QuestionsQuestions (Act No. 3609)
Foreign physicians are prohibited from practicing medicine in the Philippine Islands unless the country of which they are citizens permits Filipino physicians to practice within that country’s territorial limits.
Act No. 3609 amends Section 772 of the Administrative Code.
It adds a proviso that no foreign physician may be admitted to examination unless the foreign physician’s country permits Filipino physicians to practice within its territorial limits.
Yes. The proviso requires that the foreign physician’s country permits Filipino physicians to practice within its territorial limits before the foreign physician may be admitted to examination.
Act No. 3609 is framed as a prohibition on practicing medicine by foreigners unless reciprocity exists; the amended Section 772 also explicitly conditions admission to examination on reciprocity.
It requires that the foreign physician’s country permits Filipino physicians to practice within that country’s territorial limits.
The foreign physician cannot be admitted to examination (per the amended Section 772), and the overall statutory policy prohibits foreign practice unless reciprocity is satisfied.
Section 2 provides that all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with Act No. 3609 are repealed.
It takes effect on its approval, as stated in Section 3.
It expresses a policy of reciprocity and imposes a legal limitation that affects the eligibility of foreigners to practice, tying eligibility to the treatment of Filipino physicians in the foreigner’s home country.
The condition precedent is that the country of which the foreign physician is a subject or citizen permits Filipino physicians to practice within its territorial limits.
The law targets both: it directly prohibits foreign practice unless reciprocity exists, and it also specifically restricts admission to examination by requiring reciprocity.
Only the foreign physician whose country permits Filipino physicians to practice within its territorial limits may be admitted to examination; the other cannot.
It implies that qualification and registration for foreign physicians are not purely based on professional competence; they are also conditioned on reciprocity concerning the rights of Filipino physicians.
It indicates that the examination requirement generally applies, but there may be special provisions elsewhere that provide exceptions; however, the proviso still sets a reciprocity requirement for admission to examination unless such special provisions apply.