Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.3 45

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4" DISTRICT, BULACAN

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM (EMMS)
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

An emergency medical service system (EMMS) must be institutionalized to provide a
practical and comprehensive approach to health and safety services to victims of accidents or
sudden illness. A timely and coordinated procedure must be viable to such patients before
they are sent to hospitals, health centers and facilities.

Presently, however, there is a need to improve on the services and facilities of the
emergency medical system.

‘The proposed bill seeks to address this situation by establishing an Emergency
Medical Services Council. It is mandated to coordinated LGUs, government health agencies
and the private sector to implement a policy on the emergency medical services system;
prepare guidelines/protocols for emergency number or the 911 hotline is to be developed by
the National Telecommunications Commission.

Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly sought,

RUTH R. VILLARICA



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3145

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4" DISTRICT, BULACAN

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM (EMMS)
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled

CHAPTER |
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Emergency Medical
Services System (EMMS) Act.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right of health of the people. Pursuant to this national policy, the government
shall institutionalize a comprehensive, accessible, and integrated system of emergency medical
services.

SEC. 3. Objectives. — To carry out this State Policy, the following are the objectives of
this Act.

a. Organize a national Emergency Medical Services System Council;

b. Encourage and promote the active participation of the private sector in the provision of
emergency medical services:

c. Standardize the provision of emergency medical services (accreditation of EMS

institutions, training of personnel and other related aspects of standardizing EM

d. Adoption of a national emergency number; and

¢. Adoption of an emergency medical services protocol.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. ~The following terms shall mean:

a. Accredited Training Institution refers to a training institution offering training
programs, courses, and continuing education for EMS personnel that meet the standards
established by the Emergency Medical Services Council in coordination with
physicians, emergency medical technicians, nurses, and other health care professionals,
TESDA, and CHED, among others, and are duly registered in good standing with the
EMS Council.


b. Ambulance/Emergency medical vehicle refers to a vehicle designed and equipped for
transporting sick or injured patients to, from and between places of treatment by land,
water or air, affording safety and comfort to the patients avoiding the aggravation of
illness or injury.

c. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) consists of emergency care procedures such as the
application of pre-hospital emergency medical services by trained and certified medical
service personnel, usually in a mobile or community setting and advance life support
protocols and skills to support the circulation and provide an advanced airway and
adequate ventilation;

d. Emergency Medical Service Personnel is the unique health care personnel in the
practice of pre-hospital care, which includes the provision of medical care, systematic
coordination, and transportation of patients with medical direction. They may include
Medical First Responders, Ambulance Care Assistants (ACAs), Emergency Medical
Technician (EMTS), paramedic, Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs), and EMS
Medical Directors;

e. Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) is a system that provides for the
arrangement of personnel, facilities, and equipment for the prompt delivery of health
and safety services to victims of sudden illness or injury in the pre-hospital setting. This
system evolves in five components and basic services of pre-hospital management such
as:

i. Emergency Medical Dispatch is the immediate identification and prioritization
of emergency situations, the timely dispatch of appropriate resources, providing
essentials pre-arrival medical instruction and full endorsement to the receiving
hospitals. Dispatch encompasses all aspects of communication, including
request processing, coordination and support, documentation and monitoring;

ii. Emergency Response and Care is the arrival of resources at the scene and the
timely initiation and provision of appropriate interventions;

iii. Emergency Transport is transporting the patient to the most appropriate health
facility with the continued provision of appropriate interventions;

iv. Inter-agency Referral and Transport is the transfer of a patient with emergency
medical services personnel, if necessary, from one referring facility or agency
to another receiving facility or agency for a specific care as the patient requires,
in the event that the services are not available in the referring facility;

v. Command and Control is the multi-faceted supervision or medical oversight by
the EMS medical director handling the processed of EMS operations that may
affect patient care directly through the provision of orders to an EMS personnel
over the radio, by phone, on-scene; or indirectly through the development of
protocols, the education and credentialing of EMS personnel, the conduction of
quality improvement activities, and the increased advocacy of appropriate EMS
for the patients.

CHAPTER II
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COUNCIL

SEC. 5. Establishment of the Emergency Medical Services Council. ~The Emergency
Medical Services Council (EMSC) is hereby organized under the leadership of the Department
of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

SEC. 6. Membership. - The following shall comprise the membership of the EMMSC:


Chairman — Secretary of the DOH
Co-Chairman — Secretary of the DILG

Member:

ree mS oo oS

i
k.
L

. Chairperson of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC);
. Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ);

Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd);

. Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr);

Secretary of the Department of Information, Communication, and Technology (DICT);
Director of the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC);

.. Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND);
. Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA}:

irman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PRC);

Pre lent of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth); and

President of the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM).

Members to be appointed by the Secretary of Health upon nomination by their respective
tions:

a.

S|

‘Two (2) nominees of a national organization representing the EMT profession, duly
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and recognized by the
DOH; and

Two (2) registered emergency medical practitioners representing the Philippine College
of Emergency Medicine (PCEM).

Term of Office. - Each member of the EMMS Council shall not serve for more than

three (3) consecutive terms. A term shall be for a period of two (2) years

SEC. 8. Function. - The EMMS Council shall exercise the following function:

a.

b.

c.

Coordinate with all government health agencies, LGUs, and private and non-
government medical institutions for the effective implementation of this Act;

Develop national standard, protocols and guidelines to provide for Emergency Medical
Services; and

Determine staffing, duties, qualification, responsibilities, and function of the
Secretariat.

SEC. 9, The Secretariat, ~The EMS Council shall organize a Secretariat headed by a person
of probity and shall have at least five (5) years of experience in emergency medical services or
a related field.

SEC. 10, Meeting. - The EMMS Council shall meet at least once every quarter and as
necessary.


CHAPTER III
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM

SEC. 11. Emergency Dispatch. ~ All local government units shall establish their EMSS
Dispatch Center manned by qualified and adequate personnel which shall abide by the
prescribed guidelines on dispatch and protocol as set by the EMS Council of this Act.

SEC. 12. Emergency Response and Care. — All local government units shall, at all times,
ensure the availability of ambulances and the qualified EMS personnel: Provided, That the
EMS personnel shall abide by the prescribed guidelines on emergency response and care as set
by the EMS Couneil of this Act.

SEC. 13. Emergency Transport. — This Act shall comply with the requires guidelines of the
DOH on Ambulance Services. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) shall
provide coverage for EMS, subject to their policies and guidelines.

SEC. 14. Inter-Agency Referral and Transport. ~ This Act shall provide for the prescribed
protocols/guidelines on inter-facility referral and transport, in accordance with appropriate
medical direction.

SEC. 15. DOH-DILG National Command Center. ~ A National Command Center shall be
managed jointly by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) with a functional Universal Emergency Number, hereby established
as the coordination entity between the national government agencies and the LGUs: Provided,
That all LGUs shall establish their respective Command Centers with designated qualified
EMS medical directors: Provided further, That Command Centers established by the LGUs
shall govern the EMS systems based on the requires operational guidelines: Provided finally,
That the Command Center established by the LGUs may be co-located with the Dispatch
Center.

CHAPTER IV
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) PERSONNEL.

SEC. 16. Plantilla Positions for Emergency Medical Services Personnel, ~The LGUs and
the EMS Council shall determine the number of positions for EMS personnel and Emergency
Medical Technicians (EMTS) in all LGUs and health care facilities: Provided, That the number
of personnel shall be based according to the historical needs of the particular LGU for EMS.

SEC. 17. Training of Emergency Medical Technician (EMTs). — All Emergency Medical
Technicians (EMTs) shall be trained by institutions granted with a Certificate of Program
Registration by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) if the
technical non-degree course is under its jurisdiction. The training shall be conducted by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) if the Certificate of Accreditation as a Higher
Education Institution is within its jurisdiction.

‘The requirements prescribed by the EMS Council shall be the minimum requirement for
program registration. The DOH can provide training programs for EMTs pursuant to the
standards set by the EMS Council.



CHAPTER V
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR EMS.

SEC. 18. Emergency Medical Vehicles. ~ The prescribed guidelines on the specifications
and equipage of an ambulance service by the DOH shall be complied with.

SEC. 19. The National Universal Emergency Telephone Number. ~ The 911 national
emergency number shall be adopted to access emergency medical services. The National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall be required to develop a program for the
adoption of a national emergency number by the LGUs and national government agencies
responsible for emergency service and public safety: the telecommunications industry
including but not limited to, the cellular and other wireless telecommunications service
providers; the motor vehicle manufacturing industry; emergency medical service providers;
emergency dispatch providers; transportation officials; public safety, fire service, and law
enforcement officials; consumer groups; and hospital emergency and trauma care personnel,
including, but not limited to, emergency physicians, trauma surgeons, and nurses.

SEC. 20. Access to Automated External Defibrillator (AED). ~ All government/public and
private institutions, including malls, parks, and transport station, are hereby required to provide
at least one (1) automated external defibrillator in their respective areas of responsibility.

CHAPTER VI
OTHER PROVISIONS

SEC. 21. Appropriations. ~ The Secretaries of the Department concerned as well as the
LGUs shall include in their programs the funding needed for the implementation of this Act.
Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act and the annual budget of the respective LGUs.

SEC. 22. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH, DILG, PRC, DOJ, DepEd,
DOTr, DICT, NTC, DND, CHED, TESDA and other government agencies shall promulgate
the IRR to implement the provisions of this Act within thirty (30) days from its implementation.

SEC. 23. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to
be in full force and effect.

SEC. 24. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, decrees, orders, other issuances, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 25. Effectivity: - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.