SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
S. B. No. 2915 
'15 
AUG 25 P 4 :16 
HEl'EIVED BY:-(f~ 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE SOUTHERN ISABELA GENERAL 
HOSPITAL IN SANTIAGO CITY, PROVINCE OF ISABELA 
INTO A TERTIARY GENERAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS 
THE SOUTHERN ISABELA MEDICAL CENTER AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article 1L Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "The 
State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill 
health consciousness among them." 
One of the means to implement this constitutional mandate is to 
ensure that there are adequate health facilities such as hospitals, health 
centers, rural clinics and the like in cities and provinces. 
This bilI aims to upgrade the present Southern Isabela General 
Hospital (SIGH) in Santiago City, Province of Isabela to a premier tertiary 
Department of Health hospital in 2015 to be re-named as Southern Isabela 
Medical Center. The SIGH does not only serve ailing constituents from 
Isabela but also the patients coming from the nearby provinces of Nueva 
Vizcaya, Quirino, Northern Ifugao, and Aurora. 
Considering the laudable objective of this bill which is to extend 
quality medical care to an expanded group of health beneficiaries, 
immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
~ <:\I'~--Au­
AQUfLi~O '1{OKO" PIMENTEL III 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
S. B. No. 2915 
'15 
AUG 25 P4 :16 
HECEIVEIl BV:-0...:.. 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE SOUTHERN ISABELA GENERAL 
HOSPITAL IN SANTIAGO CITY, PROVINCE OF ISABELA 
INTO A TERTIARY GENERAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS 
THE SOUTHERN ISABELA MEDICAL CENTER AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. The Southern Isabela General Hospital in Santiago 
2 
City, Province of Isabela, is hereby upgraded into a tertiary general 
3 
hospital to be known as the Southern Isabela Medical Center (SIMC) 
4 
which shall be under the direct technical and administrative supervision 
5 
of the Department of Health (DOH). 
6 
7 
SECTION 2. The authorized bed capacity of the SIMC is hereby 
8 
increased from fifty (50) to three hundred fifty (350) beds. 
9 
10 
SECTION 3. The existing service capability, professional health 
11 
care services, and health human resource of the SIMC shall be upgraded 
12 
and increased to conform with and be commensurate to the increase in 
13 
authorized bed capacity as herein provided. 
14 
15 
The Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management 
16 
(DBM) shall create regular plantilla positions for health personnel 
17 
required of a medical center, in consultation with the DOH, with the 
18 
corresponding increases in the maintenance and other operating 
19 
expenses (MOOE) and personal services (PS) for the SIMCo 
20 


1 
SECTION 4. The Secretary of Health shall immediately include 
2 
in the Department's programs in the implementation of this Act, the 
3 
funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
4 
Act. 
5 
6 
SECTION 5. Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this 
7 
Act, the Secretary of the DOH, in consultation with the Secretary of 
8 
DBM, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement 
9 
the provisions of this Act. 
10 
11 
SECTION 6. Republic Act No. 3138, establishing the Southern 
12 
Isabela Emergency Hospital, and Republic Act No. 8338, upgrading it to 
13 
Southern Isabela General Hospital are hereby repealed. All other laws, 
14 
decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations and parts thereof which 
15 
are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
16 
amended or modified accordingly. 
17 
18 
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
19 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
20 
circulation. 
21 
22 
23 
Approved,