NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1180
Semite
ol liic feurctarp
•22 AUG 16 P2:18
RECEIVED BY; wU
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO
AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of our healthcare 
system. In the early years of the pandemic, the increasing COVID-19 cases 
overwhelmed both private and public hospitals in the country. Medical personnel were 
also strained by the number of COVID-19 patients in health facilities. The Department 
of Health had to call for volunteer doctors and nurses to fight against the highly 
infectious disease.
This bill seeks to uphold the role of medical and health-related personnel in 
nation-building, promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
social well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism and nationalism; and to encourage 
their involvement in public and civic affairs.
This bill establishes a Medical Reserve Corps which shall be composed of 
licensed medical personnel and persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, 
nursing, medical technology, and other health-related fields. The members of the 
Medical Reserve Corps may be called upon and mobilized to assist the national 
government and the local government units in their functions related to addressing


the medical needs of the public in times of national emergencies. This measure hopes 
to address the lack of medical personnel in times of emergencies which hinders the 
State's capacity to address a health crisis immediately and effectively.
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is urgently sought.
SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1180
Senate
of tije
72 AUG 16 P2:18
.i:'
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO
AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
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 of 2022 "
Sec. 2. Statement of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State:
a. To institutionalize the vital role of medical and health-related personnel in 
nation-building, promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual, and social well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism and 
nationalism; and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs; 
and
b. To train, equip and organize medical and health-related personnel, within 
the current frameworks of national and territorial defense, law enforcement 
and peace and order and national disaster risk reduction and management, 
to prepare them for rapid mobilization at the soonest possible time in order 
to address national and/or local contingencies which may require manpower


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beyond the capabilities of existing national government agencies or local 
government units.
Sec. 3. Medical Reserve Corps. - There is hereby established a Medical Reserve 
Corps (MRC) under the Health Emergency Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH). 
The MRC shall be composed of licensed physicians, nurses, medical technologists, 
persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing, medical technology and 
other health-related fields, members of the Reserve Force of the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines (AFP) in the Medical Service, and administrative and technical personnel.
Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the DOH shall issue 
guidelines on the recruitment, selection and length of service of the MRC members. 
The DOH, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), 
shall determine and provide appropriate compensation and incentives for MRC 
members in order to encourage membership to the MRC.
The Medical Reserve Corps shall be called for retraining every three (3) years 
to maintain and enhance its level of competency and readiness for mobilization.
Sec. 4. Medical Reserve Corps Mobilization. - In times of national emergencies 
and other contingencies, the members of the Medical Reserve Corps may be called 
upon and mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and 
instrumentalities, and local government units in their functions related to addressing 
the medical needs of the public.
The DOH, in consultation with the Department of National Defense (DND) and 
the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall issue guidelines for 
the requests for deployment and mobilization of the MRC.
Sec. 5. Annual Reports. - The DOH shall regularly publish an annual report 
containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, number and


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demography of the Medical Reserve Corps, assessment of readiness for mobilization 
and the incidence and details of each mobilization for the year concerned.
Sec. 6. Requests for Deployment - The Medical Reserve Corps may be called 
upon and mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and 
instrumentalities, and the local government units in their functions related to 
addressing the medical needs of the public through requests for deployment by the 
heads of such national government agencies or local government units submitted to 
the DOH.
The requests shall contain a justification for the deployment of the Corps and 
shall contain information as may be required by the DOH, including the nature of the 
national or local contingencies to be addressed, the purpose of the requested 
deployment, the number of personnel requested to be deployed and the period of 
deployment.
Sec. 7. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment - Within twenty-four (24) 
hours from receipt of the requests for deployment, the DOH shall evaluate the requests 
for deployment and issue an Order of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number 
thereof, to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities or the 
local government units In their functions related to addressing the health-related 
needs of the public.
Sec. 8. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of Lawless 
Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. - In case of a declaration of a 
state of calamity or state of public health emergency, the DOH shall be authorized to 
mobilize the Corps to respond to national or local contingencies to address the health- 
related needs of the public.
Sec. 9. Mobilization Centers. - There shall be designated mobilization centers 
in every province, where the MRC will report in case of deployment.


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In case of mobilization, the equipment and housing of the Corps shall be 
supplied in close coordination with the DOH and other national agencies and offices, 
with the end in view of achieving rapid mobilization.
Sec. 10. Operationalization of Deployment - The DOH, in consultation with the 
DND and DILG, shall promulgate the specific mechanisms by which deployment is 
efficiently Implemented, including the organization of the Corps to be deployed, their 
territorial assignments, how deployment orders are communicated to each member of 
the Corps and to which mobilization center they will report.
Sec. 11. Termination of Deployment - Upon the expiration of the requested 
period of deployment, without an extension having been requested and approved by 
the DOH, the Corps shall be discharged of its duties. The deployment may also be 
terminated earlier upon a determination by the DOH, in consultation with the 
requesting national government agency or local government unit, that such 
deployment is no longer in accordance with the objectives and purposes of this Act.
Sec. 12. Effect on Employment - Deployment of employees in accordance with 
the provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal or diminution of any 
benefit enjoyed by such graduates prior to their deployment. The members of the 
Corps shall continue to be entitled to their regular wage or salary during the period of 
their deployment.
Sec. 13. Pena! Provisions; Failure to Respond. -
a. Failure to respond to the order of deployment despite notice sent to the 
address and/or contact details on file with the DOH without any justifiable 
reason shall, upon conviction by a civil court, be punishable as follows:
1. First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community 
service;


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2. Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community 
service; and
3. Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four 
hundred and eighty (480) hours of community service.
Sec. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). -Within thirty (30) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DOH, in consultation with relevant government 
agencies, shall formulate and issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement 
the objectives and purposes of this Act. The rules and regulations shall include 
provisions on the structure and organization of the Corps, the specific mechanisms for 
the efficient mobilization and deployment of the Corps, and such other matters as the 
DOH may deem necessary or essential to fully implement the objectives and purposes 
of this Act.
Sec. 15. Appropriations. - The funding for the initial Implementation of this Act 
shall be charged against the appropriations of the DOH. Thereafter, funding shall be 
included in the budget of the DOH under the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. All laws, orders, rules regulations and other 
issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended or modified accordingly.
Sec. 17. Separability Clause. - Any provision of this Act declared 
unconstitutional shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.
Sec. 18. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.
Approved^