Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC G. YAP and EDVIC G. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a Palace briefing in February of 2024, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary 
Teodoro Herbosa confirmed the shortage of around 190,000 healthcare professionals, 
across nursing, medicine, pharmacy, laboratory work, and other allied health fields. 
Its impact is felt most deeply in far-flung and underserved areas where the presence 
of a single healthcare worker can mean the difference between life and death. 
While private higher education institutions produce thousands of medical and allied 
health graduates annually, the shortage persists. The issue is not purely a matter of 
quantity, but also of distribution. Most graduates are trained in urban settings, with 
limited exposure to the realities of barangay health systems or community-level 
health units. By providing allied health courses within State Universities and 
Colleges (SUCs) located in underserved areas, this bill ensures that health graduates 
are better rooted in, and more responsive to, the needs of their local communities, 
therefore ultimately strengthening the country’s primary care system from the 
ground up. 
This bill mandates SUCs to offer medical and allied health programs, such as, but 
not limited to, Nursing, Medical Technology, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. SUCs are 
uniquely positioned to serve as health education hubs for students in underserved 
areas, and to produce professionals more likely to stay and serve in their home 
regions. 
The bill also ensures that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the 
DOH provide institutional support through faculty development, infrastructure 
upgrades and a phased rollout prioritizing areas with the greatest need. By 
localizing health education and aligning it with community health systems, this 
measure not only addresses the shortage in health workers but reorients health 
professional trainings toward  a locally responsive healthcare system. 
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In the spirit of universal care, the passage of this law is earnestly sought. 
HON. ERIC G. YAP​
HON. EDVIC G. YAP 
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC G. YAP and EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 
(SUCS) TO OFFER MEDICAL AND ALLIED HEALTH 
COURSES 
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 the “Health Courses 
Expansion Act of 2025”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Towards this end, the State shall ensure access to quality medical and allied health 
education, especially in underserved areas, by expanding the capacity of State 
Universities and Colleges (SUCs). 
SEC 3. Offering of Medical and Allied Health Courses. – SUCs are required to offer 
degree programs in the following fields: 
a.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing;
b.
Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology;
c.
Bachelor of Science in Dentistry;
d. Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy; and
e.
Other relevant allied health courses.
SEC 4. Programs – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), SUCs, and 
other concerned agencies shall provide support in the form of faculty development, 
infrastructure assistance, and academic partnerships, among others. CHED shall also 
establish recognition programs for SUCs that contribute significantly to the 
development of the health workforce, especially in underserved regions.  
SEC 5. Implementing Agencies – SUCs shall coordinate with CHED and the 
Department of Health (DOH) for the phased implementation of this Act. Priority 
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shall be given to SUCs located in regions with limited access to medical education. 
CHED, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) where appropriate, 
shall provide guidelines for compliance, including the qualification standards (QS) 
for faculty members, laboratory and hospital affiliations, and accreditation 
requirements.  
 
SEC 6. Funding. – The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of CHED and SUCs. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act (GAA).  
 
SEC 7. Separability Clause. – Should any provision or part of the Act be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions and parts hereof, insofar as they are 
separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC 8. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, rules, and 
regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved 
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