NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B.No,__2984

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS TO PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT A
HOSPITAL SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF
ITS RESOURCES IN DELIVERING HEALTH SERVICES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Quality healthcare is characterized by availability and access to good health
facilities; adequate human resources; and affordable services and medicine. In reality,
however, these building blocks of quality healthcare are always inadequate, especially
in a developing country like the Philippines where the population is continuously

increasing while wherewithal remains limited.

In the National Health Objectives 2017-2022 published by the Department of
Health, the department noted the gaps between the needed versus the actual public
health facilities in the country. The significant gaps are in the Barangay Health Stations
and Rural Health Units, the first responders and healthcare providers in the
communities. These gaps have resulted in bottlenecks and choking of public hospitals,
especially the district, provincial and regional hospitals.

Bed sharing, patients waiting in the lobbies and hallways, and stock or
conference rooms being used as temporary holding areas for patients have been a
perennial sight. The traffic of patients has also become unmanageable at times.


The coronavirus pandemic further exposed the depressing condition of our
public health facilities especially when its capacities were stretched beyond limits, to
the point that car parks have been used as triage, waiting, and admission areas.

Considering these realities, it is therefore imperative that our public health
facilities maximize the use of their existing resources, starting with their land. This bill
provides for the preparation of an effective land use and site development plan that
public hospitals nationwide will implement to optimize the utilization of resources,
address facility deficiency and foresee future infrastructure requirements to deliver
quality healthcare services while anticipating imminent public health emergencies.

Site development planning for hospitals aims to contribute toward the creation
of a proper healthcare environment. It should show improvements in the hospital site
including the location of existing and proposed buildings, the arrangement of
circulation elements, and the utilization of open areas. It will also aid hospital
administration in making informed decisions regarding health facilities management.
The site development plan shall be regarded as a flexible framework that allows
modifications dictated by changing conditions.

However, at certain times, complying with the prescribed standards can be hard
to achieve due to the lack of funding for the needed physical resources. The hospital
site development plan can thus serve as a “wishlist” for future development projects
of the hospital. It can also serve as the incentive for public hospitals to be given priority
in accessing health facilities enhancement funding from the national government.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Jimksbe


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. B. No. 2564

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS TO PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT A
HOSPITAL SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF
ITS RESOURCES IN DELIVERING HEALTH SERVICES

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 ‘Hospital Site
Development Plan Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to ensure optimum
utilization of the land resources of all public hospitals to anticipate the future needs
and expansion of hospitals relative to patient influx and construction of needed
infrastructure and physical facility requirements which will contribute to more efficient
delivery of quality healthcare services and conform with disaster risk reduction
management in public hospitals.

Sec. 3. Preparation and Implementation of the Hospital Site Development Plan.
— A committee composed of the public hospital officials, with the assistance of the
Bureau of Health Facilities of the Department of Health (DOH), the
District/City/Municipal Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH), and other government agencies concerned, shall be required to
prepare and implement a Hospital Site Development Plan designed to improve and
optimally utilize the resources of their respective public hospitals.

The Hospital Site Development Plan shall be submitted by the Chief of Hospital
to the DOH within two (2) years after the approval of this Act: Provided, That the Plan


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shall be updated periodically as the need arises: Provided, further, That the DOH shall
be informed of any changes made thereof: Provided, finally, That the Plan shall be
reviewed by the committee ten (10) years after its approval to ensure that it remains
relevant and in consonance with changing conditions and realities.

Priority in the approval of infrastructure projects under the Health Facilities
Enhancement Program (HFEP) shall be given to hospitals that have prepared and
submitted a Hospital Site Development Plan to the DOH.

Sec. 4. Hospital Site Development Plan. - Each public hospital shall endeavor
to provide quality health care in a facility that is well-planned and constructed. The
infrastructure and physical facility requirements must also comply with prevailing
disaster risk reduction and mitigation measures.

The site development plan must be flexible enough to allow modifications
according to the hospital's prevailing and future needs: Provided, That modifications
shall adhere as much as possible to the basic pattern of development.

The Hospital Site Development Plan shall include the following:

a) Public hospital planning framework, principles, and processes, including
master development plans;

b) Detailed geographical description and survey of the site occupied by the
hospital;

°

Inventory of all existing buildings, facilities, and other infrastructure
within the compound or area occupied by the public hospital;
d

Cadastral survey of land occupied by the hospital, including detailed
geographical descriptions of land disputes, and natural and man-made
hazards for climate change issues;

e

Recommendations for use of all idle and available land inside the hospital
compound including a feasibility study on the construction of additional
hospital buildings relative to population growth and the estimated
increase in inpatient influx;

f) Hospital building and facility condition assessment report which will
include actual defects, damages, and other structural issues;


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replacement, repairs, retrofitting, improvements and maintenance
needed;

g) Design and estimated cost of construction, operation, and maintenance
of other infrastructure needs of the medical institution; and

e. Financial plan, which may include among others, feasibility studies,
sources of funding, income, loans, and public-private partnerships.

Sec. 5. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to effectively carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
approval of this Act, the DOH, in coordination with the DPWH, shall promulgate the
rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act.

Sec. 7. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions, which are not affected thereby, shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or
other issuances or parts thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 9. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,