Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._958

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Emergency medical services are vital in ensuring that patients needing urgent
medical assistance are attended to with dispatch and are provided with a better chance
of survival from disability or death

In the Philippines, there is an urgent need for a more responsive and organized
emergency medical services system. According to the World Health Organization
(2017), about 7,000 Filipinos die each year, and thousands more are injured or
disabled, due to road traffic crashes, with riders of motorcycles and two-wheeler
bicycles making up a large proportion of these statistics. Accidents, of all types
including road traffic crashes, rank fourth among the causes of death in all ages. Most
emergency calls received by an ambulance team are trauma related such as vehicular
accidents, crime or violence related injuries, or common household emergencies
Hence, it is crucial that emergency responders and ambulance crews possess the

necessary knowledge and skills to respond and to properly asses and manage various
medical emergencies.

One of the key issues in the field of emergency or pre-hospital care in the
country is the lack of a national standard of practice that can be followed, as well as the
minimum requirements for individuals who wish to enter the field. This proposed
measure seeks to establish a standard system for emergency medical services (EMS)
address the need to professionalize and regulate the sector, and enhance the provision
of emergency medical services in the country.

The bill proposes the creation of a National Emergency Medical Services System
Council to formulate and implement policies and develop national standards for the
provision of emergency medical services. It also provides for the creation of positions
for EMS personnel, thus ensuring that the job of an EMS provider is professionalized
and developed into a viable career. The bill ensures that the provision of emergency
medical services, including all vehicles, equipment, and support services, adheres to
standards and guidelines set out by the EMSS Council

Hence, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly sought.

RON P. SALO
Kabayan Party-List

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. _

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM (EMSS),
PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL EMSS COUNCIL,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS TEHREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PUSPOSES

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 “Emergency Medical
Services System (EMSS) Act of 2017”.

CHAPTER |
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them. Pursuant to this national policy, the government shall institutionalize a
comprehensive, accessible and integrated system of emergency medical services

SEC. 3. Objectives. — in support of the State policy, this Act

a

Mandates the development and institutionalization of Emergency Medical
Services System at the national and local levels;

b)}

Creates a national Emergency Medical Services System Council;

°)

Establishes the national standard for the provision of Emergency Medical
Services (EMS);

d

Ensures the provision of qualified EMS personnel;

@

Mandates the adoption and use of a National Universal Emergency Number:
and

f) Establishes support services to emergency medical services.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms are
defined as follows

a
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a) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) refers to a network of services
coordinated to provide aid and medical assistance from the scene to the most
appropriate and definitive health facilities, involving personnel trained in
stabilization, transportation, and treatment of trauma or medical cases in the
pre-hospital setting

b)

Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) refers to a comprehensive
system which provides the arrangement of personnel, facilities and
equipment for effective, coordinated, and timely delivery of health and safety
services to victims of sudden illness or injury in the pre-hospital setting. The
conceptual framework of the system revolves around five components and
core services of pre-hospital management, namely: Emergency Medical
Dispatch, Emergency Response and Care, Emergency Transport, Inter-
agency referral and Transport, and Command and Control

©)

Emergency Medical Dispatch involves the immediate identification and
prioritization of emergency situations, the timely dispatch of appropriate
resources, providing essential pre-arrival medical instructions and full
endorsement to the receiving hospital. Dispatch encompasses all aspects of

communication including request processing, coordination and support,
documentation and monitoring

d)

Emergency Response and Care involves the arrival of resources at the
scene and the timely initiation and provision of appropriate interventions.

e)

Emergency Transport involves transporting the patient to the most
appropriate and definitive health facility with continued provision of care and
appropriate interventions en route.

f)_ Inter-Agency Referral and Transport - Involves the transport of patient with
EMS personnel, if necessary, from one referring facility or agency to another
receiving facility or agency for definitive care, as the patient requires, in an
event that the services are not available in the referring facility

g) Command and Control involves the multifaceted supervision or medical
oversight by the EMS medical director in handling the processes of EMS
operations that may affect patient care directly through provision of orders to
an EMS personnel over the radio, by phone, or on-scene; or indirectly
through the development and promulgation of protocols, the education and
credentialing of EMS personnel, the conduction of quality improvement
activities, and the increased advocacy of appropriate EMS for the patients

h) Emergency Medical Service Personnel refers to a unique health care
personnel involved in the practice of pre-hospital care which includes
provision of medical care, systematic coordination and transportation of
patients with medical direction. They may include Medical First Responder
(MFR), Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA), Emergency Medical Technicians

(EMT), Paramedics, Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) and EMS Medical
Director.

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i) Accredited Training Institution refers to a training institution offering
training programs, courses and continuing education for EMS personnel that
meet the standards established by the EMS Council in collaboration with
physicians, Emergency Medical Technicians, nurses, and other health care
professionals, TESDA, and CHED, among others, and are duly registered in
good standing with the EMS Advisory Council

j) Emergency Medical Vehicle refers to an ambulance or other vehicles for
emergency medical care which provides, at the minimum: (i) a driver's
compartment; (ii) a patient compartment to accommodate an emergency
medical technician (EMT) and a patient so positioned that said patient can be
given intensive life-support during transit; (iii) equipment and supplies for
emergency care at the scene as well as during transport; (iv) two-way radio,
telephone or electronic communication with the primary medical services
provider, and when necessary, equipment for light rescue/extrication
procedures. The emergency medical vehicle shall be so designed and
constructed to provide the patient with safety and comfort, and avoid
aggravation of the patient's injury or illness.

CHAPTER 2
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM

SEC. 5. Emergency Dispatch. — All local government units are mandated to
establish their Dispatch Centers where constituents can call for all cases of
emergencies, with adequate and qualified personnel. The Dispatch Centers shall follow
the prescribed guidelines on dispatch protocol as determined by the DOH and the
EMSS Council

SEC. 6. National Universal Emergency Telephone Number. ~ There shall
only be one national emergency number to enable the public to access emergency
medical services. Towards this end, the National Telecommunications Commission
(NTC) shall develop a program for the institutionalization of a national emergency
number with the LGUs and officials responsible for emergency public safety, and all
other concemed government and private agencies and personnel including the
telecommunications industry (specifically including the cellular and other wireless
telecommunications service providers); the motor vehicle manufacturing industry
emergency medical service providers; emergency dispatch providers; transportation
officials; public safety, fire service and law enforcement officials; consumer groups; and
hospital emergency and trauma care personnel (including emergency physicians,
trauma surgeons and nurses)

SEC. 7. Emergency Response, Care, and Transport. — All LGUs shall ensure
the availability of adequate emergency transport vehicles or ambulances with qualified
EMS personnel. All emergency transport vehicles and the procedures to be undertaken
in responding and caring for patients shall follow the prescribed guidelines of the
Department of Health (DOH) and the EMSS Council on ambulance services and on
emergency response and care.

SEC. 8. Emergency Medical Vehicles. - The EMSS Council shall develop

minimum requirements for the design, construction, performance, equipment, testing,
and appearance of emergency vehicles. Only emergency vehicles shall be allowed to

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display the word “Ambulance” and the universally accepted “Star of Life” symbol. It shall
also provide for the operation protocols of such vehicle

SEC. 9. Inter-agency Referral and Transport. - The EMSS Council shall
establish the prescribed protocols / guidelines on inter-agency referral and transport.

CHAPTER 3
NATIONAL EMSS COUNCIL

SEC. 10. Creation of the National EMSS Council. ~ A National Emergency
Medical Services System (EMSS) Council is hereby created under the leadership of the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government
(DILG)

SEC. 11. Powers and Functions. — The EMSS Council shall have the following
powers and functions:

a) Formulate policies governing the field of emergency medical services;

b) Develop national standards for the provision of emergency medical services
to include the skills and competencies to be required for EMS professionals,
and the development of mandatory national medical treatment protocols to be
observed by EMS professionals and such other entities as it may consider
appropriate;

°)

Promulgate Code of Ethics for EMTs;

s

Develop guidelines and specifications for the design, construction, outfitting,
and operation of emergency medical vehicles and other equipment;

e)

Develop standards of operation for emergency medical support service
providers;

f) Ensure the establishment of a system of networking and coordination among
all existing government health agencies, LGUs, and private and non-
government medical institutions for the effective implementation of this Act;

g) Support research activities on EMS, technology, education and training, and

formulation of curricula and evaluation of existing courses, assessment and
examination procedures;

h

Monitor compliance by all LGUs and health facilities of the standards and
requirements set out in this Act; and

i) Perform such other acts related to the above functions.

SEC. 12. Membership of the EMSS Council. - The EMSS Council shall be
composed of the following:

a) Ex-officio members:
i) The Secretary of the DOH as Chairperson; and

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ii) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG).

b) Members to be appointed by the Secretary of the DOH upon nomination by
their respective associations:

i) One (1) nominees of a national organization representing the
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) profession duly registered with

the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and recognized by
the DOH;

ii) Four (4) nominees of Health Emergency Management Bureau
(HEMB), one (1) each from the National Capital Region, Luzon
Visayas and Mindanao;

ili) One (1) registered emergency medical practitioners representing
Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM); and

iv) One (1) representative from the Emergency Response Service of the
Philippine Red Cross (PRC)

The Council shall promulgate its rules regarding quorum and conduct of
meetings and other administrative matters.

SEC. 13. Term of Office. — Each member of the EMSS Committee shall not
serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. A term shall be for a period of two (2)
years.

SEC. 14. Meetings. -The EMSS Council shall meet at least once every quarter,
and as needed.

SEC. 15. Compensation and Remuneration. — The Secretaries of the DOH
and DILG shall perform their duties as such without compensation or remuneration,
subject to reasonable per diem allowances as approved by the Council and subject to
existing rules and regulations of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
Members thereof who are not government officials or employees shall be entitled to
necessary traveling expenses, per diem and representation allowances chargeable
against funds of the DOH, as approved by the Council, subject to existing rules and
regulations of the DBM.

CHAPTER 4
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL

SEC. 16. Creation of Positions for Emergency Medical Services Personnel.
~ There shall be created a minimum number of positions for EMS personnel especially
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) in all LGUs, hospitals, and healthcare facilities,
according to their context and needs. The annual financial requirements needed to pay
for the salaries and benefits of EMS personnel shall be included in the annual general
appropriations of the respective hospitals, agencies and local government units.

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SEC. 17. Authorized Training Institution. — Training programs, courses, and
continuing education for Emergency Medical Technician may only be conducted in an
institution that has been granted a Certificate of Program Registration (COPR) by the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in the case of
technical non-degree courses falling under TESDA jurisdiction, or a Certificate of
Accreditation as a Higher Education Institution (HEI) as well as Program Accreditation
by CHED, in the case of degree programs falling under CHED jurisdiction. The
requirements prescribed by the EMSS Council shall serve as the minimum requirement
for program registration. The DOH can provide training programs for EMTs following
the standards set by the EMSS Council

CHAPTER 5.
FINAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 18. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the DOH Secretary and the EMSS Council shall promulgate
the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of this Act

SEC. 19. Appropriations. — The Secretaries of the Departments concerned
shall include in their programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 20. Separability Clause. — If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of
this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect
invalidate or impact any other part of this Act

SEC, 21. Repealing Clause. — Any provision of laws, orders, agreements, rules

or regulations contrary to and inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 22. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved.

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