Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 6739

Introduced by HON. MARIANO MICHAEL M. VELARDE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

During many emergencies, every second counts. Survivability can decline as the
clock ticks away. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), "For every minute
that passes between collapse and defibrillation, the chance of survival from a witnessed
Ventricular Fibrillation sudden cardiac arrest declines by seven to ten percent per minute if
no bystander CPR is provided" (ACLS Guide 2011, 54). This is just one reason
why emergency vehicle response times are paramount for public safety

A trained medical emergency responder may save the life of a stroke or accident
victim but because of lack or no trained medical first responder in the local levels, precious
lives are lost that could have been saved. Aside from the need for trained emergency
paramedic or first responder, mobility is another major issue in view of the monstrous traffic
in highly urban areas since medical first responders are usually, if not generally are using
four-wheeled vehicles or ambulances. But the monstrous traffic we are experiencing in
highly urban centers, such as Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and other cities, the response time of
medical emergency vehicles or ambulances are hampered resulting to serious injury or even
death of a victim or patient.

On the other hand, if monstrous traffic is the problem of emergency paramedics in
urban centers, poor accessibility or lack of good roads is the concern in many parts of rural
Philippines, specifically in the under-served and unserved far-flung and mountainous areas.
Many of our brethren in these far flung and mountainous areas suffer serious sicknesses and
injuries without being attended to by trained medical personnel. There may be some areas or
communities being served by barefoot doctors or medical personnel but again, mobility is a
major concern for them to provide timely medical attention to the victims and patients. These
committed medical personnel have to walk long distances for several hours if not days just to
service these far flung areas. If only government especially the front-line government units
in the locality or local government units can provide the means of transportation adaptive to
the particularity of the terrain of their locality then we can significantly reduce the response
time of our committed medical personnel or paramedics,


With motorcycle paramedics or first responders as our front-line medical emergency
responders, we can radically reduce response time and improve patient care while not
entailing high operational costs both in urban centers and far flung areas. ‘The two-wheeled
motorcycle paramedics can weave through heavy traffic in urban areas or traverse rough
roads in the rural areas can provide timely medical response in cases of emergency.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is sought.

HON. MARL rt VELARDE, JR.
BUHAY Pahtylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 6739

Introduced by HON. MARIANO MICHAEL M. VELARDE, JR.

AN ACT MANDATING ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEDICAL
INSTITUTIONS AND HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE FOR MOTORCYCLE MEDICAL
EMERGENCY FIRST-RESPONDERS

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as “Motorcycle Medical
Emergency First Responder Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It shall be the policy of the State to promote
public safety and make emergency medical services available to the people especially those
in need of emergency medical services and give priority for the under-served and unserved
communities.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. ~ For purposes of this Act, the following terms
shall mean:
a. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) — an external computerized
defibrillator designed for use in unresponsive victims with no breathing and no
signs of circulation.

b. Basic Life Support (BLS) ~ is as a variety of noninvasive emergency
procedures performed to assist in the immediate survival of a patient,
including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hemorrhage control, stabilization of
fractures, spinal immobilization, and basic first aid

c. Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) — any maneuvers or techniques
designed to restore circulation, or a technique combining artificial ventilation
and chest compressions designed to perfuse vital organs or restore circulation
to a victim of cardiopulmonary arrest.

d. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) - medical service designed to provide
timely pre-hospital or out of hospital acute medical care and/or transport to


definitive care, to patients with sudden and life-threatening injuries or
emergencies.

e. First Aid ~ initial emergency care given to a person who is injured or suddenly
becomes ill.

f. Medical emergencies — any acute or life-threatening condition that requires
immediate intervention by a competent personnel

g. Motorcycle Medical First Responder — an emergency medical first-line
responder that provides basic life support to a patient or victim of an injury or
trauma before the arrival of an emergency paramedic and ambulance that will
transport the patient/victim to a hospital or medical facility.

h. Standard motorcycle riding equipment — includes helmet and protective
clothing such as riding jacket, gloves, boots and pants.

SECTION 3. Responsibility of the Hospital and Medical Facilities. — All public and
private hospitals and medical facilities are hereby mandated to establish motorcycle medical
first responder unit as part of their emergency medical service that provides emergency
medical response to patient/s or victim/s of injury or trauma; and to serve hard-to-reach areas
such as traffic congested areas, under-served or unserved communities and areas.
Compliance to this Act shall be part of the hospital or medical facility license requirement.

The motorcycle medical first responder unit/s shall be equipped with motorcycles
adaptive to the particular condition of their service area, standard motorcycle riding
‘equipment; communication equipment, such as radio trans-receiver and/or cellular phone;
medical equipment; medicines and supplies to perform procedures to stabilize the patient
prior to the arrival of emergency paramedic or ambulance. The minimum medical supplies
shall be, but not limited to the following:

®@ First aid and Trauma kit

@ Oxygen administration

® Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

SECTION 4. Qualifications of Motorcycle Medical First Responder. — The
following are the minimum qualifications of a Motorcycle Medical First Responder:
® Can drive a motorcycle with a driver’s license and have undergone and passed a
qualifying examination on safe motorcycle driving
Monitor vital signs
Perform first aid
Administer oxygen therapy
Perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Perform Automated External Defibrillator (AED)


Medical First Responders shall be Standard First Aid, BLS, Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT) and ACLS-trained from a DOH-certified training provider.

The Department of Health (DOH) in cooperation with Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA) and non-government organizations like Philippine
National Red Cross (PNRC) shall provide the curriculum for the training and certification of
Motorcycle Medical First Responders to develop competency in providing basic life support
for adult, child and infant patient.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in coordination with the Department of Health
is hereby mandated to conduct a safe motorcycle driving course and a qualifying examination
to prospective candidates for motorcycle medical first responders. The LTO may in the
performance of this mandate accredit non-governmental organizations with at least five (5)
years track record on advocacy and conducting education and training for safe motorcycle
driving.

SECTION 5. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the implementation of this
Act shall be taken from the current year’s budget of the Department of Health, Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority and Land Transportation Office relative to their
responsibility in the implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary
for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual budget of the respective
government agencies.

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health as the lead agency, with the TESDA, LTO,
non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders shall promulgate the necessary rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or
other inssuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or

modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

\. MARIANO: |\WBLARDE, JR.