FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 1386 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The Philippines is internationally known as a source of competitive, highly 
qualified, and skilled health workers, otherwise known as Human Resources for 
Health (HRH). Filipino doctors and nurses are deployed in various parts of the 
world. However, in recent years, the trend among doctors is to train in nursing 
while students of medicine are shifting to nursing. Undeniably, being a nurse in 
such countries as the United States and Canada is much more financially rewarding 
than being a being a doctor in the Philippines. The reduction in the number of 
doctors and the migration abroad of Filipino nurses and other health workers en 
masse are threatening the adequate delivery of health services in the country. 
The Philippine Constitution has foreseen this problem by mandating that 
"The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system 
and undertake appropriate health manpower development and research, responsive 
to the country's health needs and problems." Several government agencies have 
undertaken this mandate but because they are uncoordinated, p~ograms and 
policies are fragmented, inconsistent and incongruent thereby rendering them 
ineffective and inefficient in promoting the health of the people. 
To address this problem, the Department of Health and the World Health 
Organization developed in 2005 the Human Resources for Health Master Plan 
(HRHMP) to serve as a framework that will support HRH development in the 
country. According to the plan, a network- of different organizations relevant to 
HRH will be created. The network will facilitate the implementation of programs 
and activities needing multi-sectoral coordination. To better implement plan, the 
DOH spearheaded in 2006 the creation of the Human Resources for Health Network 
(HRHN), which is composed of government agencies and non-government 
organizations with the common aim of solving and responding to HRH issues and 
problems. 
In the two years of its existence, the network has efficiently undertaken 
projects and activities geared at solving the most pressing HRH problem of the 
moment, particularly migration. HRH experts, seeing the potential of the network as 
a 
solution 
to 
the 
aforementioned 
HRH 
problems, 
recommended 
the 
institutionalization of the network so that its maintenance and continued 
functioning could be ensured until it had already substantially, if not completely, 
attained its objectives. This is to be done without turning the network into a 
government agency because that might result in the usual government bureaucracy 
woes affecting the network. 
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It was determined that the best set up for the network is its 
institutionalization and for it to craft and implement programs through different 
government agencies and non-government organizations. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
2 
"::-~;;~?:.-=~~i-==--=::> 
~~LoREN"-fE{jARDA 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regnlar Session 
'Ii 
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SENATE 
1386 
S.B.No. __ _ 
t 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH NETWORK 
AS A STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT HUMAN RESOURCES FOR 
HEALTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Human Resources 
, 
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for Hea\th Network Act of 2010." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. The Philippine Constitution of 1987 
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declares that the State shall "undertake health manpower development that will be 
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responsive to the health needs of the population." 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms and Abbreviations. The terms and 
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abbreviations used in this Act are as follows: 
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a. Health Manpower Development- same term as human resources for health 
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(HRH) development. It concerns three aspects particularly planning, 
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production and management of HRH. 
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b. Human Resources for Health (HRH) - a universal term for health care 
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workers. Health care workers as defined by the World Health Organization 
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are "people whose job it is to protect and improve the health of their 
17 
communities." 
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c. Human Resources for Health Network (HRHN) -
a multi-sectoral 
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organization composed of different government agencies as well as non-
20 
government organizations with an aim of supporting HRH development in 
21 
the Philippines. 
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d. Human Resources for Health Master Plan (HRHMP) - a 25-year plan with a 
, 
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goal of providing the Philippine health care system with an adequate number 
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. of competent HRH that are equitably distributed all over the country. 
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SECTION 4. Recognition of the Human Resources for Health Network 
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(HRHN). The Human Resources for Health Network shall be recognized as the 
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structure or organization responsible for HRH development in the Philippines. 
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SECTION 5. Objectives of the HRHN. The HRHN shall have the following 
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objectives: 
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1. Facilitate implementation of programs of the Human Resources for Health 
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Master Plan (HRHMP); 
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2. Provide policy directions and develop programs that would address and 
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respond to HRH issues and problems; 
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3. Harmonize existing policies and programs pertaining to HRH among 
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different government agencies and non-government organizations; 
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4. Develop and maintain an integrated database containing pertinent 
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information of HRH from prodUction, distribution, utilization up to 
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retirement and migration; 
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5. Advocate human resource development and management in the health 
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sector; 
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6. Perform workforce planning at the national level; and 
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7. Monitor and evaluate sectoral HRH policies and programs. 
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S~CTION 6. Membership. The Department of Health shall be the lead agency 
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of the HRHN. All other government agencies with mandates on HRH development 
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such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Interior and Local 
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Government, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Budget and 
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Management, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers 
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Welfare Administration, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, 
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National Economic and Development Authority, Commission on Filipinos Overseas, 
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Commission on Higher Education, Professional Regulations Commission, Civil 
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Service Commission, Government Service Insurance System and Social Security 
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System shall be members of the HRHN. 
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Likewise, non-government organizations and the academe, which are 
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recognized as partners in supporting HRH development are hereby encouraged to 
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be members of the HRHN. 
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SECTION 7. Organizational Strncture. The HRHN shall be composed of 
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three (3) Technical Working Groups (TWG) and one (1) Oversight Committee. The 
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three TWG shall be composed of the: 1) TWG on Entry; 2) TWG on Workforce; and 
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3) TWG on Exit. Each TWG shall address HRH problems and issues pertinent to 
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their TWG with the TWG on Entry on matters concerning planning, education and 
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recruitment; TWG on Workforce on issues involving supervision, compensation, 
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systems support and lifelong learning and the TWG on Exit on career choice, health 
12 
and safety, migration and retirement. The main function of the TWG shall involve 
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prioritization of HRH issues and problems as well as drafting policy 
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recommendations and/ or development of programs suitable to the prioritized HRH 
15 
issues. 
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The TWG shall recommend its draft policies and programs to the Oversight 
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Committee, which in turn shall be composed of the heads of. different member 
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organizations. The Oversight Committee shall function as the decision-making body 
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of the HRHN. It shall review and act upon all recommendations of the different 
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TWGs. The Department of Health, having spearheaded the creation of the HRHN, 
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shall act as the Chair of the Oversight Committee. 
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In order to facilitate coordination among members of the HRHN, the 
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Department of Health as the lead agency shall provide the Secretariat. The 
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Secretariat shall act as the coordinating body of the HRHN and shall provide the 
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following functions such as, but not limited to, setting of meetings, managing of 
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important logistics and circulation of information and documents among members. 
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SECTION 8. Composition of the Oversight Committee, TWG and 
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Secretariat. The OverSight Committee shall be composed of the heads of the 
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government agencies and the non-government organizations or their duly 
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appointed representative authorized to act on his/her behalf. The TWGs, on the 
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other hand, shall be composed of a permanent and an alternate member 
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representing each member organization. The TWG member shall be at the level of a 
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director, division chief, or holder of equivalent position of the concerned 
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bureau/agency / organization. A representative of the Health Human Resource 
2 
Development Bureau of the Department of Health shall serve as the secretariat for 
3 
each TWG and the Oversight Committee. 
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SECTION 9. Development and Maintenance of an Integrated HRH Database. 
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As part of its declared objective as stated in paragraph 4, Section 2 hereof, the 
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HRHN shall develop and maintain an integrated database containing relevant HRH 
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information that can be used for evidence based planning and policy making. As 
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such, all abovementioned government agencies shall share the necessary HRH 
10 
information in their database to the HRHN integrated database and update these 
11 
data on a periodic basis. 
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SECTION 10. Budget Appropriation. The Department of Health as the lead 
14 
agency shall appropriate seed/initial funds for the sustainability of the HRHN. The 
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network shall maximize the member agencies' resources for the network projects. 
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All other government agencies shall contribute a portion of their budget for the 
17 
development, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of all policies, 
18 
programs, projects and activities of the HRHN. Likewise, non-government 
19 
organizations and private sector organizations are encouraged to contribute a part of 
20 
their budget and other resources deemed necessary for all the undertakings of the 
21 
HRHN. 
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S.ECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of 
24 
Health shall spearhead the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations of 
25 
this Act within a year after the effectivity of this Act. 
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SECTION 12. Separability Clause. If any part of this Act should hereafter be 
28 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such other parts hereof not otherwise affected 
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thereby shall continue in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
33 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
34 
modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
2 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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