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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHIILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
·13 Jll -8 P 2 :53 
SENATE 
S. No. 623 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
Explanatory Note 
Section 12, Article XII (Social Justice and Human Rights) of the Constitution provides 
that: The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system and 
undertake appropriate health manpower development and research, responsive to the country's 
health needs and problems. 
Rampant reports revealed that hospitals in rural areas in Visayas and Mindanao face a 
cnSlS and even imminent closure because of the lack of doctors. Even prestigious medical 
institutions find it difficult to attract fresh graduates to fill up slots for doctors. The government 
has acknowledged the reality that, indeed, the country is facing an alarming shortage of medical 
doctors and other medical professionals. 
The cost of medical studies has become so prohibitive that it has -become beyond the 
reach of Filipino families even those belonging to the upper middle class. In the past few years, 
the situation has been aggravated by doctors taking up nursing and leaving the country for more 
lucrative jobs abroad. 
Since medical doctors constitute the core of a country's public health servi~e system, the 
shortage of doctors s-everely prejudices the capacity of the government to deliver timely, 
adequate, competent and affordable medical and health care services to our people, ~specially the 
poor who direly need such services but can hardly afford them, and whose only access to such 
services is through the public health service system. 
Thus, there is an urgent need to create a steadily expanding pool of medical doctors to 
strengthen the core of the public health service system through institutional mechanisms and 
programs that will not only enable a greater number of qualified and public-service oriented 
young people to pursue medical education but also systematically and effectively ensure their 
integration into the pnblic health service system in such manner that would harness their talents 
within an optimum time for the benefit of our country and people. 
This bill seeks to address that need by creating a Philippine Medical Academy and 
establishing a Philippine Medical Scholarship and Service Program. 
The Academy shall provide the institutional mechanism for the envisioned sustained 
human resource development for the Philippine public health care system. The scholarship 
program shall provide the financial and other educational resource support mechanisms for the 
pursuit of studies in the field of medicine by deserving and qualified young people. The 
University of the Philippines, through its College of Medicine, shall serve as the institutional 
core or principal medical educational institution where grantees or scholars of the program shall 
pursue their medical training and studies. Other colleges and universities nationwide shall be 
accredited to serve as adjunct medical educational institutions to provide medical training to 
scholars. 


The government shall provide the physical, technical and financial resources to equip, 
man, and develop the U.P. College of Medicine as the institutional core of the Philippine 
Medical Academy. It shall also provide funds to pay for all the necessary expenses such as 
tuition, matriculation and. all other school fees, prescribed textbooks and other educational 
supplies and equipments, board and lodging expenses, clothing and uniform allowances, 
traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living allowances of qualified entrants to the 
Philippine Medical Academy and recipients of the scholarship program. 
It is envisioned that a scholar shall undergo higher post-graduate internshV' in a public 
health and medical ins~itution which shall be considered as part of the mandatory public service. 
Upon passing the medical board examination, the scholar shall commence integr\ltion into the 
public health service system and shall accordingly be given the appropriate rank and salary. Such 
integration into the public service system shall be required for a period equivalent to at least one 
(1) year for each year of scholarship benefits received. 
The Academy, the Scholarship and Service programs shall be administered by a Board 
empowered to formulate and implement policies, rules and regulations, and all such other 
activities for the effective management and development of the programs. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage ofthis bill is earnestly sought. 


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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHIILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 623 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
AN ACT 
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(I)fl,; •• f j~d"mtt .. v 
'13 JUl -8 P 2 :53 
CREATING THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ACADEMY, ESTABLISHING THE 
PHILIPPINE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Medical Academy 
and Scholarship Act". 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to undertake heal{h manpower 
development responsive to the country's health service needs. Towards this end, t~e State shall 
establish mechanisms inclusive of creating educational institutions and scholarship programs to 
enable deserving and qualified individuals to pursue education and training in the field of 
medicine, and shall formulate and implement such policies and programs to systematically 
integrate these individuals, upon qualifying as doctors of medicine, into the public health care 
system. 
Sec. 3. The Philippine Medical Academy. - There shall be established a Philippine 
Medical Academy (PMA) which shall be the primary educational institutional mechanism for the 
sustained human resource development for the Philippine Public Health Care System. The 
government, on its own and, when feasible, in partnership with other lawful entities in the public 
and private sectors, shall provide and undertake measures to generate the necessary financial, 
technical, physical and other resources needed to efficiently and effectively man, equip, manage 
and develop the University of the Philippines - College of Medicine as the institutional Core of 
the Philippine Medical Academy. Other colleges and universities upon fulfillment of prescribed 
conditions may be accredited and integrated into the Philippine Medical Academy as adjunct 
educational institutions that will provide training and education in the field of medicine to 
qualified entrants to the Philippine Medical Academy. 
Sec. 4. Philippine Medical Academy Scholarship Board (PMASB). - There is hereby 
created a Philippine Medical Academy and Scholarship Board (PMASB) which shall administer 


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the Philippine Medical Academy, the Scholarship and Service Program and shall be empowered 
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to fonnulate, consolidate, integrate, systematize and implement all policies, rules and regulations 
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and programs related thereto and intended to enhance the effectiveness thereof. 
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The PMASB shall be composed of the Chairperson of the Commissioh on Higher 
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Education as chainnan of the Board; and as members: the Secretary of Education, Ithe Secretary 
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of Health, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the President of the University of the 
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Philippine System, The Dean of the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines, the 
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Executive Director of the PMASB Secretariat, and the Chairpersons of the Committees on 
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Health and Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The members of 
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the PMASB shall be entitled to reasonable amounts of per diems, representation, travel and 
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transportation allowances. 
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Sec. 5. Functions of the Board.- The PMASB shall have the following functions: 
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a. 
Detennine, fonnulate and promulgate the appropriate policies, measures, rules 
and regulations necessary to operate, manage, maintain, and enhance the effectiveness of 
the PMA and the scholarship and services programs integral to its operations; 
b. 
Establish cooperative and coordinative linkages with other educational and related 
institutions in the. public and private sectors to ensure the effective operation, 
management and development of the PMA and the scholarship and services programs; 
c. 
Approve the accreditation of medical colleges and universities who will be 
adjunct educational institutions and who in addition to the University of the Philippines -
Philippine General Hospital will accept medical scholars to their respective institutions; 
d. 
Prescribe sucb tests, standards and criteria for the selection of medical scholars; 
and the relevant and appropriate terms and conditions governing the scholarship grants 
and the integration of qualified medical scholars into the public health service system; 
e. 
Detennine the various expenses to be covered by the scholarship, and approve the 
schedule of payments thereof to medical scholars from such sums -appropriated by law 
and other funds available for the purpose; 
f. 
Design the staffing pattern, salaries and other compensation of officials and 
personnel of the Secretariat subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and 
Management and in accordance with the Salary Standardization Law; 
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g. 
Conduct regular meetings as often as may be decided by the Boatd and special 
meetings when necessary as may be called by the Chainnan of the Board; and 
h. 
Perfornl such other duties and functions as may be assigned by the President of 
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the Philippines. 
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Sec. 6. Secretariat. -' There shall be a Secretariat to provide administrative and technical 
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assistance to the PMASB. It shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall perform duties 
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and responsibilities as may be detennined and delegated by the PMASB. The support staff of the 


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Secretariat shall be recruited preferably from qualified professionals from the academe and 
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medical profession. 
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Sec. 7. Medical Scholarship. - There shall be an annual selection through appropriate 
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examinations and screening processes of those who shall be admitted to the Philippine Medical 
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Academy to be known as Medical Academy Scholars. The candidates shall come from among 
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qualified graduating students or graduates of appropriate courses in colleges and universities 
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nationwide. The qualified and selected scholars shall be granted scholarship in a medical course 
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and 
shall cover expenses for, among others, tuition, matriculation and other school fees; 
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prescribed textbooks, supplies and equipment; board and lodging expenses; clothing and uniform 
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allowances; traveling expenses and other related miscellaneous living allowances: Provided, 
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That at least five (5) candidates per region, or when practicable, one (1) candidate from every 
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province and city shall be chosen to participate in the annual selection: Provided, forther, That at 
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least fifty (50) Medical Academy Scholars shall be selected annually. 
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Sec. 8. Qualifications, of Candidates. - Candidates for admission into the Philippine 
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Medical Academy and for, medical scholarship grants shall possess the followt~g minimum 
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qualifications: 
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a. Must belong to the top thirty per centum (30%) of their respective graduating classes 
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and must be completing or already completed undergraduate courses identified by the 
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PMASB as a prerequisite course to the pursuit of studies in the field of medicine; 
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b. Family and or personal incomes are not sufficient to finance their education in the 
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field of medicine: Provided, That those who are financially capable and are willing to 
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serve in public health and medical institutions after graduation may be accepted: 
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Provided, further, That they do not compose more than 10 percent of the total scholars 
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for a particular year; 
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c. Must be not more than twenty-five (25) years of age and a natural-born citizen of the 
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Philippines; 
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d. The PMASB shall 'determine such other qualifications as it deems necessary for the 
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purpose. 
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Sec. 9. General Conditions for Admission to the Philippine Medical Academy and for the 
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Scholarship Grant. - A medical academy scholar shall be accepted to the Academy and the 
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programs and shall receive and continue to enjoy the benefits of the scholarship until the 
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completion of the course, subject to the following conditions: 
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a. He shall pass the entrance/admission examinations and related requirements of PMASB 
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and the medical school'the scholar intends to enroll; 
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b. The scholar shall carry the full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the medical 
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school, and shall, under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in under-
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loading; and 


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c. The scholar may be allowed, for valid reasons preventing his enrolment, to defer availing 
of the scholarship and file a leave of absence for a period not exceeding one -school year. 
d. The scholar shall sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the scholarship on 
a form prescribed by the Philippine Medical Academy Scholarship Board; 
e. He shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received, and the 
scholarship shall be terminated in the event the grantee accepts another scholarship from 
other government or private agencies or entities; and 
f. The full cost of scholarship and related benefits received shall be paid by the scholar in 
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case of failure to complete the medical course without valid cause as may be determined 
by PMASB: Provided, That, if the terminated medical scholar completes another course 
and qualifies as an allied medical service practitioner, he may choose, instead of 
repayment of scholarship costs, to render public service and be integrated into the public 
health and medical service system. 
Sec. 10. Medical SerVice Program. - The scholar shall, pursuant to the agreement provided 
in Section 9 hereof, render services and be integrated into the public health and medical service 
system as medical doctor,with the appropriate rank and salary upon passing the medical board 
examination: PrOVided, That such service and integration in the public service shall be 
mandatory for a period equivalent to at one (I) year for every year of scholarship availed: 
Provided, fUrther, That the scholar when he obtains a very satisfactory performance rating, shall 
be entitled to salary step increases at least every two years in the service: Provided, finally, That 
the scholar shall undertake post graduate internship in a public health or medical institution that 
shall ensure his acceptance -and such internship shall be part of the mandatory service and 
integration into the public health and medical service system. 
Sec. 11. Appropriation. - The sum of One Hundred Million (PlOO,OOO,OOO.OO) pesos for 
the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the Contingent Fund and over-all 
savings of the Executive Branch. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary shall Je included in 
the subsequent annual General Appropriations Act. 
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Sec. 12. Donations; Grants, etc. - the Board may accept donations, legacies, grants, and 
other contributions to form pint of the Medical Scholarship Fund: Provided. That such donations, 
legacies, grants, and other contributions shall be exempt from taxation and shall be allowable 
deductions for income tax purposes. Proceeds from at least two (2) draws of the Philippine 
Charity Sweepstakes per year shall also be allocated to finance the PMA, the Scholarship and the 
Services Programs. 
Sec. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Chairman of the Commission on 
Higher Education in coordination with the Secretary of Health, The President of the University 
of the Philippine System and the Chairpersons of the Committees on Health and Education of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives shall issue such rules and regnlations as may be 
necessary for the implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from the Effectivity thereof. 


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Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at 
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least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or the Official Gazette. 
Approved,