Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING REGIONAL BRANCHES OF SPECIALTY 
HOSPITALS 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, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Sec. 15, Art. II of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall protect and promote 
the right to Healthscope and instill health consciousness among them.” 
There is a need for the establishment of specialty hospitals across the country in a bid 
to deliver quality health care to “every corner of the country.” 
There is a need to decentralize our healthcare system because of the hardship of 
getting access to medical needs. 
This bill aims to bring hospitals similar to the Philippine Heart Center, the Lung Center 
of the Philippines, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the National Kidney and 
Transplant Institute, and the Philippine Cancer Center to the provinces. 
Our current situation forces our fellow Filipinos from the provinces to travel to the 
National Capital Region to gain access to these specialty hospitals.  
This bill aims to defray the expenses of our countrymen in the provinces for their health 
care needs. If this bill becomes a law, people from the provinces will not spend any 
more transportation fees just to go to specialty hospitals in Metro Manila.  
Instead of sending patients from the province to the National Capital Region, the 
government “must bring the hospitals” to them. 
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque 
October 21, 2022
8:02 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING REGIONAL BRANCHES OF SPECIALTY HOSPITALS 
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, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the "Regional Specialty Hospitals Act. 
SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. —Article Il, Section 15 of the Constitution states 
that: "The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill 
health consciousness among them." Towards this end, it shall be the policy of the State to 
provide access to affordable and quality healthcare services to Filipinos, including the 
provision of specialty hospitals in the different regions of the country. 
SEC. 3. Establishment of Regional Specialty Hospitals. — There shall be 
branches of the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung 
Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children's and Medical Center, and Philippine Cancer 
Center to be established in the different regions of the country. Within three (3) years 
of the enactment of this Act, there shall be at least one (1) specialty hospital from the 
abovementioned specialty hospitals in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, 
Northern Mindanao, and Southern Mindanao. The Department of Health shall determine 
the specialty hospital be established in the different regions, taking into consideration 1the 
prevalent illnesses in the area. 
SEC. 4. National Government Share. — The National Government shall 
constitute the necessary land, building, equipment, and facilities, to the regional branches of 
the specialty hospital, and shall pay such obligations for real, personal, and mixed properties 
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arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within five (5) years, at 
a preferred rate of interest. 
SEC. 5. Property of the Regional Specialty Hospital. —The property of the 
Regional Specialty Hospital shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other types of 
property, now owned or reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired,  transferred 
or conveyed to, the Regional Branch of the Philippine Heart Center, National  Kidney and 
Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children's  Medical Center 
Visayas and Philippine Cancer Center as applicable, by the Philippine 
 Government, its branches and instrumentalities, any foreign government, as well as by trust, 
foundations, corporations, or persons, alien or domestic, to carry out its purposes and objectives 
as set forth herein. 
SEC. 6. Purposes and Objectives. — The purposes and objectives of the Regional Specialty 
Hospital are: 
a) To construct, establish, operate and maintain regional branches of specialty 
hospitals for the public welfare; 
b) To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention of heart,  kidney, 
liver, cancer, and pulmonary diseases and the care and/or treatment of such  diseases and 
related activities, including sponsorship and conduct of relevant 
congresses, conventions, seminars, and conferences; 
c) To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific research on the biological, demographic,  social, 
economic, eugenic, and physiological aspects of heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and  pulmonary 
disorders and abnormalities and their control; and gather, compile, and 
publish the findings of such research for public dissemination; 
d) To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and  information on the 
prevention, treatment, and control of heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and pulmonary diseases, to 
arouse, enhance and develop public interest in such diseases and arouse consciousness or 
awareness on general health and physical 
fitness; 
e) To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical technicians, 
health officers, and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct and implementation 
of heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and pulmonary services, and related activities; 
f) To assist universities, hospitals, and research institutions in their studies of heart, kidney, 
liver, cancer, and pulmonary anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of, or 
affecting the heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and lungs, and related fields and to support 
educational programs of value to general health; 


 
g) To encourage the formation of other organizations on the national, provincial, city, municipal, 
or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and activities to achieve a more 
effective programmatic approach to the common 
problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated; and 
h) To extend medical and heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and pulmonary services to the general 
public, to help prevent, relieve or alleviate the innumerable heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and 
pulmonary afflictions and maladies of the people especially the poor and less fortunate in life, 
without regard to race, creed, color or political belief. 
SEC. 7. Governing Board. — The Governing Board of the Regional Specialty Hospitals shall be 
the Governing Board of their respective mother units: Provided, That the medical director or 
chief of the hospital of the Regional Branch shall be present or invited to the Board meeting 
whenever matters concerning his/her Regional Branch are in the agenda or for discussion of 
the Board. 
SEC. 8. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. — All existing tax exemptions and 
privileges of the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung  Center 
of the Philippines, Philippine Children's Hospital, and Philippine Cancer Center shall be availed 
of by their Regional Branches. 
SEC. 9. Transportation and Lodging Subsidies for Medical Specialists and 
 Experts. — To encourage the assignment and/or temporary practice of medical specialists and 
experts in the Regional Branches of Specialty Hospitals, especially during the initial stage of 
their establishment, the Regional Branches are allowed to provide transportation and lodging 
subsidies and other necessary subsidies over and above of their salary, 31 professional fee, 
and other emoluments. 
SEC. 10. Assistance From Government Offices. — The Regional Specialty 
The hospital may call upon any Department, Bureau, Office, agency, or instrumentality of the 
government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, particularly the 4 
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, for such assistance it may need in the pursuit of 5 its 
purposes and objectives. 
SEC. 11. Government Subsidy and Contributions. — The amount of Five 
Billion Pesos is hereby appropriated as the contribution of the National Government for the 
initial establishment, operations, and maintenance of the Regional Specialty Hospitals, for the 
year 2023. Thereafter, the amount necessary to ensure the continued operations and 
maintenance of the Regional Specialty Hospitals shall be duly provided for, appropriated, and 
released from the General Appropriations Act. The respective funds therefrom shall be 
administered by the respective Board of each specialty hospital. 


 
SEC. 12. Annual Report. — Each Regional Specialty Hospital shall render to its respective 
mother units, the Department of Health, the President of the Philippines, and the Congress of 
the Philippines annual reports of its activities, accomplishments, and recommendations. 
SEC. 13. Effect of Dissolution of the Regional Specialty Hospital. — If for 
any reason, the Regional Specialty Hospital is dissolved, its assets and properties remaining at 
the time of dissolution, shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition by the law. 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of the 
Department of Health, in consultation with the Medical Director or Chief of Hospital of the 
respective mother unit of the Specialty Hospital, shall issue such rules, regulations, and other 
issuances as may be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of this 
Act. 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. — Any portion or provision of this Act that is 
declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or provisions hereof 
as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given effect in their 
entirety. 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other issuances, or 
parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SEC. 17.  
Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in 
the official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,