Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

4824

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Rodrigo A. Abellanosa

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pursuant to the government's thrust of providing accessible health and medical care for
Filipinos, specifically for the less privileged, this bill seeks to increase the bed capacity of St.
Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH) in Brgy. Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, from
twenty-five (25) to one hundred (100).

SAMCH, located within a 5-km. radius from the Cebu City Hall, is a Level II Specialty Hospital
for OB-Gyne and Pediatrics created under Republic Act No. 7830. It started operations in 1991
and to date, has a 25-bed authorized capacity and has 8 medical staff available to attend to
patient needs

A geographic and demographic analysis shows a hospital catchment population of 150,000.
This means that there is only one bed in SAMCH available for every 6,000 Filipinos who may
need confinement and one medical staff for every 18,750 Filipinos. In 2015, records show that
SAMCH has rendered 10,771 in-patient service days, or an average of 29 in-patients per day,
16% beyond its 25-bed capacity.

The necessary physical structure and capacity has been set in place through the efforts of both
the Department of Health (DOH) and the city government but the annual operating budget
allocation remains prohibitive in terms of accommodating the growing medical requirements of
the area. The DOH Region VII, in fact, has consistently been pushing for the increase in bed
capacity that is being sought in this bil.

Since it is only a 25-bed hospital, SAMCH has very limited capability not only in terms of bed
capacity and personnel resources, but in terms of facilities and supplies as well, it is forced to
refer other patients to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and other private hospitals in
the city. This becomes a problem for many indigents who make up a large majority of SAMCH
patients. They are often deprived the necessary medical attention because SAMCH cannot
accommodate them

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought

le

RODRIGO A. ABELLANOSA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

4824

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Rodrigo A. Abellanosa

AN ACT
INCREASING THE BED CAPACITY OF ST. ANTHONY MOTHER AND CHILD HOSPITAL
IN CEBU CITY, FROM TWENTY-FIVE (25) TO ONE HUNDRED (100),
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. The capacity of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital is hereby increased from
twenty-five (25) to one hundred (100) beds

SEC. 2. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be charged to the
appropriations for the Department of Health under the current General Appropriations Act and
thereafter included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. The Department of Health is directed to implement this Act.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,