NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 7,2
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*22 IL -7 P2^)1
Introduced by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
AN ACT MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE 
ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, UPGRADING ITS SERVICE 
FACILITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) is the only specialized 
orthopedic government hospital in the country. It is a 700-bed tertiary 
hospital under the Department of Health tasked to provide quality 
orthopedic and rehabilitation services relating to musculoskeletal 
disorder and related conditions. It also serves as a training center for 
orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, physiatrists, pathologists and 
other paramedical personnel.1
The POC, like other government owned hospitals in the country, 
su ffers from lack of medical equipment and facilities needed to provide 
quality healthcare services.
In fact, the Department of Health (DOH) admitted that no “major 
renovation or improvement has taken place” in the POC since the
1 http://www.poc.doh.60v.ph/index.php/9-transparencv/about-us. last accessed on 25 May 2022.


construction of the hospital’s main building along Banawe Avenue, 
Quezon City in 1963 “primarily due to budgetary constraints”.2
With the increasing orthopedic and trauma cases, it is high time 
that the government initiate the modernization and upgrade of the POC.
This bill proposes to modernize and revitalize POC through the 
repair, rehabilitation and construction of necessary facilities and the 
acquisition of the necessary hospital equipment. The undersigned 
envisions a Philippine Orthopedic Center that provides world class 
trauma and orthopedic care accessible to all.
For these reasons, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
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AQIJILINO UKOKO” PIMENTEL III
2 https://www.change.org/p/president-benigno-simeon-aquino-iii-stop-the-privatization-of-the-philippine-
orthopedic-center, accessed last 25 May 2022.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 72
•22 JUL-7 P2:01
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Introduced by Senator Aquilino uKoko” Pimentel III
AN ACT MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE 
ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, UPGRADING ITS SERVICE 
FACILITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
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Be it enacted by the Senate and F[ouse of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the 
Philippine Orthopedic Center Modernization Act”.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy 
of the State to modernize the health care delivery system to a level 
where it can fully and effectively perform its constitutional mandate to 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
consciousness among them.
Towards this end, the State shall undertake the modernization of 
the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), which is the country’s only 
tertiary specialty hospital under the Department of Health tasked to 
provide quality orthopedic, rehabilitation, and other services relating to 
musculoskeletal disorder and related conditions.


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SEC. 3. POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council. - In 
order to properly execute the modernization of POC, there is hereby 
created a POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council (“Council”) 
composed of the Secretary of Health as its Ex-Officio Chairman, the 
POC Medical Center Chief as Co-Chairman and five (5) members 
consisting of representatives from academic and medical communities 
in the field of orthopedic medicine as may be determined by the 
Secretary of Health.
SEC. 4. POC Modernization Plan. - Within six (6) months from 
the effectivity of this Act, the Council shall establish a POC 
Modernization Plan (“Plan”).
The Plan shall principally be a re-tooling of POC with modern 
equipment and facilities, including but not limited to, procurement of 
the latest and most up-to-date medical instruments, tools and apparatus; 
repair major areas which need to be rehabilitated such as patient rooms 
and wards, operating rooms, lavatory areas and comfort rooms and 
other physical facilities; and repair and repainting of POC buildings 
and its environment.
The Council must formulate the Plan, subject to the following 
considerations:
a) It must undertake the repair and rehabilitation of the POC 
to be a premier tertiary specialty hospital, referral center, 
and training institute;
b) It must upgrade, modernize, acquire and procure state-of- 
the-art medical equipment, and the latest model of critical 
apparatus and instruments;
c) It must involve renovation and modernization of its 
facilities and the application of new technologies to 
improve the hospital’s capabilities in providing timely and 
reliable medical services for its patients; and


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d) It must render quality health and medical care services to 
indigent patients by maintaining seventy percent (70%) 
allocation of beds for government-sponsored patients.
In addition to the Plan, the bed capacity of POC shall be increased 
from seven hundred (700) to one thousand (1,000) hospital beds.
SEC. 5. POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund. - There is 
hereby created the POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund which 
shall be used exclusively to fund the modernization plan provided 
under this Act.
The initial amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos 
(PhP500,000,000) to comprise the said fund shall be included in the 
General Appropriations Act of the year immediately following the 
approval of this Act.
The total amount allocated herein shall be used exclusively for 
the repair, rehabilitation, renovation of the POC, the procurement of 
hospital materials, equipment, furniture and fixtures pursuant to the 
program and guidelines as determined by the Council.
SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOFI shall, 
within ninety (90) days from effectivity of this Act, issue the rules and 
regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 7. Annual Report. - The Council shall submit to the Office 
of the President and Congress, through the House and Senate 
Committees on Health, an annual report on the outcome and progress 
of its activities.
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - Should any provision or part of 
this Act be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions 
and parts hereof, insofar as they are separable from the invalid ones, 
shall remain in full force and effect.


SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, 
rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,