REPUBLIC ACT NO.

5527
Philippine Medical
Technology Act of
1969

MTLB211 (Medical Technology

Laws and Bioethics)
Sherlyn Joy P. Isip, RMT, MSMT

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
TOPIC OUTLINE:

• R.A 5527 is summarized into three parts:

• The training: 3,4,5,6 and 13
• The practice: 7-12, 20-26 and 28-29
• The examination: 15-19 and 27
• Consist of 32 sections
 "Philippine Medical Technology Act
of 1969"

An act requiring the registration of

Medical Technologists, defining
SECTION their practice, and other purposes.
1: TITLE
Approved: June 21, 1969

Signed by: Former President

Ferdinand E. Marcos (August
14,1969)
 Medical Technology
• An auxiliary branch of laboratory
medicine which deals with the
examinations by various chemical,
SECTION 2: microscopic, bacteriologic and other
DEFINITION OF medical laboratory procedure or
techniques which will aid the physician in
TERMS the diagnosis, study and treatment of the
diseases and in the promotion of health
in general.
Pathologist
• A duly registered physician who is specially
trained in methods of laboratory medicine, or
the gross and microscopic study and
interpretation of tissues, secretion and excretions
of the human body and its functions in order to
diagnose disease, follow its course, determine the
effect of treatment, ascertain cause of death and
advance medicine by means of research.
Medical Technologist
• A person who engages in the work of medical
technology under the supervision of a
Pathologist or licensed physician authorize by
the DOH in places where there is no pathologist
and who having passed the prescribed course
(BSMT/BSH) of training and examination is
registered under the provision of this act.
Medical Technician
• A person who not being a graduate of Bachelor
of Science in Medical Technology/Bachelor of
Science in Hygiene, but having passed the
corresponding civil service examination,
performs the work of medical technology under
the supervision of a registered medical
technologist and/or qualified pathologist.

Accredited Medical Technology Training

Laboratory
• A clinical laboratory, office, agency, clinic, hospital
or sanitarium duly approved by the DOH or its
authorized agency.

Recognized School of Medical

Technology
• Any school, college, or university which offers a
course in Medical Technology approved by
Department of Education in accordance with the
requirements under this act, upon
recommendation of the council of Medical
Technology Education.
Council
• The council of Medical Technology
Education established under this act.

Board
• The Board of Examiners for Medical
Technology under this act.
SECTION 3: COUNCIL OF
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
• Chairman: Secretary of Education or Director of
Private Education
• Vice-Chairman: Director of Bureau of Research
and Laboratories of the DOH
• Members:
ü One (1) Chairman and Two (2) members of the
Board of Medical Technology
ü Dean of the Institute of Health of UP
ü A representative of the deans or heads of the
Privates schools of medical technology
ü President of PAMET (Philippine Association of
Medical Technologists)
ü President of PSP (Philippine Society of
Pathologists)
 The chairman and members of the
Council shall be entitled to a
twenty-five pesos per diem for
every meeting actually attended.

SECTION 4:
COMPENSATION
AND TRAVELING Officials receiving regular
salaries from the Government
EXPENSES OF shall not receive per diem.
COUNCIL
MEMBERS
Chairman and members shall be
entitled to traveling expenses in
connection to duties and
responsibilities
 SECTION 5: FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

To recommend To determine and To approve medical To require all medical

minimum required prescribe the number technology school technology schools to
curriculum. of students, account meeting the submit an annual
the student-instructor requirements and report, including the
ratio, and the recommended closure total number of
availability of facilities to those who found to students and
for instruction. be substandard. instructors, a list of
facilities available for
instruction, a list of
their recent graduates
and new admissions, on
or before the month of
June.
 SECTION 5: FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

To inspect and To certify for admission Formulate and To promulgate and

determine whether a into an undergraduate recommend approval of prescribe rules and
high standard of internship students refresher course for regulation of foregoing
education is who have satisfactorily applicants who shall functions.
maintained. completed three years have failed the board
of the medical examination for the
technology course or its third time.
equivalent and to
collect from said
students the amount of
five pesos each which
money accrue to the
operating fund of the
council.
SECTION 6: MINIMUM REQUIRED
COURSE
• At least 4 years Medical Technology Course
• 12 months satisfactory Internship
• Includes the following subjects:
-English -Biochemistry
-Spanish -Gross Anatomy
-Social Science -Histology
-General Zoology -Physiology
-Botany -Clinical Parasitology
-Mathematics -General Pathology
-College Physics -Microbiology
-General Chemistry -Biostatistics
-Qualitative Chemistry -Clinical Laboratory Methods
-Quantitative Chemistry (including hematology, serology, blood
banking, clinical microscopy, applied
microbiology, and parasitology,
histopathologic techniques, and cyto-
technology)
SECTION 7: • The Board of Medical Technology is
composed of:

BOARD OF ü Pathologist appointed by the President

of the Philippines

EXAMINERS OF ü (2) Two members who are registered

medical technologists appointed by
the President of the Philippines
MEDICAL • The chairman shall serve for three years,

TECHNOLOGY one member for two years and the third

member for one year.
• No member shall be allowed more than (1)
one reappointment.
• The president of the Philippines shall fill the
vacancy may occur, but appointee shall
serve only the unexpired term of the
incapacitated member.
MARILYN A. CABAL-BARZA MARIAN M. TANTINGCO VACANT
Chairman Member Member

CURRENT BOARD OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

SECTION 8: • To be a member of Board of Examiners
he/she
QUALIFICATIONS ü Is a Filipino citizen
ü Is of good moral character
OF EXAMINERS ü Is a qualified Pathologist, or duly
registered medical technologists
with a degree in BSMT/BSH
ü Has been in the practice of
laboratory medicine or medical
technology for at least (10) ten
years prior to his appointment
ü Is not a member of the faculty of
any medical technology school or
have any pecuniary interest, direct
or indirect, in such institution
SECTION 9: • The Commissioner of Civil Service
shall be the Executive Officer of the
EXECUTIVE Board and shall conduct the
examinations given by it. The
OFFICER OF Secretary of the Board Examiners
appointed in accordance with
THE BOARD Section ten of Act Numbered Four
Thousand Seven, as amended, shall
also be the Secretary of the Board.
He shall keep a register of all
persons to whom certificates of
registration have been granted.
SECTION 10:
COMPENSATION • Each member of the Board shall
receive as
OF MEMBERS OF ü P10.00 for each applicant
examined
THE BOARD OF ü P5.00 for each applicant
granted a Certificate of
EXAMINERS FOR Registration without
examination
MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY
 • Administer the provision of this act
• Administer oaths in connection with the
administration of this act

SECTION 11: • Issue, suspend and revoke certificates of

registration
FUNCTIONS • Look into conditions affecting the practice
of medical technology in the Philippines
AND DUTIES OF and, whenever necessary, adopt such
measures as may be deemed proper for
THE BOARD the maintenance of good ethics and
standards in the practice of medical
technology
• Investigation such violations of this Act or
of the rules and regulations; issued
subpoena and subpoena duces tecum
• Draft such rules and regulations as may
be necessary to carry out the provision of
this Act
SECTION 12: • Any member of the Board may be
removed by the President of the
REMOVAL OF Philippines for the ff. reasons:
1. Neglect of duty
THE BOARD 2. Incompetency
3. Malpractice or unprofessional
4. Unethical
5. Immoral or dishonorable
conduct
• Opportunity to defend himself
• The President shall have the power
to suspend and appoint a
temporary member in the place
 • Department of Education shall approve

SECTION 13: schools of medical technology in

accordance with the provisions of this Act.
The Department of Health or its
ACCREDITATION authorized agency shall upon
recommendation of the Council of Medical
OF SCHOOLS OF Technology Education approve
laboratories for accreditation as training
MEDICAL laboratories for Medical Technology
students or postgraduate trainees.
TECHNOLOGY Required fields for accreditation:
1. Bacteriology
AND OF 2. Serology
TRAINING 3. Parasitology
4. Hematology
LABORATORIES 5. Biochemistry
6. Scope of activities of said laboratory
offers sufficient training in
laboratory procedures
 • No person shall practice or offer to
practice medical technology without
previously obtaining a valid certificate
SECTION 14: of registration from the Board that
registration shall not required of the
INHIBITION following:

AGAINST THE a) Duly registered physicians

b) Medical technologist from other
PRACTICE OF countries call in consultation or
visiting or exchange professors to
MEDICAL colleges or universities:
provided, that they are only
TECHNOLOGY practicing the said function
c) Medical technologist in the
service of the United States
Armed Forces stationed in the
Philippines rendering services as
such for members of the said
forces only.
SECTION 15:
EXAMINATION
• Written examination shall be
given by the Board in the ff.
Location:
• Greater Manila Area
• Cebu
• Davao
• Examination is given during
the month of August or
September
• Written notices of such
examination shall be
published in at least (3)
three newspaper of
national circulation by the
Secretary of the Board at
least (30) days prior to the
date of examination
SECTION 16: • Every applicant for examination under this
Act, shall prior to the date thereof, furnish
the Board satisfactory proof that he or she:
QUALIFICATION a) Is in good health and is of good
moral character.
OF b) Has completed a course of at least
(4) four years leading to the
EXAMINATION c)
degrees of BSMT/BSH.
Persons having graduated from
other paramedical professions who
are performing medical technology
for the last five years prior to
enactment of this Act provided they
meet the minimum requirements
exceeding (1) one-year
undergraduate internship or
practical training.
SECTION 17: • The examination questions shall cover the
following subjects with their respective relative
SCOPE OF weights:
§ Clinical Chemistry ………………………….20%
EXAMINATION § Microbiology & Parasitology…………..20%
§ Hematology…………………………………….20%
§ Blood Banking…………………………………20%
§ Clinical Microscopy (Analysis of Urine and
Body Fluids)……………………………………10%
§ Histopathologic Techniques,
Cytotechnology, Medical Technology Laws,
Related Laws and its implementing rules,
and the code of ethics ……………………10%
Compute for the general average of the
Board Exam results:

SUBJECT SCORE WEIGHT

Clinical Chemistry 78 X .20 15.6

Microbiology and 89 X .20 17.8

Parasitology

Hematology 67 X .20 13.4

Blood Banking and 96 X .20 19.2

serology

Clinical Microscopy 76 X .10 7.6

Histopathologic 80 X .10 8.00

Techniques and MTL

TOTAL: 81.6%
**No less than 50% in the correct answers in major subjects
SECTION 17: • The Board shall prepare the schedule of
subjects for examination and to submit
SCOPE OF the same to the Commissioner of Civil
Service for publication at least four (4)
EXAMINATION months before the date of examination.
SECTION 18:
REPORTING OF
RATING
• Within 120 days
after the completion
of the examination,
report the result
thereof to the
Commissioner of
Civil Service, who
shall submit the
result to the
President of the
Philippines for
approval.
SECTION 19: • In order to pass the examination, a candidate
must obtain a general average of at least (75)
seventy-five percent in the written test, with
RATING IN THE no rating below fifty percent in any major
subjects
EXAMINATION • Provided, that the candidate has not failed in
at least sixty percent of the subjects computed
according to their relative weights.
• Failing the board exam for three times = 12
months refresher course in an accredited
medical technology school or 12-month
postgraduate training in an accredited
laboratory
• Universities offering Refresher Course
ü Centro Escolar University –Professional
and Continuing Education
ü Trinity University of Asia
SECTION 20: • All successful examinees shall be required
to take a professional oath before the
board or before any person authorized to
OATH TAKING administer oaths prior to entering upon the
practice of medical technology in the
Philippines.
SECTION 21: • Every applicant who has satisfactorily
passed the required examination for
ISSUANCE OF medical technologist shall be issued a
certificate of registration, provided
CERTIFICATE OF that no such certificate shall be issued
to any successful applicant who has
REGISTRATION not attained the age of twenty-one
(21) years old.
• All certificates must be signed by the
members of the board and attested
by its Secretary.
• The certificates must be displayed in
the workplace of the Medical
technologist.
 • Upon application filed after the approval of this
Act not later than ninety days after the Board
shall have been fully constituted, the Board shall
issue a certificate of registration without

SECTION 21: examination to persons:

– Graduated with a BSMT/BSH in duly

ISSUANCE OF recognized schools of medical technology in

the Philippines or foreign countries who

CERTIFICATE OF have been in the practice of medical

technology for at least three years at the

REGISTRATION time of the passage of this Act in

laboratories in the Philippines or in foreign
countries duly accredited by the Bureau of
Research and Laboratories, Department of
Health
– Graduated from other paramedical
professions who are already civil service
eligible by authority of the other Boards of
profession and who are actually performing
medical technology practice for the last five
years prior to the enactment of this Act.
SECTION 22: • The Board shall charge each applicant
for examination and registration the
FEES sum of fifty (50) pesos
• Twenty-five (25) pesos for each
certificate of registration issued
without prior examination
• Ten pesos (10) for issuance of a new
certificate to replace certificate lost,
destroyed or mutilated
• The Board shall charge the sum of all
such fees shall be paid to the
disbursing officer of the Civil Service
Commission who shall pay from the
receipts thereof, all authorized
expenses of the Board including the
compensation of each member.
SECTION 23: • The board shall refuse to issue a
certificate of registration to any
REFUSAL TO person with the ff. reasons:
• Convicted by the court of
ISSUE competent jurisdiction of any
guilty of immoral or
CERTIFICATE dishonorable conduct
• Incurable communicable
diseases
• Unsound mind
SECTION 24: • Revocation or suspension of Certificates
shall be conducted under administrative

ADMINISTRATIVE investigation by at least two members of

the Board and one legal officer during the
said investigation.
INVESTIGATION • Revocation – unanimous vote of all the
three members
• Reprimand or Suspension – majority vote
of the board ( but not exceeding two years
of suspension)
• If revocation or suspension is imposed by
the Board , the medical technologists is
required to surrender his license and
certificate of registration within 30 days
after the decision becomes final.
• The suspension shall run from the date of
such surrender.
SECTION 25: • The revocation or suspension of a
certificate made by the Board shall
be subject to appeal to the Civil
APPEAL Service Commissioner whose
decision shall become final thirty
(30) days after its promulgation,
unless the respondent within the
same period has appealed to the
office of the President of the
Philippines.
SECTION 26: • The Board may, upon application
and for reason deemed proper and
sufficient, reissue any revoked
REINSTATEMENT, registration certificate.

REISSUE OR • The suspension of a certificate of

registration shall be automatically
REPLACEMENT lifted upon the expiration of the
period of suspension and said
OF CERTIFICATES certificate shall be re-issued to the
medical technologist concerned
upon request.
SECTION 27: • No foreigner shall be admitted to
examination, or be given a
FOREIGN certificate of registration or be
entitled to any rights and
RECIPROCITY privileges under this Act, unless
the country or state which he is a
subject or citizen permits Filipino
Medical Technologist to practice
within its territorial limits on the
same as the subject citizen of said
country or state.
SECTION 28: • A Roster of Medical Technologists
shall be prepared annually by the
ROSTER OF Secretary of the Board.
• The roster shall contain the name,
MEDICAL address and citizenship of each
registered Medical Technologist,
TECHNOLOGIST date of registration or issuance of
certificate, and other data which
in the opinion of the Board are
pertinent.
SECTION 29: • Without prejudice to the provision
of the Medical Act of 1959 as
PENAL amended, pertaining to illegal
practice of Medicine, the following
PROVISIONS shall be punished by a fine of not
less than two thousand (2000)
pesos nor more than five
thousand (5000) pesos, or
imprisonment for not less than six
(6) months nor more than two (2)
years, or both, in the discretion of
the court.
 • Any person who shall practice Medical
Technology in the Philippines without being
registered or exempted from registration in
accordance with the provisions of the Act;
• Any medical technologist, even if duly
registered, who shall practice medical
SECTION 29: technology in the Philippines without the
necessary supervision of a qualified pathologist
PENAL or physician authorized by the Department of
Health;
PROVISIONS • Any medical technologist who shall knowingly
made a fraudulent laboratory report;
• Any duly registered medical technologist who
shall refuse or fail, after due warning by the
Board to display his certificate of registration in
the place where he works;
• Any person presenting or attempting to use as
his own, the certificate of registration of
another;
• Any person who shall give any false or
fraudulent device of any kind to the Board of
any member thereof obtaining a certificate of
registration as Medical Technologist;
 • Any person who shall impersonate any
SECTION 29: registrant of a fake or the same name;
• Any person who shall attempt to use a revoked
PENAL or suspended certificate of registration;
• Any person who shall in connection with his
PROVISIONS name otherwise, assume, use or advertise any
title or description tending to convey the
impression that he is a Medical Technologist
without holding a valid certificate of
registration;
• Any person who shall violate any provision of
this Act; or
• Any person or corporate body who shall
violate the rules and regulations of Board or
orders promulgated by it after having been duly
approved and issued by the President of the
Philippines upon recommendation of the
Commissioner of Civil Service for the purpose of
carrying out the provisions of this Act.
SECTION 30: • If any provision of this Act or the
application of such provision to any
SEPARABILITY person or circumstance is declared
invalid by a court of competent
CLAUSE jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act or
of the application of such provision to
other persons or circumstances shall not
be affected by such declaration.
SECTION 31: • All Acts, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent
REPEALING with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed: Provided, However,
CLAUSE That nothing in this Act shall be
construed as repealing or amending any
portion of the Medical Act of 1959 (R.A.
2382, as amended by R.A. 4224), the
Clinical Laboratory Act of 1966 (R.A.
4688), and the Blood Banking Law of
1956 (R.A. 1517).
SECTION 32: • This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.
EFFECTIVITY
 • "The Medical Technology Profession and
The Philippine Laws on Medical Technology"
2015 Edition by Prof. Nardito D. Moraleta
• Notes on R.A. 5527 of Prof. John Jeffrey G.
REFERENCES: Pangilinan, RMT, MSMT
• Notes on R.A. 5527 of Prof. John Kenneth
Pagdanganan, RMT
• Professional Regulations Commission for
the List of Board of Examinees