QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11509)
The law’s short title is the “Doktor Para sa Bayan Act.” It declares State policies to protect and promote the people’s right to health by strengthening the generation, recruitment, retraining, regulation, retention, and reassessment of the health workforce, and to promote social justice by expanding access to quality education. It establishes a medical scholarship and return service to ensure availability of doctors, especially in underserved, remote, conflict-affected, and geographically disadvantaged areas.
RA 11509 establishes the MSRS Program for deserving students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) or in partner private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in regions where there are no SUCs offering a medical course. CHED may designate multiple partner HEIs in a region, including regions that already have SUCs offering Doctor of Medicine programs, upon consultation with DOH.
Its purpose is to integrate scholars into the public health and medical service system so they will render services in government public health offices or government hospitals in their hometown (or, if not available, the home province/closest underserved municipality) to help ensure doctors are available in every municipality, especially underserved areas.
The scholarship financial assistance includes: (a) free tuition and other school fees; (b) allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment; (c) clothing/uniform allowance; (d) dormitory/boarding house allowance; (e) transportation allowance; (f) internship fees including financial assistance during mandatory internship; (g) medical board review fees; (h) license fees; (i) annual medical insurance; and (j) other education-related miscellaneous subsistence/living allowances.
An applicant must: (a) be a Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines; (b) be a graduating student or graduate of an appropriate undergraduate prerequisite program for Doctor of Medicine, including an INTARMED direct entrant who satisfactorily completes the first two years; deserving incoming 2nd year and higher year level students are covered if they complied with academic requirements and retention policies in prior terms; (c) have passed the entrance examination and complied with other admission requirements of the SUC/PHEI, CHED, and DOH; and (d) have obtained an NMAT score mandated by CHED and required by the SUC/PHEI.
They must: (a) sign CHED/DOH-prescribed agreement; (b) carry the full required load and not drop a course causing underloading; (c) complete the entire Doctor of Medicine program within the school’s prescribed time subject to retention policies, with possible deferral/leave for valid reasons; (d) undertake mandatory internship in the school’s base hospital (or, if unavailable, in a DOH-accredited public health facility/hospital or accredited government health facility, subject to internship accreditation requirements); (e) take the board examination within one year after completing mandatory internship; and (f) render return of service under Section 8.
The scholar must shoulder all necessary expenses for succeeding professional licensure examinations (i.e., after failing to pass the PLE within the maximum one-year period after completing mandatory internship and academic requirements).
The scholarship terminates and the scholar must repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits incurred if: (a) the scholar accepts another scholarship from any other government/private agency while enjoying RA 11509 benefits; (b) the scholar fails academic requirements or fails to complete within the prescribed period without valid cause (including willful neglect, absence without notice, or other controlled causes); (c) the scholar fails to obtain a passing grade in the PLE within five years from completing mandatory internship, with an option to opt for alternative return service instead of full repayment; and (d) while a scholar, commits gross misconduct causing significant damage to the SUC/PHEI or the community.
If scholarship termination is due to Section 7(b) or 7(c), the scholar may opt to engage in work within the public health service system (e.g., health-related research for government or teaching health-related subjects in a public educational institution) or be integrated into the public health service system for a period prorated to the number of years of mandatory return service. This alternative excludes the period of mandatory internship and residency training undertaken in a private health institution or facility.
After passing the PLE and receiving the license, the scholar is integrated into the public health/medical service system and must serve for at least one (1) year for every scholarship year availed. Additionally, the return service must be rendered within six years for those who availed of a four-year Doctor of Medicine program, or within seven years for those who availed of a five-year program.
The scholar serves in a government public health office, government hospital, or accredited government health facility in the scholar’s hometown; if absent, in any municipality within the home province; or in any underserved municipality closest to the hometown prioritized by DOH. Scholars from municipalities with no government physicians serve in their hometown. If a scholar assumed a slot intended for another municipality resident who qualified under RA 11509, the scholar renders return service in the municipality where the slot was originally intended. The scholar is only required to serve in that municipality if no threat to the scholar’s life is present.
It provides that during times of pandemic or public health emergency, DOH may require scholars to serve in any public health office or government hospital where services are needed.
A physician who fails or refuses to comply must pay two (2) times the full cost of scholarship including other benefits and expenses incurred due to participation. If there is nonpayment, PRC shall deny the renewal of the physician’s license. However, penalties do not apply if failure to comply is due to severe or serious illness.
CHED: handles recruitment/information dissemination, curriculum standards, continuous training in coordination with DOH, coordination for scholar integration, issuance of implementing policies, quality control strategies, tracking/monitoring systems, fund release monitoring, and recommendations to DBM. DOH: determines physician workforce needs/distribution every five years, ensures Level III hospitals per region, integrates and monitors scholars during return service, assists recruitment/info dissemination, crafts career pathways, coordinates LGUs integration, and recommends plantilla position creation. SUCs/PHEIs: monitor scholars academically, ensure timely release/distribution of allowances, submit annual reports and tracer studies, assist CHED recruitment, recommend improvements, and recommend budgets to DBM. LGUs: create support/safety mechanisms, coordinate to determine community health needs and support research, provide counterpart funding when practicable, provide other assistance, recommend strategies, conduct local information drives, support legal enforcement, and help ensure completion of the program.
DBM, DOH, and applicable LGUs must ensure that scholars required to render return service under RA 11509 are appointed to appropriate plantilla positions commensurate to merit and fitness. DOH also recommends creation of plantilla positions with salary grades commensurate to educational achievement, training, and qualifications.