Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

3438

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

This bill seeks to establish the Soccsksargen General Hospital in the Municipality of
Surallah, South Cotabato to improve access to medical services and a modern health facility for
the 4.11 million Filipinos in Regional XII.

DOH-XII presently runs the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City but
most of its patients come from said City and Maguindanao province, which is part of the
‘Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This has meant that patients from most
parts of Region XII who need special medical attention are brought to Davao City instead of
Cotabato City due to distance and security concerns, effectively rendering Soccsksargen with no
regional health facility of its own

A feasibility study provided by the Provincial Health Officer and DOH Center for Healt
Development (CHD) -- XII has recommended the establishment of a separate regional health
facility for Region XIL. Economic and public health benefits are likely to proceed from the
establishment of the Soccsksargen General Hospital, according to the feasibility study. Among
the expected benefits include reduced morbidity, lower mortality and savings in terms of medicel
expenses in the region.

Article XIII, Section 11 of the Constitution 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.” 1
enjoin all my honorable colleagues from the 16" Congress to help realize this Constitutional
mandate for millions of Filipinos in Region XII with a prompt consideration and approval of this
measure.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House BLL No,_3438

Introduced by Honorable Ferdinand L. Hernandez

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE SOCCSKSARGEN GENERAL HOSPITAL IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF SURALLAH, PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SEC. 1. SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital Establishment. ~ The SOCCSKSARGEN
General Hospital in the Municipality of Surallah, Province of South Cotabato, is hereby created
to serve as the regional health facility of the Department of Health in Region XII or the
SOCCSKSARGEN area

SEC. 2. Establishment Plan. — The establishment of the SOCCSKSARGEN
General Hospital shall be carried out by the Central Office of the Department of Health in
consultation and coordination with local government officials and the Mindanao Development
Authority (MinDA),

SEC. 3. Appropriations. — The Secretary of Health shall immediately include in
the Department’s programs the operationalization of the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital,
the initial funding of which shall be charged against its current year’s appropriations, Thereafter,
the amount necessary for its continued operation shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act

SEC. 4. Supplementary Funding. — The Center for Health Development XII
Regional Director and the Chief of the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital, in coordination
with concerned local government units, shall also draw up a mechanism for sourcing
supplementary funds to augment the operations of the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital.

SEC. 5 Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in one (1) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,