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Republic of the Philippines

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House Bill No. 8491 ~

Introduced by: Representative Jose L. Atienza, Jr

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is the responsibility of the State to ensure the protection and well-being of its
citizens, primary of which is the provision of primary health care.

The country’s 452 public hospitals have been largely inadequate to cater to the needs
of our growing population. Most Filipinos who are daily and minimum wage earners cannot
possibly afford to get treatment from private hospitals and medical institutions, and rely on
public hospitals and clinics for their needs.

An example of this is the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, more popularly known
as the national maternity hospital or “Paanakan ng Bayan’, which attends to around 1,000
patients, almost all of them coming from poor families, Privatizing this institution would
deprive these patients, mostly mothers, of quality treatment and care at a very affordable
cost.

Which is why the proposed privatization of public hospitals would be grossly
detrimental to the public, Privatizing these hospitals would only benefit the large
corporations that will be operating them. This would only worsen the plight of millions of
poor Filipinos who will have to shell out their hard-earned money for higher cost of
medicines and treatment for them and their loves ones. Instead of privatizing these hospitals,
government should provide funds for the immediate rehabilitation, upgrading and hiring of
competent health professionals to ensure quality health care for the public,

This Act aims to prohibit the privatization of all public hospitals. We sholuld instead
look to strengthen these institutions instead of giving them away to the highest bidder.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17!) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3491

House Bill No.

Introduced by: Representative Jose L. Atienza, Jr

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE PRIVATIZATION OF GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Government Hospitals
Privatization Prohibition Act”,

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. = It is hereby declared a policy of the State under
Article II Section 15 of the Constitution, that the state shall protect and promote the right
to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. ~ “Public Hospitals” shall refer to a hospital operated
and maintained by the national, provincial, municipal, city government.

SECTION 4. Prohibition on privati
Department of Health is hereby
public hospitals.

tion of public hospitals. ~ The Secretary of the
rohibited from privatizing, selling, or offering to sell all

SECTION 5 Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 6 Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, other provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Bffectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved.