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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ] 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ] 
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 2065
23 ABR 12 P5:10 
©/
RECEIVED BY;___i
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AT LEAST ONE REGIONAL SPECIALTY CENTER IN 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HOSPITALS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution directs the State to protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and to adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health 
development to make essential goods, health, and other social services available to 
all the people at affordable cost.
Notwithstanding the continuous investment by the government in the country's 
healthcare system pursuant to Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care 
Act (UHC law), access to specialized healthcare services remains to be limited to every 
Filipino, especially those residing in rural and remote areas. Since most specialty 
hospitals are established in Metro Manila and in other highly urbanized cities, patients 
and their immediate family members are burdened with additional cost of 
transportation and accommodation on top of the cost of specialized treatment and 
check-up.
To bridge the gaps in accessibility for and facilitate the delivery of specialized 
healthcare services to our constituents, the establishment of specialty centers in select


DOH hospitals in every region should be explored to ensure that our health facilities 
serve the needs of the people.
Accordingly, this proposed measure seeks to bring closer the necessary 
services that will meet the specialized healthcare needs of ordinary Filipinos by 
upgrading, improving, and expanding existing facilities and resources of select DOH 
hospitals to establish specialty centers. It is a more practical, efficient, and 
complementary approach to the implementation of the UHC law as the national 
government has more experience in providing accessible and affordable specialized
healthcare services to the Filipino people.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is^rnestly sou^
IN GATCHALIAN


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
23 ABR12 P5 *10
RUCEIVlD BY;
SENATE
S. B. No. 2065
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AT LEAST ONE REGIONAL SPECIALTY CENTER IN 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HOSPITALS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Regional Specialty 
Centers Act.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them by 
making health services available, accessible, and affordable for all. Towards this end, 
the State shall maximize the use of its resources to enable select Department of Health 
hospitals bring the necessary specialized care closer to the Filipino people, especially 
in rural and remote areas.
SEC. 3. Specialty Centers - The Department of Health (DOH) shall establish 
Specialty Centers within select DOH hospitals and medical centers.
The creation of Specialty Centers shall increase the availability and accessibility 
to specialized healthcare nationwide to ensure equitable healthcare for all and shall


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address the medical needs of patients with diseases of a particular organ or group of 
organs, and the healthcare needs of a particular group, such as children, women or 
the elderly.
The DOH, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission and the Department 
of Budget and Management, shall develop organizational structures and staffing 
standards for the types and levels of Specialty Centers.
SEC. 4. Period of Implementation. - Within five (5) years upon the enactment of 
this Act, there shall be at least one (1) specialty center in DOH hospitals in Northern 
Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Southern Mindanao. Within 
ten (10) years upon the enactment of this Act, there shall be at least one (1) specialty 
center in every region. Within the period herein stated, all established specialty centers 
in DOH hospitals shall be provided with the necessary funding, equipment, materials, 
support staff and manpower resources.
SEC. 5. National Specialty Centers. - The National Specialty Centers, such as the 
Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the 
Philippines, Philippine Children's Medical Center and Philippine Cancer Center, shall lead 
in the development of policies, protocols, and standards for the particular specialty and 
shall have the highest level of clinical services, training, and research capability. 
Further, they shall provide scientific leadership and lead the Specialty Centers by 
providing specialty training and technical assistance.
The National Specialty Centers are encouraged to establish satellite offices in 
identified DOH hospitals with specialty centers to oversee policies, protocols, and 
standards in the specialty center.
SEC. 6. Criteria for the Establishment of Specialty Centers. - The establishment 
of Specialty Centers in DOH Hospitals shall adhere to guidelines set by the DOH on 
planning and prioritizing health facilities based on, but not limited to, the following 
criteria:


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(a) Upgrading of hospitals to become Specialty Centers based on the Resource 
Stratified Framework developed by DOH for each specialty care;
(b) Evidence of the health needs and demands, including disease burdens, in 
the catchment populations of the DOH facilities, in consultation with concerned 
stakeholders;
(c) Service capability of the hospital and geographic or physical access;
(d) Appropriate level of specialized healthcare provider role in the continuum of 
care, including roles of the DOH hospitals as referral for province-wide and city-wide 
healthcare provider networks;
(e) Availability of competent health human resources for specialized healthcare; 
and
(f) Operational and financial performance of the DOH facilities, including 
accreditation to avail of specialized healthcare packages from the Philippine Health 
Insurance Corporation.
SEC. 7. Philippine Health Facility Deveiopment Plan (PHFDP). - The DOH shall 
include the plans for the establishment of Specialty Centers in DOH hospitals in the 
PHFDP, which serves as a guide for investments funded by the national government to 
rationalize the distribution of capacity and capability of health facilities.
All government health facilities shall formulate their development plans 
consistent with the PHFDP to access capital outlay investment through the Health 
Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH.
SEC. 8. Report to Congress. - The Head of the DOH hospitals designated as 
Specialty Centers shall provide the DOH and the congress, through the committee on 
health of the house of representatives and the Committee on Health and demography 
of the senate, an annual report of its activities, accomplishments, and operational plans 
of the said Specialty Centers.


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SEC. 9. Appropriations. - The Secretary of Health shall include in the 
Department's program the establishment and operationalization of the Specialty 
Centers in selected DOH Hospitals, the funding of which shall be included in the budget 
of the DOH under the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
SEC. 10. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - The DOH, in consultation with 
the heads of DOH hospitals and other concerned agencies, shall formulate, identify, 
and promulgate the implementing guidelines, rules and regulations necessary to carry 
out the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 11. Separabiiity Cause. - Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this 
Act.
SEC. 12. Repeaiing Cause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.
SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Officiai Gazette ox in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,