HOUSH 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINHTHHNTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HousH blLi No. 6 1 1 0
Introduced by Representative CIRIAC0 8. GATO, JR., MD., FPSO-HNS
AN ACT INSTITUTING
THE HHALTH HMERGENCY AUXILIARY REINFORCEMENT (HHART) TEAM
UNDER THE DHPARTMENT OF HHALTH
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Prior to the pandemic, there was already a shortage of about 290,000 health workers in the
country]. This shortage constrained our healthcare system's ability to effectively respond to the
sudden  demands   for  life-saving  interventions  as  cases   surged.   Our  medical   frontliners,
overwhelmed with exhaustion, infections and even death among their ranks, had to call for a
timeout  to  produce  a  sound  COVID  response  plan.  While  our  healthcare  workers  readily
answered the call of the Department of Health (DOH) for volunteers to fill the gaps, there is a
need to institutionalize these efforts under a Health Emergency Auxiliary Reinforcement Team
(HEART) which may be readily mobilized to augment the medical workforce during public
health emergencies.
Recognizing that the initial response of communities in times of national emergencies is
to rely on local resources, the HEART as envisioned in this bill will be a national network of
local HEART units to ensure prompt mobilization and appropriate emergency response in each
specific  area.  These  local  HEART  units  will  help  the  national  government  and  the  local
government  units  in  strengthening  the  preparedness,  response,  and  recovery  capabilities  of
communities,  and reduce their vulnerability  from the  health and  socio-economic  impacts  of
public health emergencies.
The need for prompt mobilization of medical and allied health personnel in times of public
health emergencies, whether on a local or national scale, necessitates the urgent passage of this
bill.
I Beyond the Numbers: COVID-19 and the Philippine Population, August 2020,
https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/research/covid-19/rb8
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESHNTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETHENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BiLL-No.   6110
Introduced by Representative CIRIAC0 8. GATO JR, FPSO - HNS
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AN ACT INSTITUTING
THE HEALTH EMHRGnNc¥ AuxlLIAR¥ REINFORCEMENT (HEART) THAM
UNDER THE DHPARTMHNT OF IIEALTH
Be  it  e.n.ac.ted by  the  Senate  and  House  Of Representatives  Of the  Philippines  in Congress
assembled:
SECTION  1. SHo# rj#e.  - This Act shall be known as the  "Health Emergency Auxiliary
Reinforcement Team (IIEART)".
SEC. 2. DccJ¢rH/I.on a/PoJ..ey. -Article 11, 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.
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11       The  State  recognizes  the  need  for  a  reserve  force  of highly  skilled  and  health-oriented
12      professionals and volunteers who can be mobilized to maintain the capacity to meet surges in
13       the demand for the country's healthcare system and provide assistance as needed in times of
14       healthcrises.
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Pursuant to this, it is the policy of the State to:
a.  Prioritize  the  health  of its  citizen  whether  in  the  country  or  overseas  through
maintaining  a  strong  and  resilient  healthcare  system  at  all  times  that  will  i-ediately,
efficiently, and effectively address all potential and actual public health emergencies for the
promotion of the welfare of the general public; and
b. Promote the culture of "Bayanihan Spirit" during periods of calamities and enhance
the  capacity of the nation to  expand its human health resources  in times of disasters and
public health emergencies of both national  and local  scale through the mobilization of the
Health Emergency Auxiliary Reinforcement Team.
SEC. 3. DeJ3"I.JI.o# a/ rerun. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall mean:
1.           "Allied Health professionals" -refer to professions who are involved with the
delivery of health or related services pertaining to the identification, evaluation and
prevention of diseases and disorders; dietary and nutrition services; rehabilitation and
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SEC.  4. Scapc.  - This Act provides  for the organization of HEART, the development of
policies, plans, guidelines, and the implementation of actions pertaining to the mobilization,
services, and protection of the HEART during public health emergencies and in accordance
with the Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Act  of 2010,  specifically under  Section  13,  Accreditation,  Mobilization,
and Protection of Disaster Volunteers  and National  Service  Reserve  Corps,  CSOs and the
Private Sector.
Side.  S.  Health  Emergency  Auxiliary  Reirforcement  Team  Service.  - There is hereky
established  a  HEART  with  primary  mission  is  to  support  the  country's  health  system
particularly the health workforce in times of public health emergencies and health threats, the
HEART shall be composed of the following individuals who voluntarily registered:
(a)        Licensed professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, medical technology,
and other allied health fields including those who are retired and those who are
no  longer practicing in a health facility  setting.  All health and allied health
professional   organizations  may  be   coordinated   and  collaborated  for  the
engagement of professionals who are not affiliated in any healthcare facilities;
(b)        Graduates  of medicine and  allied  health courses,  and medical  students  who
have  completed  the  1-year  medical  internship,  who  may  be  issued  with  a
limited  and  special  authorization  to  render  medical  services  during  public
health  emergencies  or  health  threats  pursuant  to  Republic  Act  No.  2382,
otherwise known as the Medical Act of 1959 or its amendment thereafter; and
(c)        Other health support professionals necessary to render services during public
health emergencies and health threats.
SEC. 6. Crco/I.o„ a/ZIE4.Rr Bcord - To ensure efficient and effective mobilization of the
HEART, a HEART Board is hereby created chaired by the Department of Health.
32      SEC. 7. Coaposl.fo". -The HEART Board shall be composed of the following:
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Department of Health (DOH)
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Department of National Defense (DND)
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC)
Except for the AFP, the members shall designate a representative, with a rank not lower than
Assistant  Secretary  or  its  equivalent,  to  represent  their  respective  offices  in  the  Board,
provided that the representative must be fully authorized to decide on behalf of the member.
The AFP shall designate a representative from the Office of the Surgeon General with a rank
of not lower than Colonel as its Board representative.
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49      The  Heart  Board   shall  tap  national  agencies   such  as  the  Depatment  of  Labor  and
50      Employment (DOLE), Department of Information and communications Technology (DICT),
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Department  of  Budget  and  Management  (DBM),   Department  of  Social   Welfare   and
Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Civil Service
Commission (CSC), Insurance Commission, and other agencies as maybe necessary.
SEC. 8. Power ¢#d Fw#c/I.o#s. - The Board shall have the following powers and functions:
I.           Oversee the effective and efficient HEART organization that is responsive to
national  and  local  disasters,  other  public  health  emergencies,  and  as  may
prescribe;
ii.          Define     and     develop     the     organization,     management,     mobilization,
demobilization,   and   reporting   mechanisms,   policies,   and   guidelines   for
HEART;
111.         Conduct regular meeting  every quarter during non-disaster phase  and every
two weeks or as may prescribe during public health emergencies or disasters;
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iv.         Coordinate with concerned stakeholders the necessary actions to be taken for
the organization and management of the HEART.
SEC. 9.  Crcofl.o# a/HE4jRr I/#i.£ -A HEART Unit shall be created by the DOH.  The
HEART Unit shall serve as the secretariat of the HEART Board, oversee the overall program
implementation, and maintain the repository/database or information system of the HEART.
23      The DOH, in consultation with the DBM, shall define and determine its organizational and
24      staffing pattern for the HEART unit.
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The local government units shall ensure that a HEART Unit shall be operationalized under its
Local   Disaster   Risk   Reduction   and   Management   Office,   with  the   fomer   acting   as
mobilization centers during disasters or public health emergencies or as prescribed.
30      SEC.  10.  Rcgis/ro/I.on  ¢#d  rroi.#i.#g.  -  The  HEART  Board  shall  draft  a  comprehensive
31       guideline for the recruitment, selection, compensation, and provision of incentives for joining
32      and continued membership, and the length of service ofa HEART volunteer.
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34      The  HEART  Board  shall  prescribe  a  training  program  through  written,  practical,  and
35       simulation activities on various aspects of health emergency management and response and
36      on different health emergencies and scenarios,  such as natural and human-made disasters,
37      epidemics,  pandemics,  and  other threats to public  health.  To this  end,  all volunteers must
38       undergo:
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40      (a)        Basic training on disaster and health emergency response; and
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42      a)        Skill  enhancement  activities  with relevant  agencies  in the  both public  and  private
43       sector.
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45       Completion of the basic training or acceptable substitute or equivalent certification shall be a
46      requisite for admission to the HEART.
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48      SE:C.11. Registry and Accounting of Members of the HEART. -Vo+un+eers of the HEAR:I
49      shall be issued with individual registration numbers which will serve as their identification in
50      case of deployment.
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2      A registry or database shall be maintained and regularly updated that contains the names of
3      the  volunteers,  their  registration  numbers,   address,   contact  details  and  other  personal
4      information as may be determined necessary,  in accordance with Republic Act No.  10173
5       otherwise known as the Data privacy Act.
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7      The registry or database for the HEART shall be integrated or linked to the existing registries
the implementing units have such as the National Health Workforce Registry under Republic
Act No. 11223, otherwise known as Universal Health Care Act, Section 25 (c).
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11       An identification card containing basic  infomation of volunteers  shall be  issued and will
12       serve  as  a  binding  agreement  in  which  the  accountabilities,  roles,  and  responsibilities  or
13       scope of engagement under this Act.
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All  volunteers  covered  under this  Act are  required to  update  their  addresses  and  contact
details  on  file  through  the  registry  system  or  database  as  often  as  necessary.  Orders  of
deployment sent to the addresses and through the contact details on file in the registry system
or database shall be sufficient notice for purposes of deployment.
SHC.12. HEL4Rr A4lobl./I.z¢fj.oi!. -The HEART Board shall approve the prompt mobilization
of the HEART upon receipt of request to meet the needs of the populace in times of public
health emergencies, whether on local or national scale, and for other purposes in response to
threats to public health. The HEART may be mobilized partially or in full as necessary.
The HEART Board shall promulgate a mechanism that ensures efficient implementation of
deployment,    assignment    areas,    deployment    periods,    how    deployment    orders    are
communicated to each volunteer, and to which mobilization center the volunteers will report.
29      SHC.13. Dep/a)me#f order. -The president of the philippines, upon the endorsement of the
30      HEART Board through a resolution, may order the nationwide mobilization of the HEART to
31       complement the health human workforce in case of a declaration of a state of public health
32      emergency or state of calamity.
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SEC. 14. Mobi./I.z¢fz.ow Ce7./ere. - There shall be established as many mobilization centers as
needed in each province where volunteers shall report to once deployment is ordered.
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37      Mobilization centers  may  be  any  establishment that can  adequately house the  volunteers,
38      their equipment and supplies during the period of deployment, including multi-purpose halls,
39      gymnasiums,   and  other  similar  structures,   based  on  other  requirements  that  shall  be
40      prescribed.
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42      The HEART Board shall, in consultation with the local executives, prescribe the location of
43       the mobilization centers. The Local Executives shall disseminate to the widest extent possible
44      information to the public on the location of these centers.
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46      These  Mobilization  Centers  shall  monitor  the  whole  deployment  of  the  HEART  until
47      demobilization or termination of the deployment is ordered.
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49      These Mobilization centers generate situation reports during the deployment and final report
50      after demobilization or termination of the deployment is ordered.
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2      SEC.  15.  Mobz./I.zof.!.ow  Sfz7ck  -  The  minimum  essential  individual  and  organizational
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commodities and medical equipment and supplies shall be procured, stored, and maintained
to enhance the rapid transition to readiness required for deployment in the shortest possible
time.
The HEART Board  shall  develop  guidelines on the  logistics management that will  ensure
availability of commodities, medical equipment, and supplies necessary for the mobilization
of HEART.
The HEART Board shall ensure and maintain its capacity to  scale up the procurement of
these equipment and supplies as needed during the period of deployment.
SEC.  16.  flE4Rr J#ce#".tlcs.  -  In  recognition  and  appreciation  of the  volunteer  service
rendered  during  the  period  of actual  mobilization,  implementing  agencies  may  provide
volunteers   an   allowance   to   be   determined   by  the   Department   of  Health   (DOH),   in
coordination with Department of Budget and Management, subject to availability of funds,
and  other existing  civil  service,  budgeting,  accounting  and  auditing  rules  and regulations.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  nothing  in  this  Act,  shall  be  construed  as  creating  an
employer-employee relationship between the government and the volunteers.
SHC. 17. £cg¢/ I,I.¢bi.Jrty ¢#d M¢Jprocdec J#swro#cc. -No volunteer shall be held liable for
the death 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.
The  Insurance  Commission  is  mandated  to  develop  public  health  emergency  specific
malpractice   insurance   policy  or  modify   existing  policies  that  would  protect  HEART
professionals' efforts from any legal liability as provided for by this Section to allow them to
respond in good faith during public health emergencies.
32      This  Section  shall  not  preclude  liability  for  civil  damages  because  of gross  negligence,
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SE}C.  18.  Termination  Of Daplayment  or  Demobilization  - Upon the  dechlation  of the
President or as determined by the Board that the need for the HEART is no longer necessary
or through the expiration of the deployment or end of mission without an extension having
been  requested  and  approved,  volunteers  who  are  deployed  pursuant  to  a  public  health
emergency or as ordered shall be discharged from the performance of their duties.
Upon order of the demobilization of the HEART, the deployed volunteers shall be reverted to
inactive status. Mobilization Centers shall ensure submission of reports and issunce of the
certificate of service rendered pertaining to the deployment.
SHC.  19. A#„#a/ jRcports.  - The HEART Unit as the  Secretariat shall  submit an armunl
report to the  Office of the President containing the  list of accomplishments,  status  of the
operations and prograni implementation.
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49      SEC. 20. 4ppropri.a/I.our. - The funds necessary for the initial implementation of this Act
50      shall be charged against the available funds of the implementing agencies of the HEART
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1       Board. Thereafter, the funding shall be included in the budget of the DOH under the annual
2      General Appropriations Act.
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4      SE:C. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). -WThi:n nintry (90) days from the
5      effectivity of this Act, the implementing units shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for
6      the effective implementation of this Act.
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SEC. 22. Separobl./rty CJausc. - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the validity of other provisions shall not be affected thereby.
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11       SEC.  23.  Rcpco/i.#g  CJ¢usc.  -All  laws,  decrees,  orders,  rules  and  regulations,  other
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issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.
SEC. 24. EJLorcc/I.tJi.fy CJ¢usc. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
18                    Approved,
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