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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS = BY:__pone
Second Regular Session Le &
7546 JNDEX
House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE LIANDA B. BOLILIA.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Philippine Constitution, in Section 15 Article III, declares that the State shall
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
them. Section 11 Article XIII declares that the State shall adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development that shall endeavor to make essential
goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost.

These roles of the State as stated in the Constitution provide justification for
government intervention in or regulation of the health sector, Health is a public good and
access to healthcare must be distributed equitably to the whole population. Moreover, the
Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) of 2018 ensures that healthcare must be provided to all
Filipinos and prioritizes the needs of those who cannot afford health services.

Cognizant of the above considerations, this proposed measure aims to establish a
medical center, to be called the Southern Tagalog Medical Center, with modern technology
and capable of treating large numbers of kinds of diseases and dysfunctions. It will be
located in the Fourth District of Batangas in the Municipality of Ibaan, The new tertiary
level hospital will serve the needs not only of the Province of Batangas, but also of the
nearby provinces of Cavite, Quezon, Laguna, and Mindoro.

The following table shows the health facilities in Region IV-A and Region IV-B, 2018}:
Region Government Private beds Total Bed ratio to
beds ulation

IV-A 2969 8363 (11,332 272
CALABARZON
IV-BMIMAROPA __| 920 457 1377 1:2,152

The number of hospital beds is a good indicator of health service availability. Per
World Health Organization recommendation, the hospital bed to population ratio should
be 1:500 for developing countries like the Philippines. The actual ratio in Regions IV-A and
Bis far behind the WHO recommendation and the current target of the DOH of 1:800. The

1 DOH. Philippine Hospital Development Plan of DOH 2017-2022.


gap can be attributed to inadequate health facilities, population increase, and fragmentation
of health service delivery system

The table also shows the distribution of private and hospital beds in the two regions.
‘There are more private beds in Region IV-A, which means more out-of-pocket expenses for
patients. Majority of Filipinos specifically the low-income households prefer to seek
treatment in a government hospital. Affordability is the main reason for going to a
government health facility, while excellent service is the main reason for going to a private
medical facility.

Moreover, the lack of adequate healthcare facility in Region IV-B in terms of bed
capacity pushes the patients of MIMAROPA, specifically Mindoro, to seek treatment in
Batangas. The overflow of patients from nearby provinces indicates a need for more
government hospitals that have affordable services. Batangas is one that could possibly
provide hospital services for this catchment area. Hence, the need to establish a bigger /apex
hospital.

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

CHAZ
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Repkgtentativ
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

4
House Bill No. 1546

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE LIANDA B. BOLILIA.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE SOUTHERN TAGALOG MEDICAL CENTER IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF IBAAN, FOURTH DISTRICT OF THE PROVINCE OF
BATANGAS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION. 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision of the
Department of Health, a five hundred (500) bed capacity, Level-III in the Municipality
of Ibaan, Fourth District of the Province of Batangas, to be known as the Southern
Tagalog Medical Center.

SECTION 2. The Department of Health shall provide funding for the establishment
and operation of the Southern Tagalog Medical Center. The Secretary of Health shall
include in the Department's budget the appropriate capital outlay for the hospital
construction and equipment requirements, and adequate funds of the facility
thereafter.

SECTION 3. Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of
Health shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective

implementation of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,