Policy and constitutional basis
- The Act is anchored on Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, protecting and promoting the people’s right to health and instilling health consciousness (Section 2).
- The State must ensure that able-bodied citizens are equipped with necessary knowledge and basic skills to respond to certain health emergencies (Section 2).
Mandatory basic life support training
- All public and private basic education schools operating nationwide must provide students with basic life support training (Section 3).
- Schools must deliver the training through psychomotor training in an age-appropriate manner (Section 3).
- The instruction must include programs developed by the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) or the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) using nationally-recognized, evidence-based guidelines for emergency cardiovascular care, together with psychomotor training (Section 3).
- As far as practicable, schools must incorporate basic life support training as part of the schools’ comprehensive health and physical education curriculum (Section 3).
- Psychomotor training is defined as hands-on practice to support cognitive learning (Section 3).
Student certification requirement
- Successful student-trainees must be certified to have undergone the required training by a competent school authority (Section 4).
Training coordination and accreditation
- School principals or administrators must coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) for assistance in providing competent instructors for the school’s basic life support education training program (Section 5).
- The DOH must accredit nongovernment organizations (NGOs) competent to provide basic life support instruction (Section 5).
Exemptions for disability
- Students suffering from any physical or mental disability that may render them unable to perform a basic life support procedure are exempted from undergoing the basic life support training program (Section 6).
Appropriations and funding
- The amount necessary to carry out the Act must be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the Department of the implementing agencies (Section 7).
- After that, the amount necessary for continued implementation must be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (Section 7).
Implementing rules and effectivity
- Within ninety (90) days from the approval of the Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, must formulate the implementing rules and regulations (Section 8).
- The implementing rules and regulations take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in a national newspaper of general circulation (Section 8).
- The Act itself takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation (Section 9).