An Act to Amend Section Nine Hundred and Sixty-Seven of the Administrative Code Relative to the Philippine Health Service, and for Other Purposes

March 16, 1923

ACT NO. 3079

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATIVE TO THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Section nine hundred and sixty-seven of the Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 967. Grade of original appointments. — Except as provided in this section, no original appointment in the commissioned service shall be made above the grade of surgeon. DEIHSa

"The Department Head may however recommend the original appointment or promotion to any grade in the commissioned service of competent and well-trained physicians legally entitled to practice medicine in the Philippine Islands, and the Governor-General may, with the consent of the Senate, appoint or promote them to such grade. Persons so appointed or promoted may, in the discretion of the Department Head, be exempted from the required civil service examination ordinarily pertaining to the grade to which originally appointed, if they present documentary or other evidence demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Department Head that such persons possess special ability and fitness in medicine, surgery, and hygiene and are fully qualified to perform all the duties of the grades to which they are appointed: Provided, That the number of persons so appointed or promoted in any one grade above that of surgeon shall never exceed one-fourth of the total number of officers authorized for such grade.

"If the Director of Health finds that a necessity exists for special expert services in the commissioned service, and, with the approval of the Department Head, certifies that no physician or surgeon then in the service possesses the requisite special qualifications, an original limited appointment may be given by the Governor-General, with the consent of the Senate, for a period of four years or less, to any physician or surgeon to possessing the necessary expert qualifications. CIHAED

"The Governor-General may, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Public Instruction and with the consent of the person concerned, transfer to or appoint in the commissioned service any physician serving or who has honorably served as a commissioned officer in the Medical Department of the Philippine Constabulary or as a regular or as acting assistant surgeon in the United States Public Health Service. Active service as commissioned medical officer in the Constabulary or Philippine National Guard or as a commissioned officer of the Army, Navy, or Public Health Service of the United States shall, for the purposes of rank, pay and promotion, be credited to such physician on said transfer or appointment.

"Physicians who have received the degree of doctor of public health from a medical school approved by the Secretary of Public Instruction or who have taken special post-graduate training in any branch of medicine, surgery, or hygiene for not less than two years in a college or university approved by said Secretary, shall be admitted to the commissioned service in the grade of senior surgeon after having passed the examination now required for entrance to that grade."

SECTION 2. Any unexpended balance of the appropriation for salaries and wages or other items for the Philippine Health Service for the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, is hereby made available for the payment of any additional positions incurred under the provisions of this Act during the current year. AIHaCc

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, March 16, 1923.