Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

INETEENTH CONGRESS
2 Regular Session

House Bill No. 9872

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MARCELINO C. LIBANAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Eastem Samar faces challenges in healtheare access with a shortage of qualified medical
professionals contributing to the existing disparities. Situated approximately 220 kilometers away
from Tacloban City. the regional center, the people of Eastern Samar face considerable difficulties
in accessing medical facilities, particularly during emergencies. The distance creates logistical
challenges, resulting in delayed medical interventions and exacerbating health disparities.

The proposed College of Medicine seeks to address this gap by training a new generation of
competent and compassionate healthcare practitioners, fostering local talent to serve the specific
needs of our community.

Establishing a College of Medicine within the university aligns with the broader goal of enhancing
local healthcare infrastructure. It ensures that our region has a sustainable supply of well-trained
healthcare professionals who are attuned to the specific health.

The shortage of doctors in the Philippines, particularly in the province of Eastem Samar, is a
pressing concern that underscores the necessity of establishing a College of Medicine at Eastern
‘Samar State University.

As of the latest available data, the doctor-to-population ratio in the Philippines is below the
recommended World Health Organization (WHO) standard of one doctor per 1,000 people. ‘This
deficit is even more pronounced in underserved regions like Eastern Samar, where access to
healthcare is further compromised by geographical challenges and limited resources.

Presently, Eastern Samar currently faces a significant shortfall in the number of practicing
physicians. The limited presence of medical professionals in the province exacerbates healthcare
disparities, resulting in compromised health outcomes and delayed medical interventions for the
local population.



The establishment of a College of Medicine in Eastern Samar State University is a strategic
response to address this critical shortage. By training and retaining medical professionals within
the region, the proposed initiative aims to alleviate the existing healthcare challenges and
contribute to an improved doctor-to-population ratio, ultimately enhancing the overall well-being
of the community.

The proposed College of Medicine at Eastern Samar State University is not merely a response to
the shortage of doctors but also a strategic intervention to address the specific needs of a
marginalized and geographically isolated population. By establishing a local medical institution,
‘we aim to empower the community with a sustainable supply of healthcare professionals who
understand the unique challenges faced by Eastern Samar.

It is imperative to recognize the urgency of addressing this issue through legislative support for
the proposed bill, as it directly impacts the health and lives of the people in Eastern Samar.

MARCEP NAN
4Ps Party-List Representative


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

iIETEENTH CONGRESS
2” Regular Session

House Bill No. 9872

Introduced by Representative MARCELINO C. LIBANAN

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN THE EASTERN SAMAR STATE
UNIVERSITY (ESSU) IN THE CITY BORONGAN, PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR,
TO BE KNOWN AS THE “EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE”, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 the Eastern Samar
State University (ESSU) located in the City of Borongan, Province of Eastern Samar, to be known
as the “Eastern Samar State University College of Medicine”.

SECTION 2. General Mandate. The ESSU-College of Medicine, hereinafter referred to as the
“College”, shall primarily offer a Doctor of Medicine Program consisting of basic science and
clinical courses, and using leamer-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 the human resource development needs of the Province
of Eastern Samar.

The College is also mandated to undertake the extension services and provide progressive
leadership in these cases.

SECTION 3. Governance. Being an institution within the ESSU System, the governance of the
College shall be vested in the Board of Regents of the ESSU, hereinafter referred to as the Board,
whose powers are defined under Republic Act 9312 (AN ACT CONVERTING THE EASTERN
SAMAR STATE COLLEGES (ESSC) INTO A STATE UNIVERSITY TO BE KNOWN AS THE
EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY, INTEGRATING THEREWITH THE
MAYDOLONG NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
MAYDOLONG, PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR 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 is vested in the Dean of the ESSU
insofar as authorized by the Board of the University.

SECTION 5. The College Dean. The College 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 of the University President, following a process of consultation with the
constituents of the College. The Dean shalll 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 University President of ESSU 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
colleges and those delegated by the University President.

‘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
institutions.

In case of 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 University President, shall designate an Officer-In-Charge
of the College, pending the appointment of a new Dean: Provided, 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 University President.

SECTION 6. The Faculty. The Board shall appoint, upon the recommendation of and the
nomination by the President of the University, the faculty members of the College: Provided, That
no political belief, gender preference, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin, nor
religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry in the appointment of faculty members
of the College: Provided, further, That said appointment shall be subject to the guidelines,
qualifications, and standards set by the Board: Provided, finally, That no member of the faculty
shall teach for or against any particular church or religious sect.

SECTION 7. Scholarship Programs and Admission. The College shall provide
scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students who
qualify for admission to the College.

No student shall be denied admission to the College by reason of gender, religion, cultural
or community affiliation, physical disability, or ethnic origin.


SECTION 8. Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy. The College shall enjoy
academic freedom and institutional autonomy, pursuant to paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV
of the Constitution.

SECTION 9. Authority to Loan or Transfer Apparatus, Equipment or Supplies and
Detail of Personnel. Upon the request of the Board, through the President of the ESSU, the heads
of the bureaus and offices of the national government may loan or transfer to the College such
apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by it, and detail employees for duty therein
when, in the judgment of the head of bureau or office, the apparatus, equipment, supplies or
services of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to public service.

The employees so detailed shall perform such duties as required of them by the Dean of
the College, and the time so served shall be counted as part of their regular service.

SECTION 10. Assets, Liabilities and Personnel. All existing appropriations, assets, both
real and personal, personnel, and records of the College, as well as its liabilities or obligations,
shall be titled or named after the ESSU.

All parcels of land belonging to the government to be occupied by the College shall be the
property of the ESSU, and shall be titled under its name: Provided, That should the College ceases
to exist or to be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed by
the ESSU, 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. Parity Clause. All other powers, functions, and privileges, responsibilities,
and limitations under existing laws shall be deemed granted to or imposed upon the College and
its officials, whenever appropriate.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provision of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.


SECTION 15. 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 16. Separability Clause. If, 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 17. 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 18. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or ina newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,