Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 2629

Introduced by Honorable Dr. Edwin Ledesma Cruzado, M.D.

AN ACT CONVERTING THE COTABATO PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL IN THE CITY
OF KIDAPAWAN, PROVINCE OF COTABATO, INTO A TERTIARY LEVEL
REGIONAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE COTABATO REGIONAL
HOSPITAL, UPGRADING ITS CAPACITY, MODERNIZING ITS FACILITIES, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Public health is key to sustainable national development. Thus, the 1987 Philippine
Constitution mandates the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people.'
Because of the increasing population, however, healthcare facilities have difficulties
addressing patients’ needs, such as accommodation, special equipment and facilities for
complex illnesses and diseases. Among the provinces of Region XII, North Cotabato has the
highest population, but it does not have a Level III hospital? This means that no hospital in
North Cotabato can provide healthcare services that only a Level III hospital provides like:
(1) Teaching/training, (2) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, (3) Ambulatory
Surgical Clinic, (4) Dialysis Unit, (5) Tertiary Clinical Laboratory with Histopathology, (6)
Blood Bank, and (7) 3rd Level X-Ray.’ There is an urgency in Cotabato Province to increase
the accommodation capacity of hospitals and to add better healthcare facilities and

equipment

This bill seeks to upgrade the Cotabato Provincial Hospital located in the City of Kidapawan,
Province of Cotabato into a tertiary level regional hospital and to be known as the Cotabato
Regional Hospital (CRH). CRH aims to have at least three hundred (300) authorized bed
capacity and upgraded facilities; including buildings, structures, and equipment used for
healthcare service. Ths bill will provide beter and more accessible hyahcare services tothe

people whose rights have been previously limited by a lack ofHeglthcare capacity and
equipment

Hon. Dr. Edwi/ Let
Representative

ma Cruzado, M.D.
District of Cotabato

* Section 15, Article Il, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

2 2022 Annual Report of the Philippine Health Statistics. Table 2: Estimated Population by Region, Province and City.
Phitppines, 2022, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. Availabe at:

bllas dv google comfie/d/ Inf Zm7YSVizuRMNDumkstaJSPuFsp-nDs/view (Accessed: 23 June 2025)

> Revised Organizational Structure and Staffing Standards for Level Ill General Government Hospitals (2022), DEPARTMENT
(OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT. Available at:
‘aids Lot-Level. Il. General Govecnment Hospilas oat (Accessed: 23 June 2025).


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._2620

Introduced by Honorable Dr. Edwin Ledesma Cruzado, M.D.

AN ACT CONVERTING THE COTABATO PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL IN THE CITY
OF KIDAPAWAN, PROVINCE OF COTABATO, INTO A TERTIARY LEVEL
REGIONAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE COTABATO REGIONAL
HOSPITAL, UPGRADING ITS CAPACITY, MODERNIZING ITS FACILITIES, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

Section 1. Upgrade to Regional Hospital. - The Cotabato Provincial Hospital located
in the City of Kidapawan, Province of Cotabato, is hereby upgraded into a tertiary level
regional hospital to be known as the Cotabato Regional Hospital (CRH), which shall be under
the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).

Section 2. Bed Capacity, Health Care Personnel and Services, and Facilities. - The
authorized bed capacity shall be upgraded to three hundred (300) with the capability of a
tertiary level hospital. The authorized bed capacity of the CRH shall be upgraded to three
hundred (300) beds with a concomitant increase in doctors, nurses, medical staff, and other
support personnel. To complement the increase in capacity, facilities, including buildings,
structures, and equipment used for healthcare service, shall likewise be upgraded and
increased to conform with and be commensurate with its bed capacity, consistent with the
hospital's development plan. Any future increase in bed capacity shall be consistent with the
hospital development plan prepared by the Chief of Hospital of the CRH and submitted to the
DOH

Section 3. National Supervision - Upon its upgrading and modernization, the
Cotabato Province Regional Hospital shall be under the direct control, management, and
supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).

Section 4. Plantilla Positions and Human Resources. - The DOH, in coordination
with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Civil Service Commission (CSC),
the Office of the Governor of Cotabato Province, and consultation with the hospital's
management, shall determine the human resources and additional plantilla positions to be
created and filled up in the workforce of the said hospital under Section 2 of this Act.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__

Introduced by Honorable Dr. Edwin Ledesma Cruzado, M.D.

Section 5. Hospital Development Plan. - The Chief of Hospital shall develop a hospital
development plan to be submitted to the DOH reflecting therein the developmental plans of
the hospital, capital outlay investments, staffing requirements, and budgetary needs, consistent
with the increase in bed capacity and service capability.

Section 6. General Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its
enactment into law and thereafter.

Section 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

Section 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules, and regulations
that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified

accordingly.

Section 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,