1 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
AN ACT 
ACCELERATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH 
FACILITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, THEREBY CREATING A BUILD, BUILD, 
BUILD PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) 2020-
2040, the country is performing poorly on many health outcomes compared to other 
countries in its income range.   This is due to the persistent challenges that Filipinos 
face in accessing healthcare, with inadequate health facilities and health workers as 
the major barriers to access.  
Data show that the number of hospitals in the country is insufficient to cater to 
the needs of our growing population.  The Department of Health (DOH) reported that 
in 2018, there were 1,200 licensed hospitals in the country.  DOH observed that 
while the number of hospital beds has increased over the years, it has not kept pace 
with our rapid population growth.  In fact, the country’s current bed to population ratio 
(1.2 bed per 1000 population) is likened to the poorest countries in the world (World 
Bank, 2020). 
This is an urgent matter that the government needs to address.   Challenges 
to healthcare access, such as perennial shortages in health facilities must be 
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prioritized. 
Sustained financing on health infrastructure, coupled with human 
resource investments, are therefore needed.  
The Philippines aspires for 2.7 beds per 1,000 population by 2040.  An 
additional 400,000 beds are therefore needed.   In 
order 
to 
attain 
this 
and 
successfully implement universal health care, government spending is paramount. 
By building more health facilities, the government ensures that healthcare is 
accessible to all Filipinos, particularly to those who are impoverished.  
We envision having improved health outcomes.  This measure prioritizes 
investments in the public health sector  to accelerate the implementation of the 
PHFDP and fulfil the objectives of the Universal Health Care Act through lasting 
reforms in our health care systems.  
Immediate passage of this bill is urgently requested. 
REP. LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 


1 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
AN ACT 
ACCELERATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH 
FACILITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, THEREBY CREATING A BUILD, BUILD, 
BUILD PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Sec. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Kaayusan sa Adhikaing 
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Pagamutan Act''. 
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Sec. 2.  Declaration of Policy. – It is a policy of the State to protect and 
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promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
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them. In line with this policy, the State shall ensure that an extensive network of 
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fully-equipped public health care facilities, which are able to provide the highest 
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quality of health services, shall be accessible to all Filipinos and are fully responsive 
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to the health care needs of the population.  
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Sec. 3. Build, Build, Build Program for Hospitals and Other Facilities. – There 
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shall be created a Build, Build, Build Program for Hospitals and other facilities, 
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hereafter referred to as the Program, which shall accelerate the implementation of 
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the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan and address the lack of health care 
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infrastructure such as hospitals, polyclinics, referral laboratories, birthing centers and 
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other health facilities throughout the country, through upgrading and modernizing of 
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the existing facilities, expanding their capacities, repairing and renovating those 
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structures damaged by natural or man-made calamities, and construction of new 
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hospitals and other health facilities.  
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Sec. 4. Inter-Agency Committee. – There is hereby created an Inter-Agency 
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Committee for the monitoring and implementation of this Act. The Committee shall 
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be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH), Secretary of the 
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Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Secretary of the Department of 
4 
Budget and Management (DBM), and the Director General of the National Economic 
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and Development Authority (NEDA), or their respective authorized representatives.  
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Sec. 5. Prioritization. – The Program shall prioritize the following: 
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(a) The upgrading of Level 1 DOH and local government unit hospitals to 
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Level 2 capacity, such that every province and highly urbanized city in the 
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country shall have at least one (1) Level 2 or Level 3 hospital; 
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(b) The expansion of capacities of DOH and LGU hospitals, specifically 
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targeting those provinces, cities and other areas with the highest hospital 
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bed-to-population ratio, with the ultimate objective of reaching the ideal 
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hospital bed-to-population ratio across the country; 
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(c) The construction of specialty hospitals and/or development of specialty 
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centers such as heart and lung center, orthopedic center, kidney care and 
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transplant center, mental health center, children’s center, geriatric center, 
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among others, in all regions which respond to the specific health issues of 
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the community based on socio-economic, demographic and geographic 
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profile, occupational hazards, leading causes of mortality and morbidity, 
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and other risk factors; 
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(d) The construction of polyclinics at the municipal and city level that will 
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serve as intermediate between primary care facilities and hospitals, and 
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will provide outpatient specialty care including diagnostics, imaging and 
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laboratory services;  
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(e) The creation of a fully responsive Service Delivery Network for 
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reproductive and maternal health, including emergency obstetric and 
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neonatal care; 
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(f) The institutionalization of a nationwide network of quality-assured 
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laboratories compliant to biosafety standards and capable of performing 
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research, surveillance and testing on communicable diseases, and 
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responding to emerging diseases and disease outbreaks, epidemics and 
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pandemic.  
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Sec. 5.  Manpower and equipment requirements. – The upgrade of existing 
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hospitals and health care facilities shall have a corresponding increase and upgrade 
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in the number of medical personnel and procurement of necessary equipment and 
5 
machineries, in accordance with the established guidelines of the Department of 
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Health and Department of Budget and Management.  
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Sec. 6.  National registry and inventory of health facilities. – The registry of 
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duly accredited and licensed public and private hospitals and health care facilities 
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shall be updated by the Department of Health, and shall be submitted to the Inter-
10 
Agency Committee for proper identification of priority infrastructure; Provided, that 
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all local government units may, within a reasonable period given by the Committee, 
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submit their requests and recommendations to the Committee, after the conduct of 
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their own assessment of local health infrastructure and requirements; Provided, 
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further, that local government units, especially in poor regions of the country, with 
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the widest gap in terms of existing health infrastructure against the actual needs of 
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the population will be given priority.  
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Sec. 7. Appropriation. – An initial amount of Fifty Billion Pesos (Php 
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50,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated under the Health Facilities Enhancement 
19 
Program (HFEP) for the implementation of this Act.  
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Sec. 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
21 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise 
22 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation 
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contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
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modified, or amended accordingly. 
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Sec. 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved,