Rules of The General Assembly of The Philippine Medical Association
Rules of The General Assembly of The Philippine Medical Association
OF THE
RULE 1
Section 1. As provided for by the By Laws, the General Assembly is a body that shall
discharge the powers and functions of the members of the association in all instances where
the vote, action or ratification by the members may be exercised by a representative body as
provided by law.
a) To ratify, through the personal and proxy vote of the delegates of the General Assembly
representing two-thirds (2/3) vote of the General Membership of the association the amendments
to the constitution, as approved by a majority vote of the board of governors.
b) To ratify through the personal and proxy votes of the delegates to the general assembly
representing two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general membership of the association, the amendments to
the By-Laws, as approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board of governors.
c) To ratify or not the removal of any member of the board-of governors and the national
officers, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates of the general assembly, present.
d) To review and ratify the proposed annual budget as recommended by the board of
governors, by a majority of the delegates present in the general assembly,
e) To review the acts and ratify the resolutions of the National Officers and Board of
Governors.
g) To act as a representative body of the association and vote on all matters in which the
corporation code of the Philippines requires the votes or written assent of the members of the
association'
h) To perform such other functions as provided for, by the By-Laws of the association.
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RULE 2
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. These rules shall be known as the Rules of the General Assembly of the
Philippine Medical Association.
Section 2. These rules shall govern the conduct of the proceedings, the duties and powers of the
officers, the registration of members, the rights and privileges of members and decorum in the General
Assembly. These rules shall govern, as far as practicable, the proceedings of the Constitutional
Convention.
Section 3. These rules shall be liberally construed in order to promote their objective of
providing the representatives of the members of the Philippine Medical Association the right to air
their views on matters affecting the association. ln as much as the association is a non stock,
non-profit corporation established in accordance with the Corporation Code and duly registered
with the Securities Exchange Commission, these rules must be interpreted in pursuant to the
Constitution and By-Laws of the association and the provisions of the Corporation Code, other
applicable laws, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other
similar government bodies or any changes thereof.
RULE 3
Section 1. The Board of Governors shall appoint a Committee composed of five (5) persons
to undertake the preparation of the General Assembly, The Committee shall elect from among
themselves the Head of the Committee. lf the Board of Governor fails to appoint a committee, the
Officers of the General Assembly elected at the immediately preceding assembly shall compose
the committee that shall undertake the preparation of the General Assembly.
The Committee shall send all the agenda materials to the members of the General
Assembly at least sixty (60) days before the meeting of the General Assembly.
Section 2. The General Assembly shall convene in a regular meeting on any day during the
annual convention of the Philippine Medical Association. A special meeting of the General
Assembly may be held upon a written petition signed by at least fifteen (15) presidents of the
component societies and/or specialty divisions or by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of
Governors. No special session of the General Assembly can be called within two months before or
after the holding of a regular or special meeting. Only two special meetings may be called in a
given fiscal year of the association.
Section 3. The written petition for the holding of special meeting of the General Assembly
shall be filed with the Secretary-General at least two months before the suggested date of the
meeting. All special meetings shall be held at the Principal office of the association. No special
meeting can be called if majority of the members of the General Assembly sign a written petition
objecting to the holding of such special meeting.
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RULE 4
a. The national officers such as the President, Vice-President, Secretary 6eneral and
the National Treasurer.
b. Members of the Board of Governors.
c. Presidents and/or representatives of component societies and the specialty divisions subject
to the succeeding sections hereunder stated.
Only members in good standing may be members of the General Assembly. ln addition, only
members entitled to vote and be voted for, pursuant to the Election Code of the Philippine
Medical Association shall be members of the General Assembly. The Committee created by the
Board of Governors, together with the Secretary General shall determine who the members in
good standing are and who may attend the General Assembly.
Section 2. lf a component society has less than one thousand (1000) members, the President
shall automatically be the representative of such component society. lf the President of the
component society shall be unable to attend or if he or she cannot represent the component
society due to the provisions of the Constitution, By-Laws and the Election Code or these rules,
the Vice-President or any elected officer of the society or an alternate delegate duly elected shall
take his place. Any President of the component society who is unable to attend shall notify in
writing the Secretary General of his inability to attend the Genera! Assembly and shall name the
alternate delegate.
Section 3. lf a component society has more than one thousand (1000) members, such
society is entitled to an additional one delegate for every five hundred (500) members in excess
of the one thousand (1000) members. Such additional delegates shall be elected by the members of
such component society.
Section 4. The President of a specialty division shall represent such specialty division in the
General Assembly. If the President of such specialty division is unable to attend or if he or she
cannot represent the specialty division due the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws, the
Election Code of these rules, he or she must notify in writing the Secretary General of his
inability to attend and shall name the alternate delegate, who must be an elected officer of such
specialty division.
RULE 5
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Section 2. The Chairman shall be the presiding officer of the General Assembly. He shall have
the power of ruling, questions of order and recognizing the members who will speak on a given
issue.
Section 3. The Vice Chairman shall take over the functions of the Chairman in the event
of the absence, resignation, incapacity, removal or death of the latter or when the latter
temporarily gives up his seat to speak on an issue.
Section 4. The Secretary shall record the proceedings of the General Assembly and shall
certify, together with the Chairman the minutes of the meeting.
Section 5. The Floor Leader shall steer the deliberations of the Assembly. With the
approval of the presiding officer, he shall have the power of recognizing any person who wishes to
speak on a given issue.
Section 6. the Sergeant at Arms shall act as the Security officer of the assembly and shall
maintain order and sobriety in the General Assembly. He shall have the power to remove any
person from the assembly when the penalty of being out of order is removal from the assembly.
RULE 6
AGENDA
Section 1. The Committee appointed by the Board of Governors, or the officers of the last
general assembly if no committee is appointed, shall prepare the agenda for the general
assembly.
RULE 7
REGISTRATION
Section 1. All members must present their credentials and register before the committee. All
members shall be issued a badge or an ID which shall be worn by the members before they can be
admitted to the Assembly. The Badge or lD shall be signed by any member of the committee.
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Section 2.All members shall sign a Registry Book to be prepared by the Committee.
RULE 8
SEATING ARRANGEMENTS
Section 1. A presidential table shall be provided for during the Assembly. The President, the Vice
President, the National Treasurer, Secretary General, Chairman, the Vice Chairman, the Secretary,
the Floor Leader and the Sergeant at Arms shall occupy the presidential table. The President and
the Chairman shall occupy the Center portion of the Presidential Table.
Section 2. The front row seats of the Assembly shall be occupied by the other members of the
Board of Governors and the Presidents of the Specialty Divisions.
RULE 9
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The Chairman of the last General Assembly or in his absence, the other officers
in descending order namely the Vice Chairman, the Secretary, the Floor Leader and the sergeant
at Arms, shall call the meeting to order. ln the absence of the above officers, the President of the
association or in his absence, any member of the Board of Governors shall call the meeting to
order.
Section 2. The Secretary of the last General Assembly, or on his or her absence, any
member of the Committee, shall call the names of the members and subsequently inform the
presiding Officer if the General Assembly has a quorum. The majority of the members of the
General Assembly shall constitute the quorum.
RULE 10
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The election of officers of the Assembly shall be supervised by the Chairman of
the Commission on Elections or in his absence, any of the members thereof. lf none are available,
any member selected by the Assembly shall supervise the elections of officers of the Assembly.
Any ruling of such person regarding the conduct of the elections can only be overturned by 2/3
votes of the members present in the General Assembly. Such person shall not be allowed to vote
nor shall he be eligible for candidacy in the election of officers.
Section 2. The officers shall be elected by the Assembly by way of nomination and by a
plurality vote. When a vote is a tie, the same shall be resolved by toss of a coin.
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Section 3. The members, upon a two thirds {2/3) vote may remove from office any officer of
the General Assembly
Section 5. No member shall distribute campaign materials within or without the assembly. A
member who violates this provision shall not be eligible for election.
RULE 11
Section 1. The President and the National Treasurer or in their absence, the Secretary General
shall be given the privilege of making a report to the Assembly.
Section 2. No approval of the reports of the officers is necessary. Any question or matters in
the reports of the Presidents or the National Treasurer shall be made during the other matters
portion of the agenda.
RULE 12
BUDGET
Section 1. The Proposed Budget shall be presented and defended before the General
Assembly by the Chairman of the committee on Finance or in his absence, any member thereof. If
none of the members is available, the National Treasurer shall present and defend the Budget.
Section 2. No additional expenses shall be inserted nor shall any item in the Budget be
increased unless the Committee on Finance shall approve such insertion.
RULE 13
Section 1. Any motion to determine the sites and the dates of the annual convention shall be
made by the President or alternate delegate of the component society where the proposed site of the
annual convention is to be held, except when the annual convention is held in Metro Manila.
Section 2. Two months before the General Assembly, the President of such component society
shall submit a proposal to the Secretary General of the intention to move for the holding of the annual
convention. The proposal must include matters such as, but not limited to, the actual site where the
annual convention is to be held, the capacity and capability of the actual site to hold the annual
convention, the opinion of the regional council, the security situation, viability and ease of
transportation, housing needs of the members and attendees and list with signatures of the majority of
the members in good standing of such component society approving such holding of the annual
convention.
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Section 3. After the motion to hold the site and dates of the annual convention is presented on
the floor, the Secretary General or any member of the Board of Governors shall present the opinion of
the Board of Governors. After the opinion of the Board of Governors is presented, the motion shall be
discussed and debated by the Assembly before voting can be held. If the motion is defeated or no
motion is presented for the sites and dates of the annual convention, it is understood that the Board of
Governors shall select such sites and states. Nothing herein shall prevent the Board of Governors from
transferring the sites and dates of the annual convention in emergency cases.
RULE 14
DECORUM
Section 1. all members must attend the General Assembly wearing formal or semi-formal
attire. No member shall be allowed in the meeting wearing slippers, sneakers, sandos, sleeveless t-
shirts, hats or shorts.
Section 2. No member shall speak unless recognized by the Chairman or the Floor Leader.
After being recognized, the member shall address the Chair by stating; "Mr. Chairman"' The
member must then identify himself and state the component society or specialty division he
represents unless he has previously spoken and identified himself.
Section 3. A member wanting to be recognized shall silently raise his hand. The member
shall be introduced by the Floor Leader and the Floor Leader shall recommend to the Chairman
that such member be recognized. The member shall only speak or go to the microphone {or other
similar equipment) when his name is called by the presiding officer permitting him to speak for
only two minutes. No member, unless he is the proponent of a motion shall be allowed to speak
twice, first during his proposing of the motion and lastly, just before the voting on his motion,
Section4. At no time shall a member shout or raise his voice, throw things, hurl invectives/nor
engage in personalities. A member wanting to refer to another shall always address such
member his official title or if the referred member has no official title, he should be referred to as
Doctor ____________.
Section 5. To afford others a chance to speak, no member shall be allowed to speak for more
than two (2) minutes.
Section 6. Unless the issue involves the amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws, only at
most, three members on each side (pro and contra) shall be allowed to speak.
Section 7. A member who is ruled out of order by the chairman shall either appeal the
ruling of the Chairman to the Assembly or take his seat.
Section 8. Any member who is declared out of order, violates any of these rules, the
Constitution, By-laws or Codes of the Association may be penalized by either reprimand or removal
from the Assembly. A 2/3 vote of the members shall be necessary for the penalty of removal from
the assembly.
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RULE 15
MOTIONS
Section 1. A member wanting to propose or introduce any subject matter to the assembly
must do so through a motion. A motion (except point of order, point of clarification/information,
withdraw a pending motion and to determine a quorum), needs to be promptly seconded, if not,
the motion is dead and no discussion or voting shall be held on such motion.
Section 2. For the convenience of the members, the following motions shall be allowed,
in their order of preference.
The consideration of the above motions shall be in descending order of preference. Hence, a
motion to take recess shall be considered by the Assembly, before other motions, or a Motion to
suspend the Rules shall be considered before a motion for recommendation.
Section 3. The following motions shall be approved on a two thirds {2/3) vote:
a. Motion to not to discuss and consider any pending subject matter or pending motion
b. Motion to suspend the rules
c. Motion for reconsideration
Section 5. The following motions shall be considered by the Assembly even without a second:
a. Motion to take a recess
b. Motion to determine quorum
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At any time when there is no quorum, the only official act that shall be done shall be to
adjourn the meeting.
Section 6. Points of clarification are motions wherein a member seeks for disclosure of a fact
either from the Presiding Officer, a proponent of a motion or any member of the Assembly, and
points of information are motions wherein a member volunteers or discloses some facts. These
motions require no voting.
Section 7. A motion to withdraw a pending motion shall only be raised by the proponent
of the motion. A motion which has been withdrawn shall not be discussed, considered nor voted by
the Assembly unless reintroduced.
Section 8. A motion for reconsideration shall only be raised by a member who originally
voted for the motion.
RULE 16
VOTING
Section 1. Voting for motions shall be thru members standing up to be counted, Before
every voting, the Chairman shall state the motion and say; "All those in favor of the motion,
please stand up"' The Chairman assisted by the Secretary shall count the votes. The Chairman
shall announce the results of the voting by stating the number of votes cast in favor and against,
after which, he shall declare either "the motion is adopted" or "The motion is defeated".
Without objection from the members, the Chairman may elect to have the vote on the
basis of acclamation. ln this type of voting, the Chairman shall state the motion, after which, he
will say, "All those in favor of the motion please say Yes” and "All those against say No". If the
votes are more or less equal or uncertain or upon motion of a member, the voting shall be held
anew under the first paragraph of this section.
Unless required by the Corporation Code and any other related laws, the By Laws and rules
and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a plurality vote shall be sufficient.
Section 2. The Chairman shall not vote except in case of a tie or when his vote is needed to make
a tie. The Chairman shall not be required to vote.
Section 4. When a motion is made and duly seconded and no member registers a timely
objection, the motion is approved. The Chairman shall give sufficient time to the members to
register an objection. lf there is an objection, discussions may follow. Then a vote shall be held on
the motion.
Section 5. The two thirds (2/3) vote mentioned in other provisions of these Rules shall mean two
thirds (2/3) vote of the members present except amendments to these rules. The two thirds
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(2/3) vote requirement in amendments to these rules shall mean two thirds (2/3) of the entire
membership of the Assembly.
Section 6. When a principal motion is being debated or discussed, no other motion shall
be entertained.
Section 7. Any ruling of the Chairman may be overturned by a majority vote of the members
present.
RULE 17
PROXY VOTING
Section 1. Proxy voting shall not be allowed except on matters requiring the vote of the
members of the Association as required by the Corporation Code.
Section 3. The proxy certificate shall be in writing and submitted to the secretary General
or the Committee created to undertake the preparation of the General Assembly. The proxy
certificate must bear the name of the signatory, the name of the designated proxy, the name of
the component society and the date of the proxy is signed, otherwise the proxy certificate is null
and void. A proxy Certificate shall become null and void if the signatory of the proxy certificates is
personally present before the start of the General Assembly. Unless otherwise stipulated, the proxy
certificate shall be valid for two (2) years. However no proxy shall be valid for more than five years.
RULE 18
Section 1. Upon approval of the Chairman, the Heads or members of the Commissions or
Committees, the Legal Counsel and the External Auditor of the Association may speak in the
Assembly. They shall only speak on matters related to their office or expertise.
RULE 19
Section 1. These Rules maybe amended upon the approval of two thirds (2/3) vote of the
members of the General Assembly.
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INTRODUCED T0 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN MAY 2012 AND APPROVED AND ADOPTED on May 15,
2013 during the PMA General Assembly, Maynila Ballroom, Manila Hotel, 1 Rizal Avenue, Manila.
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