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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 1321
"22 SEP 15 P2 53
Ri’Cci'.LJ BV:
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING SPECIALTY CENTERS IN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
HOSPITALS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution provides that the State shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. However, even with 
the continuous investment of the government in the country's healthcare system, 
access to hospitals providing specialized healthcare services for every Filipino remains 
limited due to the unavailability of facilities or unaffordable costs.
Republic Act (RA) No. 11223 known as the "Universai Health Care (UHC) Act" 
aims to ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to quality and 
affordable health care goods and services and are protected against financial risk. As 
mandated by the UHC Act, health care provider networks (HCPNs) shall be established 
by the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure effective and efficient delivery of 
population-based and individual-based health services. HCPNs shall efficiently deliver 
coordinated and continuous health care from primary to tertiary level with linkages to 
an apex or end-referral hospital and other facilities providing specialized services 
needed by its catchment population.
The establishment of specialty centers in Department of Health (DOH) Hospitals 
is more cost-efficient, practical, and time-saving considering that the healthcare


experts in the regions and other personnel are already available and accessible in 
these hospitals. Further, the infrastructure and equipment would just have to be 
upgraded and complemented, as compared to constructing new specialty hospitals. 
The immediate passage of this bill is a fulfillment of our promise to provide quality, 
accessible, and affordable quality healthcare services to every Filipino.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. no.1321
•22 SEP 15 P2 53
RKtIVEa BV;
Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go
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AN ACT
ESTABLISHING SPECIALTY CENTERS IN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
HOSPITALS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Specialty Centers in Every 
Region Act of 2022."
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.
Sec. 3. Specialty Centers. - The Department of Health (DOH) shall establish 
Specialty Centers in select DOH hospitals which shall be a unit or department In a 
hospital that offers specialized care addressing particular conditions and providing 
specific procedures and management of cases requiring specialized training and 
equipment.
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.


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Sec. 4. Period of Implementation. - Within three (3) 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 
five (5) years upon the enactment of this Act, there shall be at least one (1) specialty 
center In every region.
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:
(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


(0 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 Development 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 in order 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.
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - 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. 10. 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).
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Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
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unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this
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Act.
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Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - 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 publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,