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WHEREAS, there is urgent need to spread the benefits of medical science especially in the remote and isolated areas of the country;

WHEREAS, in the fulfillment of this task, the cooperation and voluntary assistance of private medical practitioners and hospitals are extremely necessary; and

WHEREAS, on their own initiative the Philippine Medical Association and the Department of Health through joint efforts have formulated a Medical Assistance Program that would fulfill the needs specified above;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a Medical Assistance Program Task Force (hereinafter referred to as “Task Force”) which shall undertake the foregoing responsibilities.

The objectives of the Task Force are:

1) Extension of medical care to all residents in an evoluntionary way within our economic means and capability as a nation;

2) Providing the people of the country a practical means of helping themselves pay for adequate medical care.

To attain the aforementioned objectives, the Task Force shall have the following functions and powers:

1) To formulate policies, administer and implement the Medical Assistance Program as jointly agreed upon by the Philippine Medical Association and Department of Health;

2) To establish the provincial, city and municipal Medical Assistance Councils;

3) To provide guidelines for and review implementation and administration of Community Health Fund schemes;

4) To set up the requisites and procedures for the registration of beneficiaries under the Medical Assistance Program;

5) To devise control measures to prevent abuses of the Plan;

6) To promulgate such supplementary rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the Medical Assistance Program;

7) To enter into contract with competent parties and to request detail of appropriate personnel from other government agencies in the performance of its functions;

8) To serve as liaison group with representatives of agencies and organizations here and abroad in the accomplishment of its functions;

9) To prepare necessary documents needed in the implementations of any or all aspects of the program of action stipulated to be formulated, such as bills for legislative action, circulars, executive orders, resolutions, memoranda, and similar documents;

10) Generally to exercise all powers necessary to attain the purposes and objectives for which the Task Force is organized.

The Medical Assistance Task Force shall be composed of:

Dr. Clemente Gatmaitan         Undersecretary of Health	Chairman
Dr. Jose Denoga         National Health Planning Committee	Member
Dr. Eliodoro Congco         Philippine Hospital Association	Member
Dr. Pedro Mayuga         Department of Health	Member
Dr. Jesus Tamesis         Philippine Medical Association	Member
Dr. Jesus Almonte         Department of Health	Member
Dr. Ricardo Alfonso         Philippine Medical Association	Member
Dr. Ulysses Carbajal         Philippine Medical Association	Member
Mr. Angel Abaya         Presidential Economic Staff	Member

The Chairman of the Task Force is hereby empowered:

1) To call upon all offices and meet with all persons involved in the work of the Task Force;

2) To request from the various government departments, bureaus and offices, as well as government-owned or controlled corporations, such administrative reports and services as may be required by the Task Force;

3) To tap public funds from existing appropriations and, whenever appropriate, from private sources for the purpose of carrying out its objectives;

4) To negotiate and establish contracts with appropriate persons and organizations in connection with provisions of staff personnel, consultants, and resource persons;

5) To manage all funds in the name of the Medical Task Force; and

6) To perform such other functions as may be necessary and expedient for the completion of the work for which the Task Force is created.

The Chairman of the Task Force shall be responsible to the Secretary of Health for the proper functioning of the Task Force.

The Secretary of Health is hereby authorized to allocate within the available funds of the Department of Health such funds as are appropriate and necessary.

All government offices and instrumentalities thereof are hereby enjoined to extend all support and cooperation to the Medical Assistance Task Force in the performance of its functions.

This Order shall take effect immediately and shall be in full force until otherwise terminated by the Philippine Medical Care Commission.

Done in the City of Manila, this 1st day of September, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-one.


By the President:

(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary