Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTHCONGRESS
Third Regular Session

8209
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN AMIN PARTY-LIST

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Province of Sulu has no Level II hospital to serve its 824,731 (2015 census)
population spread all over its war-torn nineteen (19) island municipalities
which has only one Level I provincial hospital, five district hospitals and two
municipal hospitals. Sulu Sanitarium, the only Department of Health (DOH)
retained hospital in the Province of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, can address this need
once upgraded to Level II hospital to be known as Sulu Sanitarium and General
Hospital. This is in line with the Philippine Health Agenda wherein DOH
Hospitals including Sanitaria are identified to become tertiary government
hospitals within the context of a functional Service Delivery Network of the
FOURmula One Plus for Health Strategic Framework.

Sulu Sanitarium currently is performing dual expanded role of providing health
services to the general public and custodial care to its leprosy patients per
DOH Administrative Order No. 2005-0013. This is because that for the past
twenty years the national prevalence rate of leprosy in the Philippines has
consistently been less than one per 10,000 population reaching the WHO
elimination target criteria for leprosy as public health problem. This
necessitated the reassessment of the functions of all Sanitaria. Realizing the
inevitable role of the Sanitaria in providing the much needed health services of
the rapidly growing population, the Department of Health issued
Administrative Order No. 2005-0013 expanding the role of the eight (8)
Sanitaria, including Sulu Sanitarium, to “make available initially the following
five major Service Department, namely: Medical, surgical, Obstetrics and
‘Gynecology, Family Medicine and Pediatrics’ not merely to leprosy patients but
to the general public.

The expanded dual role of providing health care to the general public and
custodial care to its leprosy patients take a toll on the limited resources of Sulu
Sanitarium as to finance, facilities and manpower. It is essential that the legal
mandate of Sulu Sanitarium, being the only DOH-retained hospital in Sulu and
Tawi-Twai, be upgraded to ensure efficient delivery of health services to the
Province of Sulu with a population of 824,731 (2015census) spread all over its
nineteen (19) island municipalities which has only one level I provincial
hospital, five district hospitals and two municipal hospitals. It has no Level II
hospital to address its health needs including the emergency medical attention
of the military and police in this war-torn province. Sulu Sanitarium, currently
has about 150% Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) from its 25 implementing bed
capacity for general service and 50% BOR for its approved 120 Authorized Bed
Capacity as sanitarium.


Unfortunately, with its 2018 annual budget of only Php8.153M for MOOE and
Php38.405M for Personnel services it cannot cope up with its twin functions.
Sulu Sanitarium has about 150% Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) from its 25
implementing bed capacity for general service and 50% BOR for its approved
120 Authorized Bed Capacity as sanitarium. It is expected to rise with the
increasing health needs of its growing population and the hospital
improvement it has for the past four years.

This bill mandates the expansion of Sulu Sanitarium into a Sulu Sanitarium
and General Hospital of at least Level 2 capability to be able to provide general
hospital services while upholding its original mandate for leprosy prevention,
treatment, control, and rehabilitation. This is consistent with the thrust of the
Philippine Health Agenda wherein DOH Hospitals including Sanitaria are
identified to become tertiary government hospitals within the context of a
functional Service Delivery Network of the FOURmula One Plus for Health
Strategic Framework.

The passage of this bill is fervently called forth.

‘Pp. A J. SANGCOPAN


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTHCONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no,_8203

Introduced by REP. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN

AN ACT EXPANDING THE MANDATE OF SULU SANITARIUM IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF JOLO, PROVINCE OF SULU, TO BECOME THE SULU
SANITARIUM AND GENERAL HOSPITAL WITH AT LEAST LEVEL 2
CAPABILITY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

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

SEC. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Sulu Sanitarium
and General Hospital Expansion and Development Act.”

SEC. 2. Sanitaria Expansion. Sulu Sanitarium, the only Department
of Health retained hospital in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi is hereby expanded to a
sanitarium and general service care to be known as Sulu Sanitarium And
General Hospital.

SEC. 3. Continued Service and Assistance to Leprosy Patients. The
primary mandate of Sulu Sanitarium for leprosy treatment, management,
controi and prevention shall be retained being the only Leprosy Referral Center
for Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

SEC. 4. Expansion Committee. There shall be an Expansion
Committee, hereinafter referred to as a Committee, which shall be constituted
by the Department of Health (DOH) in coordination with the Regional Health
Office IX (RHOIX), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Sulu
Sanitarium Chief of Hospital and Sulu Sanitarium Union President or its duly
authorized representative which shall promulgate the following:

a) Expansion Plan. The Committee shall come up with an expansion and
development scheme which shall among others include the human
resources, infrastructure and facilities, equipment, land acquisition
and improvement.

b) Organizational and Staffing Pattern . The organizational structure and
staffing pattern of Sulu Sanitarium And General Hospital shall be
determined by the Committee subject to evaluation by the Health
Human Resource Development Bureau of the Department of Health,


the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and
Management.

SEC. 5. Expansion and Upgrading of Health Service Facilities. The
Committee shall support the expansion and upgrading of Sulu Sanitarium And
General Hospital as to funds, human resource, hospital infrastructure,
equipment, facilities, and land acquisition towards the attainment of its
mandate as Sulu Sanitarium And General Hospital of at least Level II
capability.

SEC. 6. Transfer of Assets and Liabilities. Facilities, land and
buildings, equipment and human resources, including, but not limited to, its
documents, medical and non-medical records, other assets, liabilities and
obligations of Sulu Sanitarium shall be transferred in full to Sulu Sanitarium
And General Hospital.

SEC. 7. Security of Tenure. The position, seniority, security and other
rights of tenure of all medical and non-medical personnel of the Sulu
Sanitarium shall continue to be honored under this Sulu Sanitarium And
General Hospital Expansion and Development Act.

SEC. 8. Implementation. |mplementation of this Act shall not be more
than three 3 years from its approval.

SEC. 9. Appropriations. The Department of Health shall immediately
include in the Department’s programs the implementation of this Act, the
funding of which shall be included in its next year annual General
Appropriations Act (GAA). Sub-Allotment Advice (SAA) shall likewise be
provided as the case may be in the implementation of some specific programs.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations
inconsistent with this Act shall be deemed amended or repealed accordingly

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. If any part, or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not
affected shall remain in full and effect.

SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved