Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HouseBi||No.8825
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROMHO S. MOMO, SR.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
By virtue of Republic Act 9998, the North Eastern Mindanao  State University (NEMSU) was
established  on  22  February  2010.  The  NEMSU  is  a  state  university  established  through  the
amalgamation of Bukidnon External Studies Center (BESC) in Tandag City and four (4) BESC -
supervised  school  in the municipalities  of Cagwait,  Tagbina, Lianga and  San Miguel  into  one
system. This development also led Surigao del Sun Institute of Technology (SSIT) in Municipality
of Cantilan to join other external campuses under the umbrella of Surigao del  Sur Polytechnic
State  College  (SSPSC)  further  spreading  the  newly-established  states  college's  influence  and
services into the northern part of the province. Both campuses are located in Northern Mindanao,
which offers a strategic locational advantage for the institution to train and develop students from
all the other regions of Mindanao.
In order to fully realize the potential of the NEMSU, the University needs to have a College of
Medicine. This will give students from CARAGA Region another high-quality medical school,
especially those deserving and qualified students who do not have the financial resources to go to
private medical schools.
The establishment of a College of Medicine in NEMSU will offer excellent medical education and
training to prospective doctors in the region. Moreover, it will address the shortage of physicians
currently prevalent in the CARAGA Region. A study reveals that there is a severe deficit in the
number of practicing  medical  doctors  in the  Philippines  relative to the  accepted  standard  1.1
doctors per 1000 population (David, Ducanes, Bacigalupo, Tengco, & Yee, 2019). As a result of
this  deficit,  there  is poorer health management  for Filipinos.  By providing  accessible medical
education, the new College of Medicine will generate a greater number of healthcare professionals
who can address the healthcare needs of the local populace.
The establishment of medical schools in state universities can benefit students in many ways. It
can offer affordable education to students, enhance the diversity of the student population, provide


opportunities to lean about community health challenges and deliver culturally-sensitive care to
theirpatients.Amedicalschoolcanalsoprovideaccesstoresearchopportunities,whichcanattract
promising  students to the medical school program, thereby producing more competent medical
professionals that will serve their communities and beyond.
Notably, the presence of a medical school in NEMSU will create better employment opportunities
and contribute to the overall development of the region. It can attract talented individuals interested
in pursuing a medical career to Surigao del Sur, augmenting the province's intellectual capital. It
can also promote the growth of allied healthcare industries, which can expand opportunities for
other related local sectors.
In light of the benefits and considering the pressing need to address the shortage of physicians in
the  CARAGA  Region,  I  respectfully  request  the  immediate  approval  of this  measure.  By
establishing a College of Medicine in NEMSU, we can provide high-quality medical education
and  stimulate  socio-economic  growth  in  the  area,  significantly  contributing  to  the  overall
development of the region and the country.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HouseBi]|No.8825
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROMEO S. MOMO, SR.
ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE NORTH EASTERN MINDANAO
STATE UNIVERSITY (NEMSU) hIAIN CAMPUS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF TANDAG,
PROVINCE OF SuRIGAO DEL SUR TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NORTH EASTERN
MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY (NEMSU) -COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF
Be  it  enacted  by the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives of the  Philippines  in
Congress assembled:
Section  1.  Establishment.  -There  is  hereby established  a  medical  school  in
"North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), Main Campus in the Municipality of
Tandag City, Province of Surigao del Sur as the North Eastern Mindanao State University
- College of Medicine, hereinafter referred to as the College.
Section 2. General Mandate, -The NEMSU - College of Medicine,  hereinafter
referred to as the "College", shall primarily offer a Doctor of Medicine Program, including
the  Integrated  Liberal  Arts  and  Medicine  (INTARMED)  Program,  consisting  of  basic
science   and   clinical   courses,   and   using   learner-centered   and   competency-based
approach. The primary goal  of the  College shall  be to develop a corps of professional
physicians to strengthen the healthcare system of the country, as well as to respond to
the  human  resource  development  needs  of the  Province  of Surigao  del  Sur and  the
CARAGA region,
The College is also mandated to undertake research and extension services and
provide progressive leadership in these areas.


Section  3.  Governance.  -  Being  an  institution  within  the  NEMSU  System,  the
governance  of the  College  shall  be  vested  in  the  Board  of  Regents  of the  NEMSU,
hereinafter referred to as the Board, whose powers are defined under Republic Act No.
9998,   as  amended,   otherwise  known  as  "An  Act  Converting  the  Surigao   Del   Sur
Polytechnic  State  College  (SSPSC)  ln  the  Province  of Surigao  Del  Sur  Into  A  State
University  To  Be  Known  As  The  Surigao  Del  Sur  State  University  And  Appropriating
Funds Therefor", and other applicable laws and regulations, unless otherwise provided or
amended elsewhere in this Act,
Section 4. Administration -The administration of the College shall be vested in
the Campus Director of the NEMSU -Tandag City Campus insofar as authorized by the
Board and the President of the University, through the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Section 5. The College Dean -The College faculty shall be headed by a Dean
who  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Board,  subject  to  its  guidelines  on  qualifications  and
standards, and based on the recommendation by the Personnel Selection Board chaired
by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Dean shall render full-time service, serve
a term of three (3) years, and may be reappointed to another term.
Within six (6) months of the effectivity of this Act, the Personnel Selection  Board
chaired by the Vice President of Academic Affairs of NEMSU-Tandag City Campus, shall
constitute the Search Committee for the Deanship.
The powers and duties of the Dean of the College, in addition to those specifically
provided for in this Act, shall include those usually pertaining to the Office of the Dean of
similar state universities and colleges and those delegated by the Board.
The salary of the Dean of the College shall be in accordance with Republic Act No.
11466  or  the  ``Salary  Standardization  Law  of 2019",  and  such  other  laws  amendatory
thereto,  which  may  hereinafter  be  enacted,  and  shall  be  comparable  to  that  being
received by the Deans of similar educational institutions.
In  case of a vacancy  in  the  Office  of the  Dean  by  reason  of death,  compulsory
retirement,  resignation,  removal  for  cause,  or  incapacity  of the  Dean  to  perform  the
functions of the office, the Board,  upon the recommendation of the Personnel Selection
Board  chaired  by the Vice  President of Academic Affairs,  shall designate an  Officer-in-
Charge  of the  College,  pending  the  appointment  of a  new  Dean:  Prov/.ded,  That  the
Officer-in-Charge shall serve only during the unexpired portion of the term.
The Dean  of the College shall be assisted  by a College Secretary, who shall be
appointed by the Board.


All parcels of land belonging to the government to be occupied by the College shall
be the property of the NEMSU, and shall be titled under its name: Prov+.ded, That should
the College cease to exist or be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land
be  no  longer  needed  by  the  NEMSU,  the  same  shall  revert  to  the  concerned  local
government unit or to the Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.
Section  11.  Duty  and  Tax  Exemptions.  -The  importation  by  the  College  of
medical books or publications, medical equipment or instruments which are for medical,
laboratory or scientific purposes shall,  upon  certification  by the  Commission  on  Higher
Education (CHED), be exempt from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of
Republic Act No.  10863, otherwise known as the "Customs Modernization and Tariff Act
(CMTA)";
All grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to and used
actually, directly and exclusively for educational purposes by the College, shall be exempt
from  donor's tax and  the same shall  be considered as allowable deduction  from gross
income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor in accordance with the
provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
Section 12. Suppletory Application. -The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292,
otherwise known as the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997", shall form part of
this Act.
Section 13. Appropriations. -The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Within sixty (60) days from
the approval of this Act,  the  Board shall,  in consultation with the CHED,  issue the  rules
and regulations to fully implement the provisions of this Act.
Section 15. Separability clause. -lf, for any reason, any part or provision of this
Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected
are in full force and effect.
Section 16. Repealing Clause. -All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
and  rules and  regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the  provisions of this Act are
amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.


Section  17.  Effectivify.  -This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved.