Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES »areAUG
Quezon City, Philippines TIME
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House Bit No. 3882

Introduced by Hon. LORNA P. BAUTISTA-BANDIGAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution provides in Article Il, Section 15 that “the State shall protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill consciousness among them”. Furthermore,
Article XIII, Section 11 that “the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other services
available to all the people at affordable cost”.

Itis in this spirit that this Bill seeks to upgrade the Malita District Hospital into a tertiary
hospital and increasing its bed capacity from twenty-five (25) bed capacity to one hundred (100)
bed capacity and renaming it to Davao Occidental Medical Center. Barely five (5) years old, the
province is classified as a fourth class province. In the year 2016, the estimated population is
about three hundred sixteen thousand three hundred forty-two (316,342) and with an estimated
annual income of Three hundred thirty-four million eighteen thousand one hundred sixty-eight
pesos (Php334,018,168.00), which an amount is not sufficient to provide the required services
needed for the economic uplift and well-being of its people. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the
population is composed of subsistence farmers and marginal fisherfolks. Poverty incidence is,
high and even the education, as well as the health services cannot hardly cope the demands of its,
constituencies.

Malita District Hospital which is 75.9 kilometers from the province takes more than one
and a half hour to reach especially during inclement weather. The hospital lacks modern facilities
and equipment and the existing amenities are not up to par. The more modern hospital is
Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, which is 133.6 kilometers away from the
Province of Davao Occidental and has to be traversed in two (2) hours and fifty-five (5) minutes.
It is very difficult for the poor residents of remote barangays to avail medical services due to the
distance and the expense in going to the abovementioned hospital. In spite of the sparse
resources and a limited services of the Malita District Hospital, people coming from the
peripheral areas who are secking health care are seeking for something more affordable and
serviceable.

It is not unusual to see patients who are waiting for medical services to stay in the
corridors of the hospital while being treated or recovering from various sicknesses and illnesses.


In line with the desire of the Duterte’s administration to provide quality health services
to our citizens, we are seeking for the upgrading of the Malita District Hospital into a tertiary
hospital with better equipment, health service and facilities to effectively and efficiently deliver
the needed health care services.

It is for these reasons that the early passage of this Bill is earnestly sought.

LORNA&-BAUTISTA-BANDIGAN
Representative
Lone District - Davao Occidental


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3882
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. LORNA P. BAUTISTA-BANDIGAN

AN ACT
UPGRADING THE MALITA DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
MALITA, PROVINCE OF DAVAO OCCIDENTAL INTO A LEVEL Il GENERAL
HOSPITAL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE DAVAO OCCIDENTAL MEDICAL CENTER,
UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, INCREASING ITS BED CAPACITY 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 Malita District Hospital in the Municipality of Malita, Province of
Davao Occidental is hereby upgraded into a Level III General Hospital to be known as Davao
Occidental Medical Center and shall be under the direct supervision and control of the
Department of Health.

The bed capacity of Davao Occidental Medical Center in the Municipality of Malita,
Province of Davao Occidental is hereby increased from twenty-five (25) to one hundred (100)
beds.

SEC. 2. The existing service facilities and professional health care services of the Davao
Occidental Medical Center are hereby upgraded to conform with and be commensurate to the
increase in bed capacity as provided in Section | hereof.

SEC. 3. The Secretary of Health shall include in the Department's program the
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. The Secretary of Health shall prepare the implementing rules and regulations

upon consultation with the Provincial Government of Davao Occidental and other stakeholders

and shall be implemented consistent with the Hospital Development Plan.


SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official

Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,