Republic of the Philippines :
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL No. ASAT

Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

When the colonizers from Spain ceded the Philippines in favor of the United States
of America, upon living in the Philippines, the Americans observed that modern medicine
was not prevalent in the Philippines. Hence, in September 1,1910, the Philippine General
Hospital (PGH) was established’.

Since then, the Philippine General Hospital has become a sanctuary to the Filipino
people. Numerous Filipinos, regardless of what walk of life they belong to, walk in and
out behind the doors of PGH to seek medical advice, assistance, and services.

PGH is considered as the largest government hospital in the country. It houses
1,100 beds and 400 private beds but annually it caters to more than 600,000 patients
every year. As time passes and with it comes the growth of the population of the citizens
of the Philippines. There now arises a problem with regard to the proportionality of the
availability of services, machineries and even bed space in PGH.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, the issues relating to our health
system were highlighted. Among them, is the scarcity of available hospitals including its
machinery, workforce and as well as hospital rooms and beds.

The Constitution provides that, the state shall adopt an approach which shall
endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the
people at affordable cost.

* The College History. Available at
https://em.upm.edu.ph/p/history/#~:text=in%201910.for%20students%200f%20the%20colleae (last
accessed September 6, 2022).

? Section 11, Article Xill, 1987 Constitution



Given the situation and the rising demand for more hospital facilities, the

immediate approval of this bill is necessary.

a, ‘NESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

Assistant Majority Floor Leader
Congressman
First Congressional District of Manila



Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. AShT

AN ACT
INCREASING THE BED CAPACITY OF THE PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL
FROM ONE THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED BEDS (1,500) TO TWO THOUSAND
AND TWO HUNDRED BEDS (2,200) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.

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

SECTION 1. Bed Capacity Increase. - The authorized bed capacity of the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is hereby increased from one thousand and five
hundred (1,500) to two thousand and two hundred (2,200)

SECTION. 2. Upgrading of Facilities. - The existing hospital facilities of the
PGH, shall be upgraded and its quantity further increased. Moreover, the number of its
medical personnel including staff, nurses and doctors shall be increased.

SECTION. 3. Scope. - The increase in the bed capacity of the PGH from one
thousand and five hundred beds (1,500) to two thousand and two hundred (2,200) beds
shall be implemented within the period of six (6) months to one (1) year from the approval
of this Act,

SECTION. 4. Appropriations. — The University of the Philippines, through its
approved annual budget, shall initially provide the necessary funding to support the
increase in bed capacity of the PGH. The entire budgetary requirements of PGH for its
operation and the upgrading of its facilities and services shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act (GAA) the following year of its enactment

SECTION. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation.