MANILA – Public officials would be required to submit a medical certificate showing fitness to work once the bill introduced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III gets approval.
In Sotto’s Senate Bill 1818, public officials should submit their medical certificate showing their physical fitness to perform the duties and responsibilities attendant to their position, as well as laboratory test results, on or before April 30 each year.
According to Sotto, his measure aimed to raise the level of health consciousness among public officials and employees; ensure the state’s public servants are in good state of health to perform their duties and responsibilities; and promote transparency.
Public officials and employees is defined in the bill as elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including military and police personnel.
Medical certificate, on the other hand, is defined as a written statement issued by a government physician, attesting to the result of a medical examination undergone by the patient.
The yearly physical examination of public officials and employees can be done in a public or a private hospital, or a diagnostics clinic accredited by the Department of Health.
The physical exam sponsored by the government or agency conducted in partnership with a health maintenance organization is also allowed, Sotto noted in his measure./PN
