Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

18 Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4646

Introduced by HONORABLE DATU ROONIE QUESADA SINSUAT, SR.

AN ACT EXPANDING THE MANDATE OF COTABATO SANITARIUM.

IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SULTAN KUDARAT, 15" CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT,
PROVINCE OF MAGUINDANAO IN THE BANGSAMORO AUTONMOUS REGION
IN MUSLIM MINDANAO AND
INCREASING ITS BED CAPACITY TO AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED FIFTY (250)
AND TO BE KNOWN AS THE
SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC)

AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to change the name of COTABATO SANITARIUM, a Department of
Health retained hospital facility located in barangay Ungap, Municipality of Sultan Kudarat in the
1* Congressional District of the Province of Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
and increase its bed capacity from twenty five (25) to at least Two Hundred Fifty (250) beds and
upgrade its service facilities and professional health care for other related purposes.

Under the current regulations, a government — owned hospital can only increase its bed-
capacity through the act of congress. Hence, to ensure that the government hospital continue to
provide quality health care services, this bill seeks to increase the bed capacity of the hospital to
at least TWO HUNDRED FIFTY (250).

BACKGROUND OF THE COTABATO SANITARIUM

The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office XII administratively runs two hospitals
in the Bangsamoro Autonomos Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Region namely Cotabato
Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) located in Cotabato City and Cotabato Sanitarium
located in Sultan Kudarat, all in the 1 Congressional District of Maguindanao in the BARMM.
The Cotabato Regional and Medical Center caters to almost all patients in the entire Central
Mindanao area particularly Cotabato City and Maguindanao thus rendering the hospital heavily
burdened with even ailments and diseases that can be treated and cured in secondary and primary
hospitals.

Cotabato Sanitarium has been at the forefront of leprosy care since its establishment
in 1936. It was created by a Commonwealth Act but unfortunately its records have never been
found due to some events that took place during World War II. It started as a collecting station for
leprosy patients before they are transported and transferred in the tiny island of Culion in Palawan.
‘Throughout the years, Cotabato Sanitarium has been performing leprosy care until 2005 when the
Department of Health issued Administrative Order. No. 2005-0013 wherein all of the eight (8)
existing sanitaria in the Philippines were mandated to provide the following:


1. Make available emergency, out-patient and in-patient treatment/care for the general
population in its immediate catchment area;

2. Make available all OPD services to the general population and convert existing wards
to accommodate in-patients for general service care;

3. Make available the 4 major Service Departments: Medical, Surgical, OB-GYNE, and
Pediatrics and

4, Serve as referral center for the management of leprosy complications, patient and
family counseling and community education.

With this, Cotabato Sanitarium has been carrying out its dual function, General patient care
and leprosy care. Though the numbers of leprosy cases are decreasing, its new mandate of serving
the general population has been steadily increasing through the years. Data shows that Cotabato
Sanitarium’s in-patient census based on the 4 major services has been steadily increasing. In
addition, Emergency cases seen at the Emergency Room (ER) also increased (see attached briefer)
as well as OPD consultation.

Cotabato Sanitarium’s achievement has also solidified its status as one of the most service-
oriented hospitals in the country being awarded as best level 1 hospital in 2013. It is also a Hall of
Famer in the Red Orchid Awards and has recently garnered the Diamond Award in the just
concluded TB Awards.

Currently, Cotabato Sanitarium is a Level 1 DOH retained facility, ISO 9001-2015
certified, PhilHealth accredited, with an Authorized Bed Capacity (ABC) of twenty-five (25) but
with an Implementing Bed Capacity (IBC) of Forty (40). However, its actual bed occupancy is at
Eight (80) beds. Aside from the previously mentioned services, it has expanded its services and is
now capable of offering basic Cardiology services, Orthopedic Services, Surgical Oncology
(Cancer Surgery) and Chemotherapy services, Intensive care Unit services and will be offering
Ophthalmology services soon.

Cotabato Sanitarium is located under the Province of Maguindanao which has 36
municipalities. It is specifically under the first (1) Congressional district. According to 2007
Census of Population by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Maguindanao has total
population of 1,273,715 with the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat as the most populous. The
Province of Maguindanao has only seven (7) hospitals, excluding Cotabato Sanitarium, with a total
bed capacity of 137 or a 1 hospital bed to 6,797 of the population which is way below the ideal
ratio of I bed: 1000 population. All of these hospitals are all maintained and operated by the Local
Government Unit of Maguindanao under the Integrated Provincial Health Office or IPHO.

Cotabato Sanitarium is one of the four (4) DOH retained hospital that is located
geographically in the BARMM but is administratively under the direct supervision of Region XII.
The others being Sulu Sanitarium under Regional Office IX and Amai Pakpak Medical Center
under Regional Office X. Cotabato Sanitarium together with its hansenite patients has long
suffered the stigma brought upon the disease known as Leprosy or “Ketong” thus the need to
change its name. This change in name together with improvement in services will bring better
services in the 1 Congressional district of Maguindanao and the entire province of Maguindanao
and its neighboring municipalities by reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. In
addition, the improvement to Cotabato Sanitarium will decongest the heavily burdened Cotabato
Regional and Medical Center and thus focus on its mandate which to serve as the end referral of
difficult and special cases in the region


RATIONALE FOR THE INCREASE IN BED CAPACITY

Cotabato Sanitarium has been serving the City of Cotabato and the municipalities of Sultan
Kudarat, Sultan Mastura and the Iranon Municipalities of Parang, Barira, Buldon, Matanog and
some parts of the first district of Lanao del Sur, particularly the municiaplities of Kapatagan and
Balabagan. Also included in its catchment areas is the Municipality of Pigcawaya and Libungan,
both in the province of North Cotabato.

The last five (5) years, has shown an expontential increase in the number of admission and
consultations in the Cotabato Sanitarium(Table 1):

HOSPITAL STATISTICSFOR 2010 - 2019

2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
| as of
June
30
Admission | 555 675 936 1,303 | 1,976 | 376 4,003 | 4,442 | 5,245 | 2,796
OPD 1,919 | 2,056 | 2,748 | 3,274 | 3,733 | 6,312 | 9,018 | 9,993 | 0 6,119

According to the 2015 Philippine Statistics Authority data, the 1% Congressional District
of Maguindanao including Cotabato City, has a total population of 821,475. The Philippine Health
‘Agenda (PHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified that the ideal hospital
beds to population ration is 1:800, With the current situation, the 1" District of Maguindanao has
a hospital bed to population ration of 1:1,200 where the total hospital beds across all levels is only
600, way below the ideal standards thus needing at least 339 more additional beds.

Increasing the bed capacity of Cotabato Sanitarium to at least 250 beds will not only close
the gap ration but will also be in compliance with the standard set by the PHA and the WHO in
the ideal ratio for bed capacity per population and will also strengthen the delivery of quality health
services in this part of the country.

OR THE CHANGE IN NAME OF COTABATO SANITARIUM HOSPTIAL TO
SULTAN KUDARAT MEMOIAL AND MEDICAL CENTER

The Cotabato Sanitarium being located in Barangay Ungap, Municipality of Sultan
Kudarat, Maguindanano is but proper and appropriate to be renamed to where it is located and to
correct the impression or connotation of the word Sanitarium. The hospital’s services today carry
General Patients’ Care, Basic Cardiology Services, Orthopedic Services, Surgical Oncology
(Cancer Surgery) and Chemotherapy Services, Intensive Care Unit Services and other medical
services, other than leprosy services.

The name Sultan Kudarat was derived from the Muslim ruler, Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan
Kudarat who begun to assert his leadership in the year 1619 and reigned in the Sultanate of
Maguindanao from 1625 to 1671. He is considered a national hero. The Municipality of Sultan
Kudarat was named after him in his honor. To further honor a nationally recognized hero, thus, it
is but proper to rename the hospital to SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL AND MEDICAL
CENTER.

In view of the foregoing and the entire constituents of the Province of Maguindanao
especially the first district, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

DATU ROONIE QUESADA SINSUAT, SR.
Representative, Ist District of Maguindanao and Cotabato City


Republic of the Phi
House of Representatives
Quezon City

18" Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4646

Introduced by HONORABLE DATU ROONIE QUESADA SINSUAT

AN ACT EXPANDING THE MANDATE OF COTABATO SANITARIUM
IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SULTAN KUDARAT, 1 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT,
PROVINCE OF MAGUINDANAO IN THE BANGSAMORO AUTONMOUS REGION
IN MUSLIM MINDANAO AND
INCREASING ITS BED CAPACITY TO AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED FIFTY (250)
AND TO BE KNOWN AS THE SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
(SKMMC)
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE

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

Section I. Short Title: This Act shall be known as the “The Cotabato Sanitarium Expansion
and Development Act”.

Section 2. The COTABATO SANITARIUM in the Municipality of Sultan Kudarat, 1*
Congressional District, Province of Maguindanao is hereby changed to SULTAN
KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC).

Section 3. The SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC) shall
continue to exist as a DOH Retained Hospital.

Section 4. General Hospital Services. The mandate of SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL
MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC) is hereby expanded into a sanitarium and a
general hospital with specialty services and to continue to cater to senior citizen,
leprosy patients and the general population.

Section 5. Bed Capacity. The Authorized Bed Capacity of SULTAN KUDARAT
MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC) is hereby increased to not less than
Two Hundred Fifty (250) beds and as determined by the Department of Health and
its expanded mandate. It shall continue to improve its services in achieving towards
a Level 2 hospital facility.

Section 6. The existing service facilities and professional health care services of the SULTAN
KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC) are hereby upgraded
to conform with and be commensurate to the bed capacity increase as provided for
in section 5 hereof. The Department of Health shall allow and assist in the
development and upgrading of SKMMC’s services and specialized services


Section 7.

Section 8.

Section 9.

Section 10.

Section 11.

Section 12.

Section 13.

Section 14.

Section 15.

APPROVED

Continued Service and Assistance to Leprosy patients. The mandate of SKMMC is
for leprosy treatment, management and prevention shall continue to the interest of
the indigent patients being treated under the Leprosy Control Program.

Plantilla Positions. The existing workforce shall also be correspondingly increased
as appropriate to its bed approved bed capacity provided in section 3 of this Act.
The DOH, in coordination with the DBM and the CSC, shall determine the
additional plantilla positions to be created and filled up upon prior consultation with
SKMMC.

Expansion Committee. There shall be an expansion committee which shall be
composed of the Department of Health — Regional Director, the Chief of Hospital
of SKDMMC, and the medical and non-medical personnel through their legal or
duly designated representatives. The Committee shall be tasked to perform the
following:

a. Expansion Plan. ‘The expansion scheme, including the proposed
timetable for the same, shall be carried out under an expansion plan drawn
by the committee under the supervision of the Central Office of the
Department of Health.

b. Organizational and staffing Pattern. The organizational and staffing pattern
of SKMMC shall be followed by the Committee subject to the evaluation
of the Health Human Resource Development Bureau of the Department of
Health, Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and
Management.

Transfer of Assets and Liabilities. All personnel, medical and non-medical records,
assets and properties including facilities, land and buildings and equipment and
improvements thereof acquired by Cotabato sanitarium as well as liabilities and
obligations are hereby transferred to the Sultan Kudarat Memorial Medical Center.

Security of Tenure. The position, seniority and security and other rights of tenure
of medical and non-medical personnel of Cotabato Sanitarium shall continue to be
honored under the SULTAN KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
(SKMMC).

Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall
be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment
into Law and thereafter.

Supplementary Funding. The Department of Health, in coordination with the
Regional Office and local government units, shall also prepare mechanisms for
sourcing supplementary funds to augment the operations of SULTAN
KUDARAT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER (SKMMC).

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

Effectivity Clause. The Act shall take effect after its complete publication in the
Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.