Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING THE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Medical Association, in 2016, reported that there is a 
shortage of doctors in the country, with only 70,000 who are active in the 
profession while there are supposedly 130,000 licensed physicians in the 
country1. Some have actually turned to nursing and work as nurses overseas. 
As of April 2020, data shows that there were only ten doctors per 10,000 
population in the National Capital Region of the Philippines while there were 
only 0.8 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants in the Bangsamoro Autonomous 
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).2 
This scarcity of medical professionals serves as a daunting reminder of 
our health services capacity amid threats of outbreaks and public health 
crises. With the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continuing to persist in areas 
in the country, our medical professionals are challenged to increase human 
resources while still maintaining competence in delivering public health 
services. 
This bill seeks to promote the role of medical and health-related 
personnel in nation-building, and to encourage their involvement in public 
and civic affairs. 
1 Sandoval, Elma. 2016. “Doctor Shortage in the Philippines”. Mims Today. https://today.mims.com/doctor-
shortage-in-the-philippines--an-analysis (Accessed 20 July 2020) 
2 Sanchez, Martha Jean. 2020. “Number of doctors per 10,000 population in the Philippines 2020 per region. 
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1122063/philippines-number-of-doctors-by-region/ (Accessed 20 July 2020) 
August 1, 2022
8:10 am
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This bill aims to establish the Medical Reserve Corps, which shall be 
composed of all persons who have degrees in the field of medicine, nursing, 
medical technology, and other health-related fields but have yet to have their 
respective licenses to practice. The members of the Medical Reserve Corps 
may be called upon to assist the national government and the local 
government units in addressing the medical needs of the public in times of 
state of emergencies. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
 
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
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: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Medical Reserve 
Corps Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared 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 beyond the capabilities of existing
national government agencies or local government units.
SECTION 3. Medical Reserve Corps. – There is hereby established a Medical 
Reserve Corps which shall be composed of all persons who have degrees in 
the field of medicine, nursing, medical technology, and other health-related 
fields but have yet to have their respective licenses to practice for reasons 
such as but not limited to not having taken and/or passed the licensure 
examinations in their respective professions. 
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SECTION 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 the local government units in their 
functions related to addressing the medical needs of the public. 
 
The mobilization shall be initiated by the Secretary of Department of Health 
(DOH), in coordination with the Secretaries of the Department of National 
Defense (DND), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of 
Interior 
and 
Local 
Government 
(DILG), 
or 
their 
duly 
authorized 
representatives with a rank of at least Undersecretary. 
 
From time to time as manpower and training resources may allow during the 
period of national emergencies and other contingencies, the Medical Reserve 
Corps may be called for retraining to maintain and enhance its level of 
competency and readiness for mobilization. 
 
SECTION 5. Annual Reports. – The DOH shall regularly publish an annual 
report containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, 
number and demography of the Medical Reserve Corps, assessment of 
readiness for mobilization and the incidence and details of each mobilization 
for the year concerned. The annual report shall also include the results of the 
audit investigation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected or 
advanced for the implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 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. 
 
 
SECTION 7. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment. – The DOH shall 
evaluate the requests for deployment. When the number of personnel 
requested does not exceed one hundred and fifty (150) and the period of 
deployment does not exceed sixty (60) days, the DOH shall decide whether to 
approve or disapprove the request within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt 
thereof. When the number of personnel requested exceeds one hundred and 
fifty (150) or the period of deployment exceeds sixty (60) days, the DOH shall 
make a recommendation to the Office of the President (OP) within twenty-four 
(24) hours from receipt of the request. The OP shall decide whether to approve 
or disapprove the request within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the 
recommendation of the DOH. 


 
In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the DOH shall issue an 
Order of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, to assist the 
national government, its agencies and instrumentalities and the local 
government units in their functions related to addressing the health-related 
needs of the public. 
 
SECTION 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 war, state of lawless 
violence or state of calamity, the DOH may motu proprio recommend the 
mobilization of the Corps to the President of the Philippines. The President of 
the Philippines, by himself, shall also have the power to order the mobilization 
of the Corps to respond to national or local contingencies related to external 
and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order and/or disaster 
risk reduction management. 
 
SECTION 9. Mobilization Centers. – There shall be established in each 
province and city as many mobilization centers as needed according to the 
number and geographical distribution of the Corps, where they will report in 
case of deployment. 
 
In case of mobilization, the equipment 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. 
 
SECTION 10. Expenses of Deployment. – Upon deployment, the national 
government agency or the local government unit to which the Corps is 
deployed shall shoulder the operational expenses of deployment. 
 
SECTION 11. Operationalization of Deployment. – The DOH 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. 
 
SECTION 12. Serial Numbers and Registry. – Upon completion of their 
respective degrees, the graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, 
which will serve as their identification In case of deployment. 
 
The DOH shall maintain and update a registry/database containing the 
names of the members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact 
details and such other information as the DOH may determine, in accordance 
with any applicable privacy laws. For this purpose, all public and private 
colleges, universities and learning institutions are hereby mandated to 
annually transmit their records of the graduates covered under this Act to the 
DOH, in the form as may be determined by the DOH. 
 
All graduates covered under this Act are required to update their addresses 


and contact details on file with the DOH as often as necessary. Orders of 
deployment sent to the addresses and/or through the contact details on file 
with the DOH shall be sufficient notice for purposes of deployment. 
 
SECTION 13. 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. 
 
SECTION 14. 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 be entitled to their regular wage 
or salary during the period of their deployment. 
 
SECTION 15. Medical Reserve Corps Fund. – A Medical Reserve Corps Fund 
is hereby established exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and 
purposes of this Act. The Office of the President shall monitor and evaluate 
the activities and the balances of the Fund. 
 
SECTION 16. School Fees. – Public colleges, universities and similar learning 
institutions covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the 
Universal 30 Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, shall not collect any 
fee from the members 31 of the Medical Reserve Corps in addition to the 
normal fees and charges pertinent to 32 their education and training in said 
colleges, universities and other similar institutions. 
 
SECTION 17. Appropriations. – The Medical Reserve Corps Fund shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 18. Audit of Funds. – Audit of any and all funds used through the 
implementation of this Act shall be in accordance with the audit jurisdiction 
of the Commission on Audit, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the 
Department of Health, under existing laws and regulations. 
 
SECTION 19. Penal 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: 
 
i. 
First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community 
service;  
 
ii. 
Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of 


community service; and 
 
iii. 
Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment 
and four hundred and eighty (480) hours of community service. 
 
SECTION 20. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. – Administrative 
offenses committed by persons involved in or in relation to the implementation 
of this Act, shall be subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the 
applicable civil service rules or the rules and regulations of the Professional 
Regulation Commission, as the case may be. 
 
SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The DOH shall 
be tasked to formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations to 
implement the objectives and purposes ofthis Act within thirty (30) days from 
its effectivity. 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. 
 
SECTION 22. 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. 
 
SECTION 23. Separability Clause. – Any provision of this Act declared 
unconstitutional shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof. 
 
SECTION 24. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation. 
 
Approved,