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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session C
REGISTRATION UNIT

House Bill No. 1141

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Represent:
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XVI Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution expressly declares that the State shall provide
immediate and adequate care, benefits, and other forms of assistance to war veterans and
veterans of military campaigns, their surviving spouses and orphans. Funds shall be provided
therefor and due consideration shall be given them in the disposition of agricultural lands of the
public domain and, in appropriate cases, in the utilization of natural resources.

The Veterans Memorial Medical Center was constructed by virtue of US Public Law 865 of July
1, 1948 as gift of the US to the Filipino people. Itwas further mandated to be the primary medical
facility for the hospitalization and medical care of veterans and their dependents, pursuant of the
aforementioned Constitutional provision.

Nevertheless, such herculean undertaking cannot be accomplished with a single hospital,
attempting to serve the needs of tens of thousands of Filipino veterans all over the country. It is
therefore imperative that we honor and pay tribute to the sacrifices of our veterans and their
dependents by affording them adequate, accessible and quality medical treatment.

Hence, the establishment of additional Veterans Memorial Medical Centers in Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao is imperative.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought,

i. GARYC. ALEJANO

SENTATIVES

BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1141

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING VETERANS MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTERS IN LUZON,
VISAYAS AND MINDANAO

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

SECTION 1. Theestablishment ofone (1) Veterans Memorial Medical’Centers each for
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with the minimum capacity of twenty-five (25) hospital beds
each under the supervision of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) is hereby

mandated.

SEC. 2, The Secretary of National Defense and/or his duly authorized representative, in
consultation and coordination with the concerned officials of the Department of Interior and
Local Government, shall formulate and promulgate the implementing guidelines, rules and
regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 3. The Secretary of Defense shall immediately include in the Department's
programs the operationalization of the new Veterans Memorial Medical Centers in Luzon
(outside Metro Manila), Visayas, and Mindanao, the funding of which shall be included in the

‘Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. For the purposes of this Act, the term “operationalization” shall include the
acquisition of the land on which the hospitals will be established, the construction of the building
and other complementary infrastructures, facilities and hospital equipment, as well as the costs

for maintenance and personal services for the said facilities.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

‘Approved,