Republic of the Philippines
House Or REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 8627

Introduced by Honorable Herminia B. Roman

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish a floating general hospital designed to
function a medical treatment facility to serve the immediate medical
needs of the people affected by a natural or man-made calamity and as
transport ship to conduct medical missions in normal times.

Almost every year, our country is visited with typhoons and
earthquakes. After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Bohol and Cebu, these
provinces became inaccessible by land that many of the survivors had to be
brought to hospitals using small boats with so much difficulty.

The process was rigorous and time-consuming. If only we had a
hospital ship, the rescued victims could have been given immediate medical
attention, including surgeries and other medical procedures. We could have
saved time, resources and a lot of peoples’ lives.

After the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda which battered the
Visayas Region, many hospitals and clinics could no longer operate so
patients had to be evacuated to other areas. Tragic deaths and injuries
caused by calamities became even more lamentable because of the absence
of adequate, safe and well-equipped medical facilities which could have
been otherwise avoided if there were a hospital ship deployed in the
calamity areas.

As a response to the sad plight of disaster victims, to mitigate their
suffering, there is a need for the government to purchase at least one modern
and weil-equipped hospital ship which could be used as medical evacuation
facility during calamities, conduct emergency surgeries, and serve as storage

Bill Drafting Service


for medicines, medical equipment and supplies. During normal times,
hospital ships can also be used for medical missions in remote islands and
barangays, most of which do not even have a doctor or nurse to attend to the
medical needs of the residents. Finally, the hospital ship can enhance the
government’s health care program even in the most isolated islands.

The proposed floating general hospital shall be jointly maintained and
operated by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Coast
Guard (PCG) within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.

lees pee

HERMINIA B. ROMAN


Republic of the Philippines
House Or REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3627

Introduced by Honorable Herminia B. Roman

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A FLOATING GENERAL HOSPITAL TO BE
KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE FLOATING GENERAL HOSPITAL
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision
of the Department of Health, a floating general hospital to be known as the
Philippine Floating General Hospital (PFGH).

The Department of Health shall, in coordination with the Department
of Transportation and Communications and the Philippine Coast Guard,
provide the most moder and well-equipped ship for the PEGH.

SEC. 2. The PFGH shall have the following objectives:

a) Extend medical and surgical services to the general public,
prevent, relieve and alleviate the incurable diseases, afflictions and maladies

of the people especially the poor in faraway coastal communities;

Bill Drafting Service


b) Provide full hospital services to support the government
disaster relief and humanitarian operations in areas affected by natural or
man-made calamities;

c) Provide emergency on-site care for combatant forces deployed
in military or police operations; and

d) — Conduct a shore outreach program in local villages providing a
wide array of services to increase health and well-being which include but
are not limited to medical consultations, dental clinics, medical clinics,
community health education, HIV-AIDS intervention, and water and
sanitation projects.

SEC. 3. The Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Health
shall jointly maintain and operate the PFGH within the territorial jurisdiction
of the Republic of the Philippines. The PFGH shall have the right to dock in
any part of the Philippines where ships, vessels or boats are authorized to
dock under existing customs and maritime laws.

The medical specialists and staff of the PFGH shall provide medical
services on board the PFGH. They may also conduct medical consultations,
surgical operations and outreach mission in local hospitals or clinics within
the vicinity of the pier or harbor where the PFGH is moored.

SEC. 4. The PFGH shall be headed by a medical director who is a
duly licensed physician. The medical director shall be appointed by the

Secretary of Health.


The medical specialists, nurses, administrative personnel and other
relevant medical personnel shall also be appointed by the Secretary of
Health in accordance with the civil service rules and regulations. The
officers and crew of the hospital ship shall be filled-up by the Commandant
of the Philippine Coast Guard in accordance with its internal rules and
regulations.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of Health shall, in coordination with the
Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, be authorized to fix, or revise
the itinerary and schedule of the PFGH’s medical visits to the different
provinces, cities and municipalities throughout the country. Provinces
classified by the National Economic and Development Authority as the most
depressed, disadvantaged and underserved, shall be given top priority. The
PFGH may be rerouted from the scheduled route to localities declared as
calamity areas by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council.

SEC. 6. The PFGH may call upon any department, bureau, office,
agency or instrumentality of the government including government-owned
or -controlled corporations for such assistance as it may need in the pursuit
of its purposes and objectives.

All government entities and institutions are hereby enjoined to render
full assistance and cooperation to the PFGH in the accomplishment of its

objectives and activities.


SEC. 7. The Secretary of Health shall endeavor to negotiate and
accept donations or grants which shall be exempted from income and gift
taxes from any person, natural or juridical, domestic or foreign, for the
establishment of the PFGH and its subsequent improvement or
modernization. The Secretary of Health shall coordinate with medical
groups, domestic or foreign, for support and assistance in the form of
medical supplies and equipment and special medical missions.

The PFGH shall be exempt from the payment of all taxes, charges
and fees imposed by the government or any political subdivisions or
instrumentalities thereof.

SEC. 8. The Secretary of Health shall, in coordination with the
Secretary of Transportation and Communications and the Commandant of
the Philippine Coast Guard, issue the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9. The amount of One Billion Pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated for the establishment of the PFGH to be charged to the
current appropriations of the Office of the President. Thereafter, the amount
necessary for the continuous operation and maintenance of the PFGH shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SE

10. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,