draft guidelines for the
recruitment, selection, compensation, and provision of incentives for joining and continued
membership, and length of service of the MRC members.

The DOH shall also prescribe a continuing training program for the MRC recruits and
members, through written, practical and simulation activities on various aspects of health
emergency management and response and on the different health emergency situations and
scenarios, such as natural and man-made disasters, epidemics, pandemics, and other threats
to public health. To this end, all recruits must undergo:

a. Compulsory basic training for a period to be set by the DOH on disaster and health
emergency response, the organization and structure of the MRC, and such other are” as may
be prescribed by the DOH. Recruits shall be given compensation for their attendance thereto;
and

b. Continuing training and other activities to be conducted in coordination with relevant
and qualified agencies in the private and public sector, including the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, to
improve and reinforce skills. All registered members shall undergo continuing training on a
regular basis to upgrade their proficiency.

Successful completion of the compulsory basic training shall be a requisite for
admission into the MRC. Successful completion of activities in the continuing training program
shall be a requisite for promotion within the MRC.

SEC. 6. Registry and Accounting of Members of the MRC. - Registered members
of the MRC shall be issued individual serial numbers which will serve as their identification in
case of deployment.

The DOH shall maintain and update a registry or database containing the names of the
members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact details and such other
information as the DOH may determine, in accordance with applicable privacy laws. For this
purpose, all pubiic and private colleges, universities and learning institutions shall transmit
annually their records of the graduates covered under this Act to the DOH.

An MRC identification Card that describes the certification information of Corps
members, as well as other necessary identifying information that may be determined by the
DOH, shall also be issued

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 shail be sufficient notice for
purposes of deployment.

In cases when a graduate has changed address immediately prior to deployment, the
LGU shall immediately exert efforts to locate his known closest resident kin, who is then
mandated to exert similar efforts. The use of digital communications and social media shall be
encouraged in locating such graduates

SEC. 7. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization. - The prompt mobilization of the MRC.
shall be carried out by authority of the Secretary of Health, upon the recommendation of the
Director of the HEMB or upon the request of national government agencies or local
government units (LGUs), in order to meet the needs of the populace in times of public health
emergencies, whether of local or national scale, and for such other purposes in response to
threats to public health.


The MRC may be mobilized partially or in full as may be necessary. The DOH shall
promulgate the 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.

As defined in Republic Act No. 11332, otherwise known as the “Mandatory Reporting
of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concer Act,” public health
‘emergency refers to an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition that:

(1) Is caused by any of the following:
(i) Bio terrorism;

(i) Appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated infectious agent or
biological toxin;

(iii) A natural disaster;
(iv) A chemical attack or accidental release;

(v) A nuclear attack or accident; or

(vi) An attack or accidental release of radioactive materials; and
(2) Poses a high probability of any of the following:

(i) A large number of deaths in the affected population;

(ii) A large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities in the affected
population;

(iii) Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a significant risk of
substantial harm to a large number of people in the affected population;

(iv) International exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a significant risk to
the health of citizens of other countries; or

(v) Trade and travel restrictions

SEC. 8. Deployment Order. - The President of the Philippines, upon recommendation
of the DOH, may order the nationwide mobilization of the MRC to complement the AFP.
Medical Corps in case of a declaration of a state of war, state of lawiess violence or state of
calamity

SEC. 9. Mobilization Centers. - There shall be established in each province as many
mobilization centers as needed to which members of the ;MRC shall report to when
mobilization is ordered,

Mobilization centers may be any establishment or facility that can adequately house
the MRC members, and their equipment and supplies during the period of deployment,
including * multi-purpose halls, gymnasiums, and other similar structures, based on other
requirements that the DOH shall prescribe. The DOH shall, in consultation with the local
executives, prescribe the location of the mobilization centers. The local executives shall
disseminate to the widest extent possible information to the public on the location of these
centers.

SEC. 10. Mobilization Stock. - The minimum essential individual and organizational
and medical equipment and supplies shall be procured, stored, and maintained to enhance
rapid transition to readiness required for employment in the shortest possible time


The DOH shail ensure and maintain the necessary capacity to scale up the
procurement of these equipment and supplies as needed during the period of mobilization.

SEC. 11. Enlistment of the AFP. - The Secretary of Health may enlist the AFP to
provide expertise on the organization and structure of the MRC for efficient, effective and swift
deployment, as well as for training of the MRC recruits on disaster and emergency response

The Secretary of Health may also recommend to the President the enlistment of the
AFP to supplement the mobilized MRC for the purpose of providing logistics and manpower
for large-scale operations in times of public health emergency, contact tracing and monitoring
of suspected cases, enforcing-quarantine measures in specific areas or facilitating the
transport’ of emerging infectious diseases patients, and for such other related purposes.

SEC. 12. Protection to MRC Members. - All MRC members shall be accorded
protection as provided by existing labor laws and standards and other relevant: occupations,
safety, environmental, and social legislation.

SEC. 13. Compensation and Benefits. - Members of the MRC who render service
shall receive all the pay and allowances, medical care, hospitalization, other privileges and
benefits during the period of mobilization as prescribed by law or regulation. They shall also
continue to receive all pay, allowances, and other privileges and benefits from their regular
employment during the mobilization period in accordance with law.

SEC. 14. Legal Liability and Malpractice Insurance. - No MRC member shall be
held liable for the death of or injury to any person or for the loss of, or damage to, the property
of any person where such death, injury, loss, or damage was proximately caused by the
circumstance of an actual public health emergency or its subsequent conditions, or the
circumstances of the formal exercise or training if such formal exercise or training simulates
conditions of an actual emergency.

The Insurance Commission is mandated to develop public health emergency-specific
malpractice insurance policy or modify existing policies that would protect MRC professionals’
efforts from any legal liability as provided for by this Section to allow them torespond in good
faith during public health emergencies.

This Section shall not preclude liability for civil damages as a result of gross
negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct.

SEC. 15. Termination of Deployment.- Upon the expiration of the period of
deployment, without an extension having been requested and approved by the DOH,
members of the MRC who are deployed pursuant to a public health emergency shall be
discharged from the performance of their duties. The deployment may also be terminated
earlier upon a determination by the DOH, in consultation with the requesting national
government agency or LGU, that such deployment is no longer required in accordance with
this Act.

SEC. 16. Annual Reports.- The DOH shall regularly publish an annual report
containing a list of the accomplishments, status of the operations, demographic profile of the
membership of the MRC, 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.

SEC. 17. Failure to Respond to Deployment. - Any member of the MRC who fails to
respond to the order of deployment without any justifiable reason despite due notice shall be
required to reimburse the total expenses incurred by the government in the member's
recruitment, selection, training, and compensation, as may be determined by the DOH.


SEC. 18. Appropriations. -The Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the
Department's Program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in
the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 20. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional
or otherwise invaiid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SEC. 21. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other
issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly,

SEC, 22. 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,