EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S.B. No. 1592
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."
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 World Health Organization (WHO) declared a worldwide pandemic, on 11 
March 2020, on the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus first reported in Wuhan, China. 
Already, this crisis has caused 64,973 deaths and over 1,205,801 cases worldwide. In 
the Philippines to date, 152 deaths and 3,246 cases have been reported, which 
triggered the President's urgent call for community quarantines and a Metro Manila 
'lockdown" quickly expanded to a "nationwide bckdowri'.
This bill aims to strengthen the national preparedness and response of the 
government to public health emergencies and thus creating a medical reserve corps 
therefor to reduce its adverse health, economic, and social impact to the Filipino 
people.
IMEFR. MARCOS


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S.B. No. 1592
JFm
SATE
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 the 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
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Corps Act."
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall, at all times, give paramount
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importance to the health of its citizens whether in the country or overseas and it shail
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likewise endeavor to efficientiy and immediately address all potential and actual public
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health emergencies for the promotion of the general welfare of the people.
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Sec. 3. Medical Reserve Corps. - A medical reserve corps shall be created
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composed of volunteer health care providers who provides health care services
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including, but not limited to, hospitals, medical clinics and offices, special care
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facilities, medical laboratories, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physician assistants,
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nurse practitioners, registered and other nurses, and paramedics who provide
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emergency medical care, emergency medical or laboratory technicians, and
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ambulance and emergency medical workers. The Corps shall be called into duty during
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pandemic, epidemic, and 
other public health emergencies, as may be deemed
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necessary by the government.
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Sec. 4. Medical Reserve Corp Database and Plan. - The Department of Health
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(DOH), in coordination with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the


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Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shaii estabiish a database of information of
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aii individuals under the medical reserve corps which shall be updated quarterly.
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The DOH shall also prepare a plan which shall provide for Integrated policy
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coordination and strategic direction with respect to all matters related to national and
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local public health and medical preparedness and execution and deployment of
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national and local response before, during, and after pandemics, epidemics, and other
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public health emergencies.
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Sec. 5. Local Government Unit Coordination. - The Local Government Units
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(LGUs) shall include the setting up or modification of health care facilities and, in
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coordination with the DOH, designate areas for quarantine or isolation in preparation
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for any pandemic, epidemic, or other public health emergency.
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Sec. 6. Recruitment, Training, and Compensation. - The DOH, in coordination
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with the PRC and CHED, shall issue guidelines on the recruitment, training, and
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compensation for health care providers, under the Medical Reserve Corps Database,
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who choose to work and gain experience in public hospitals.
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Sec. 7. Appropriation. - An initial amount of two hundred million pesos (Php
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200,000,000.00) shall be Included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) for
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the implementation of this Act. Thereafter, the appropriation necessary shall be
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determined by the DOH, in coordination with the Department of Budget and
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Management (DBM).
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Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Upon the effectivity of this Act,
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the DOH, in coordination with the PRC and CHED, shall immediately convene and issue
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the implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the approval of
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this Act.
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
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other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
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repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
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remain in force and effect.


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Sec. 11. Effectivity.-l\\\s Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of 
general circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,