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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No.______ 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative IRENE GAY F. SAULOG 
 KALINGA PARTY-LIST  
______________________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII Sec. 11 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to adopt an 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make 
essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable cost.” 
Every year it is estimated that around 50% of deaths in the Philippines caused by 
cardiovascular diseases happened as sudden cardiac arrest, and these cases were mostly witnessed 
by a family member outside of hospital or any medical facility. Only 4-6% of these sudden cardiac 
arrest cases survive due to the fact that majority of those who witness the same do not know how 
to perform CPR.  
In addition, deaths occurring in the household or out of hospital commonly include victims 
of foreign body obstruction in airway (choking), electrocution and burns, poisoning, fall, drowning 
and other traumatic injuries. 
Despite the advances in medical technology to address acute and emergency medical 
situations, Sudden Cardiac Arrest remains to be a major public health problem.  
Problems associated with the delays in the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation 
(CPR) and treatment among victims of sudden cardiac arrest often face two paths, one leading to 
death, and the other one-a life with lingering and long term severe mental impairment. 
While death is certain, there are cases when it can be prevented through proper intervention 
of a trained individual. By making Philippines to be “CPR-ready”, these deaths arising from 
sudden cardiac arrest may be lowered as the victim who timely received this important tool of life 
support will have a better chance to survive and reach the hospital alive as compared to someone 
who did not receive CPR. 
The current global figures showing that 53 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases 
were witnessed by a bystander but only 36 percent of these cases received CPR, making survival 
rate to hospital admission at 23. 8 percent. 
December 12, 2022
4:30 pm
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In exerting efforts to help trim down the number of deaths caused by out-of-hospital cardiac 
arrest where 80% occur at homes, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) promotes the use of 
Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) which is proven to be a very useful tool in saving lives. 
However, it must be stressed that CPR must be properly taught and thus calls for proper 
training and program. CPR must begin almost immediately within 5 minutes after cardiac arrest in 
order to prevent or minimize brain death in the patient. The goal of CPR is to preserve brain 
function and prevention of death. 
This life-saving measure remains to be the best treatment for cardiac arrest until the arrival 
of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. The value of being able to perform CPR at the earliest 
time for a patient having a cardiac arrest is to “buy-time” and maintain essential blood circulation 
in the body.  
CPR is and will remain to be the most cost-efficient tool as a lifesaving measure and can 
be learned basically by anyone. A person, need not be a doctor or a medical professional in order 
to learn how to do CPR for it does not require any specialized medical skills to do it. 
Being an essential lifesaving tool, it is imperative that every Filipino Family in a household 
must have at least one member who has knowledge and training on how to perform it in emergency 
situations. This bill aims to be the first step towards the goal of having a CPR ready Philippines 
by training young men and women in Grade 12 on how to perform Basic Life Support and CPR 
as part of secondary education curriculum. 
In line with the policy of the State aimed at the preservation of life and promotion of health 
awareness as well as the improvement of the country’s health care system, we seek the swift 
approval of this bill. 
REP. IRENE GAY F. SAULOG 
Kalinga-Party List 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No.______ 
__________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative IRENE SAULOG of KALINGA PARTY-LIST 
__________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
Mandating 
the 
Institutionalization, 
Development, 
Training, 
Organizations 
and 
Administration of Basic Life Support as part of curriculum in basic education among Grade 
12 students in both Public and Private Educational Institutions, and Appropriating Funds 
Therefor 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as “First Responder in the Family Act of 
2023” 
Section 2. Declaration of Constitutional Policy. - It is hereby declared as policy of the State 
to protect the right to health of the Filipino people and promote health education to instill health 
consciousness among young Filipinos for every household. Pursuant to this national policy, the 
government shall institutionalize a comprehensive training program for Basic Life Support and 
CPR in Grade 12 as part of curriculum in both public and private schools. 
Section 3. Coverage. - The conduct and training and development under this Act shall apply 
to all students in Grade 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions. 
Section 4. Objectives. - In support of State policy, this Act: 
a. Mandates the training, development and institutionalization of Basic Life Support and
CPR in Grade 12 or its equivalent in senior high school in both 
public and private educational 
institutions. 
b. Create a committee for the formulation of a standard program to be part of the
curriculum. 
c. Ensures that the student trainees will learn Basic Life Support and CPR from the
educational institution implementing the program. 
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d. Ensures that most, if not all Filipino household will have a family member who is trained 
to perform Basic Life Support and CPR. 
 
 
Sec. 5 Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms are hereby 
defined: 
 
 
 
a. Acute Medical Emergency – refers to an acute injury or illness that poses an immediate 
threat to a person’s life which may or may not bring a long-term health complication and requires 
immediate medical attention in order to preserve life, function and quality of the same. 
 
 
b. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable device used to help those 
experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. A medical device that can analyze the heart's rhythm and, if 
necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective 
rhythm. 
 
 
c. Basic Life Support - refers to the level of medical care that is given to victims with life-
threatening injuries or illnesses until they can be transferred to a hospital to receive full medical 
care which can improve the chances of survival. 
 
 
d. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – is an emergency lifesaving procedure 
performed when the heart stops beating by a trained individual by preserving blood circulation and 
oxygen in the vital parts of the body. 
 
 
e. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) refer to the network of services coordinated to 
provide aid and medical assistance from the scene to the most appropriate and definitive health 
facilities, involving personnel trained in stabilization, transportation, and treatment of trauma or 
medical cases in the pre-hospital setting. 
 
 
f. First Responder in Family – is an individual who received training in the performance 
and principles of Basic Life Support including CPR among the members of a household. 
 
 
g. Inter-Agency Referral and Transport. - refers to the transport of patient with  
EMS personnel, if necessary, from one referring facility or agency to another receiving facility or 
agency for definitive care, as the patient requires, in an event that the services are not available in 
the referring facility. 
 
CHAPTER II 
First Responder in the Family 
 
 
Sec. 6. First Responder in Family. - This Act mandates all public and private educational 
institutions to adopt the training program as determined by the committee created under this Act 
to be part of the subjects as requisite for graduation. 
 
 
Sec. 7. First Responder in Household health emergency. - This Act ensures the availability 
of a First Responder in a household who has basic knowledge and received proper training in 


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dealing an emergency health situation occurring in the household who shall follow the basic 
guidelines on emergency response and care. 
 
 
Sec. 8. Inter-Agency – Referral and Transport. - This Act shall establish the prescribed 
protocols/guidelines on inter-agency referral and transport. 
 
 
Sec. 9. Creation of First Responder in Family Committee. - The First Responder in Family 
Committee is hereby created under the leadership of Department of Education in cooperation with 
the Department of Health in the formulation of the program. 
 
 
Sec. 10 Membership of the First Responder in Family Committee. - The members of the 
First Responder in Family Committee shall be composed of the Secretary of Education as 
Chairperson and the Secretary of DOH as co-chairperson with the following: 
 
 
a. Permanent Members 
 
 
i. The Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education 
 
 
ii. The Medical Director of the Philippine Heart Center 
 
 
iii. The Secretary of Department of Interior and Local Government 
 
 
iv. The Director of the Bureau of Fire Protection 
 
 
b. Members to be appointed by the Secretary of the DOH upon nomination by their 
respective associations 
 
 
 
i. Two (2) nominees each of a national organization duly registered with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (SEC) and recognized by the DOH representing the: 
 
 
 
a. EMT profession; 
 
b. Nursing profession with at least 2 years of experience in the emergency room; 
 
 
 
ii. Two (2) registered emergency medical practitioners representing Philippine College of 
Emergency Medicine (PCEM) 
 
 
 
iii. One (1) representative from the Philippine Red Cross 
 
 
Sec. 11. Term of Office. - Each member of the First Responder in the Family Committee 
shall not serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. A term shall be for a period of two (2) 
years. 
 
 
Sec. 12. Functions. - To fulfill its mandate, the First Responder in Family Committee shall 
exercise the following functions: 
 
 
a. Ensure the creation and establishment of a standardized program which will form part 
of the basic educational curriculum in Grade 12 or senior high school year in both public and 
private schools. 
 


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b. Determine the staffing, duties, qualifications, responsibilities, and functions of the 
Secretariat. 
 
 
c. Determine the minimum qualifications of training personnel who shall handle the 
training program for the students in Grade 12 in line with the standard program set by the 
committee. 
 
 
d. Ensure that the standardized program is up to date with universally accepted and 
established changes in the algorithms of performing CPR and other Basic Life Support measures. 
 
 
Sec. 13 The Secretariat. - The First Responder in Family Committee shall organize a 
Secretariat headed by a person of probity and shall have at least three (3) years of experience in 
emergency medical services or a related field. 
 
 
Sec. 14 Meetings. - The First Responder in Family Committee shall meet at least once 
every quarter and as needed. 
 
Chapter III 
Establishment of First Responder in Family Training Program 
 
 
Sec. 15. First Responder in Family Training Program. - There is hereby established a 
mandatory one (1)-year First Responder in Family Training Program covering the Basic Acute and 
Emergency Care and Treatment for students enrolled in Grade 12 which shall form part of the 
basic curricula for Senior High School Education in public and private educational institution 
pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Constitution, with the objective of mitigating the mortality 
and development of future severe health cases occurring within the family or household of the 
student by identifying acute and emergency health cases within the said household caused by 
accidents, illness, diseases and other life threatening situations which require immediate life-
saving medical intervention. The program is aimed to preserve human lives, as well as promote 
and maintain a safe environment within the household. 
 
 
Sec. 16. Programs of Instruction. - The First Responder in Family Training shall include 
the following programs of instruction: 
 
 
 
a. Enhancing the consciousness of students in the ethnic of service, respect for 
human rights, preservation of family ties, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the 
historical development of the country, strengthen the spirit of altruism and selfless devotion aimed 
in serving other people in need. 
 
 
 
b. Promote awareness among the students the signs and presence of the perils of 
life brought by accidents, diseases and similar situations which may lead to an emergency situation 
in the household. 
 
 
Sec. 17. Students Exempted from this Act. - The following may be exempted from the 
coverage of this Act: 
 


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a. Those who are physically and psychologically unfit, as certified by the medical doctor 
upon verification by the educational institution where the student is enrolled. 
 
 
b. Those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons as approved by the 
educational institution, upon recommendation by any educational institution. 
 
 
Sec. 18. Incentives for Undergoing the Program. - 
 
 
 
a. Students undergoing the program and finished with exemplary performance shall 
qualify and enjoy the following incentives: 
 
 
 
 
i. Endorsement by the Secretary of Health for scholarship in state 
universities offering advanced medical related courses such as but not limited to Medicine and 
Nursing. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ii. Endorsement by the Secretary of health for either full or partial 
scholarship of the student who wishes to enter advanced medical related courses as aforementioned 
in private tertiary educational institutions offering the said courses.  
 
 
Sec. 19. Liability of the Educational Institution. - The instructor or faculty-in-charge of the 
First Responder in Family Training Program shall be responsible for monitoring the activities 
involved in the training facility or institution. The instruction or the faculty-in-charge must be a 
duly recognized active member, in good standing, of the faculty at the school in which the course 
is being implemented.  
 
Chapter IV 
Other Provisions 
 
 
Sec. 20. Funding. - The funding requirement to implement the establishment, maintenance 
and operations of the First Responder in Family Training Program shall be included in the budget 
of the implementing agencies / department in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
 
Sec. 21. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
 
 
Sec. 22. Repealing Clause. - Pertinent provisions of all other laws, decrees, executive 
orders and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
 
Sec. 23. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,