Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._2817

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS
1* District, locos Norte

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the State is mandated to “protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them” (Section 15, Article II). It further provides that:

“The State shall adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development which shall
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social
services available to all the people at affordable cost. There
shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick,
elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall
endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers” (Sect. 11,
Art. XID).

Health facilities and services, in order to be beneficial to the people, must
be adequate, affordable and “accessible.” The problem with our health system is
that the major specialty hospitals, namely, the Philippine Heart Center, the
National Kidney and Transplant Institute, the Lung Center of the Philippines, the
Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the Philippine Orthopedic Center, and the
Philippine Cancer Center, are all located in the Metropolitan Manila area,
specifically in Quezon City. Most Filipino patients residing outside the capital
region, afflicted as they are with their ailments or injuries, are additionally
burdened with the additional cost of transportation and accommodation. This
sometimes insurmountable issue of distance tends to deny said patients with
quality healthcare which in effect renders illusory the constitutional guarantee of
“tight to health” of our people.

This measure aims to establish a Northern Luzon branch for these much
needed specialty hospitals.

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



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2817

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS
1* District, Ilocos Norte

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING SATELLITE SPECIALTY HOSPITALS IN NORTHERN
LUZON TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED MEDICAL CARE,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known and cited as the ‘Satellite
Specialty Hospitals for Northem Luzon Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to adopt an
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available and
adequate to the people at affordable cost. Towards this end, the State shall ensure
accessibility of medical facilities and availability of specialized health care through
the establishment of branches or satellites of government specialty hospitals for the
people in Northem Luzon.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Satellite Specialty Hospitals in Northern Luzon. —
The following satellite specialty hospitals in Norther Luzon to be located in one
center or compound in between the Municipalities of Badoc, Ilocos Norte and Sinait,
Ilocos Sur are hereby established under the supervision of the Department of Health:

(a) Philippine Heart Center
(b) National Kidney and Transplant Institute
(c) Lung Center of the Philippines

(4) Philippine Children’s Medical Center
(e) Philippine Orthopedic Center

(8) Philippine Cancer Center

(g) Other specialty hospitals

‘These satellite specialty hospitals in Northern Luzon shall be administered by
the Board of Trustees of their mother units (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”)
and shall have an initial bed capacity of five hundred (500) each.

v


SEC. 4. Purposes and Objectives. ~ The purposes and objectives of the
Satellite Specialty Hospitals in Northern Luzon are:

(a). To construct, establish, operate and maintain the Northem Luzon branches
of the specialty hospitals specified in this Act for the public welfare;

(b) To extend medical and heart, kidney, liver, pulmonary, musculoskeletal
and cancer treatment services to the general public; to help prevent, relieve or
alleviate the heart, kidney, liver, pulmonary and cancer afflictions and maladies of
the people especially the poor and less fortunate in life, without regard to race, creed,
color or political belief;

(©) To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical
technicians, health officers and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct
and implementation of heart, kidney, liver, pulmonary, musculoskeletal and cancer
treatment services, and related activities;

(d) To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention
of heart, kidney, liver, pulmonary, musculoskeletal and cancer diseases and the care
and/or treatment of such diseases and related activities, including sponsorship and
conduct of relevant congresses, conventions, seminars, and conferences;

(©) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological,
demographic, social, economic, eugenic, physiological aspects of heart, kidney, liver,
pulmonary, musculoskeletal disorders and abnormalities and cancer and its control,
and gather, compile, and publish the findings of such researches for public
dissemination;

(f) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and
information on the prevention, treatment and control of heart, kidney, liver,
pulmonary, musculoskeletal diseases and cancer; to arouse, enhance, and develop
public interest on such diseases and arouse consciousness or awareness on general
health and physical fitness;

(g) To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in their studies of
heart, kidney, liver, pulmonary, musculoskeletal anomalies and cancer; to encourage
advanced training on matters of, or affecting the heart, kidney, liver, lungs,
musculoskeletal system and cancer, and related fields and to support educational
programs of value to general health; and

(h) To encourage the formation of other organizations on the national,
provincial, city, municipal or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts
and activities for the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic approach
on the common problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated.


SEC. 5. Medical Director. — The branches of specialty hospitals under this
Act shall each be headed by a Medical Director who shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Board.

The Medical Director shall exercise the following powers and functions:

(a) Execute the policies, guidelines and programs approved by the Board, and
be responsible for the efficient discharge of management and operational functions;

(6) Submit for the consideration and approval of the Board proposed
measures, policies, guidelines and programs as may be deemed necessary or proper
for the effective implementation of the purposes and objectives of this Act;

(©) Direct and supervise the management, operation and administration of the
respective branch of specialty hospital under his jurisdiction, and may delegate this
power and any or some of his administrative responsibilities and duties to the other
officers of the hospitals;

(a) Execute, on behalf of the Board, all contracts and agreement which the
latter may enter into, and to execute, accomplish and deliver any and all documents
relative to such contracts and agreements;

(©) Represent the specialty hospital branch, on behalf of the Board, in all
dealings with other offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the government, and all
other persons or entities, whether domestic or foreign and whether government or
private;

(f) Recommend to the Board the appointment, promotion, transfer, dismissal,
and suspension of the officers and employees of the hospitals; and

(g) Exercise such other powers and perform such duties as may be vested or
reposed by the Board.

SEC. 6. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. - The Board shall
determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the branches of
specialty hospitals established under this Act, subject to the evaluation by the Civil
Service Commission and of the Organization, Position Classification and
Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and Management.

SEC. 7. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. ~ All existing tax exemptions and
privileges of the Philippine Heart Center, the National Kidney and Transplant
Institute, the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Philippine Children’s Medical
Center and the Philippine Cancer Center shall be applicable to their Northern
Luzon branches.

SEC. 8 Appropriations. — The amount of Five Billion Pesos (Php
5,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as contribution of the national government
for the initial establishment, operations, and maintenance of the Northern Luzon

4


specialty hospitals, for the year 2023. Thereafter, the amount necessary to ensure the
continued operations and maintenance of the Northem Luzon specialty hospitals
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9. Annual Report. ~ Each specialty hospital in Northern Luzon shall
submit to their respective mother units, the Department of Health, the President of
the Philippines, and the Congress of the Philippines annual reports of its activities,
accomplishments, and recommendations.

SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Secretary of the
Department of Health, in consultation with the Medical Director or Chief of Hospital
of the respective mother unit of the specialty hospital shall issue such rules,
regulations, and other issuances as may be necessary to ensure the effective
implementation of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full

force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,