NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 1 120
x'itur f;t
72 AUG 10 P4:40
-J B
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO 
PANDEMIC, EPIDEMIC, AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES, 
CREATING A MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "the State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them."
Over the years, various public health emergencies such as outbreaks and 
pandemics have claimed lives. A pandemic puts the entire world at risk of a markedly 
increased occurrence of severe morbidity and mortality. Further, simultaneous 
occurrence of the pandemic means that supply chains for essential products like life­
saving medications and essential medical supplies will be quickly threatened causing 
further panic and fear to the public.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the inability of the Philippines health care 
system to cope with the surge of patients needing medical care due to the shortage of 
medically trained personnel, among others.
According to the Department of Health (DOH) Human Resource for Health 
Network (HRHN), the Philippines has a shortage of 290,000 health workers in the 
country which is based on the WHO indicative HRH ratio of 44.5 HRH to 10,000 
population for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, 
there is an annual out migration of 13,000 health care professionals which aggravates 
the deficiency in the national supply of health care workers (POEA, 2020).


Thus, this bill aims to enhance the capacity of our country to produce and call 
on the needed manpower and expand its human health resources in times of disasters 
and public health emergencies of both national and local scale through the mobilization 
of a Medical Reserve Corps to help ease the burden in our healthcare system, support 
the country's public health system and reduce its adverse health, economic, and social 
impact to the Filipino people.
For the foregoing reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
‘ /l. (tfXJtCei//^
IMEE R. ftl^COS


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
S.B. No.
SENATE
1120
^ i.C’ftur of t'.!;' S? '' t'V.M’
72 AUG 10 P4 -40
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO 
PANDEMIC, EPIDEMIC, AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES, 
CREATING A MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ''''Medical Reserve 
Corps Act"
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall, at all times, give paramount 
importance to the health of its citizens whether in the country or overseas and it shall 
likewise endeavor to efficiently and immediately address all potential and actual public 
health emergencies for the promotion of the general welfare of the people.
SEC. 3. Medical Reserve Corps. - A Medical Reserve Corps shall be created 
composed of volunteer health care providers who provide health care services including, 
but not limited to, hospitals, medical clinics and offices, special care facilities, medical 
laboratories, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, 
registered and other nurses, and paramedics who provide emergency medical care, 
emergency medical or laboratory technicians, and ambulance and emergency medical 
workers. The Corps shall be called into duty during pandemic, epidemic, and other 
public health emergencies, as may be deemed necessary by the government.
SEC. 4. Medical Reserve Corps Database and Plan. - The Department of Health 
(DOH), in coordination with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the


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Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shall establish a database of information of 
all individuals under the medical reserve corps which shall be updated quarterly. 
Provided that, the DOH shall also provide guidelines for the registration thereof.
The DOH shall also prepare a plan which shall provide for integrated policy 
coordination and strategic direction with respect to all matters related to national and 
local public health and medical preparedness and execution and deployment of national 
and local response before, during, and after pandemics, epidemics, and other public 
health emergencies.
SEC. 5. Local Government Unit Coordination. - The Local Government Units 
(LGUs) shall include the setting up or modification of health care facilities and, in 
coordination with the DOH, designate areas for quarantine or Isolation in preparation 
for any pandemic, epidemic, or other public health emergency.
SEC. 6. Recruitment, Training, and Compensation. - The DOH, in coordination 
with the PRC and CHED, shall issue guidelines on the recruitment, training, and 
compensation for health care providers, under the Medial Reserve Corps Database, who 
choose to work and gal experience in public hospitals.
SEC. 7. Protection Accorded to the Medical Reserve Corps. - All members of the 
Medical Reserve Corps shall be accorded protection as provided by existing labor laws 
and standards and other relevant occupations, safety, environmental and social 
legislation.
SEC. 8. Appropriation. - An initial amount of two hundred million pesos (Php 
200,000,000,00) shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 
the implementation of this Act. Thereafter, the appropriation necessary shall be 
determined by the DOH, in coordination with the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM).
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, 
the DOH, in coordination with the PRC and CHED, shall immediately convene and issue 
the implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the approval of this 
Act.


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SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of existing laws, orders and 
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If for any reason any part or provision of this Act 
shall be deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall 
not be affected and shall remain in force and effect.
Sec. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,