Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HousE BILL No. 6809

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

ECEIVED ”

LATE:MAY 2 6 2026

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘On March 2020, COVID-19 pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization, The
number of cases in the Philippines have also been increasing dramatically day by day and requires
thorough and immediate medical action from the State.

The increasing cases overwhelmed both private and public hospitals in the country and their
medical personnel are strained by the number of COVID-19 patients and PUIs in their facilities.
The Department of Health also called for volunteer doctors and nurses to fight against the highly
infectious disease. The lack of medical personnel in the midst of pandemic disease hinders the
‘State's capacity to combat the disease immediately and effectively.

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 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 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 proposed measure is a counterpart bill of Senate Bill No. 1451 filed by Senator Christopher
Lawrence “Bong” Go during this 18 Congress.

On behalf of the people of Parafiaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought.

if
/REPJJO¥ MYRA S. TAMBUNTIN'
i ind District, Parafiaque City

a



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House sit no, 6809

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

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.”
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 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 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.

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 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 (ONO), 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.

Sec. 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.

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 — 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 OOH 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.

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 deciaration 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
oF local contingencies related to external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and
order and/or disaster risk reduction management.


Sec, 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.

Sec. 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.

Sec, 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.

Sec. 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.

Sec. 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.

Sec. 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.

Sec, 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.


Sec. 16. School Fees. — Public colleges, universities and similar learning nstitutions covered by
Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Act, shall not collect any fee from the members of the Medical Reserve Corps in addition to the
normal fees and charges pertinent to their education and training in said colleges, universities
and other similar institutions.

‘Sec. 17. Appropriations. — The Medical Reserve Corps Fund shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 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.

Sec. 19. Penal Provisions; Failure to Respond. — 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;

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, 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.

Sec. 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 of this 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.

Sec, 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.

Sec. 23. Separability Clause. - Any provision of this Act declared unconstitutional shall not
affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

Sec. 24. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,