Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE ALABAT ISLAND DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ALABAT, 
PROVINCE OF QUEZON INTO A LEVEL III GENERAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE ALQUEREZ 
GENERAL HOSPITAL UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HEALTH, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides that, "The 
State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which 
shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the 
people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, 
elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to 
paupers." 
Towards this end, this bill seeks to upgrade the Alabat Island District Hospital in Alabat, 
Quezon into a Level III General Hospital in order to address the medical needs of the people of 
the Alabat island or Alquerez (Alabat, Quezon, Perez) Inter Local Health Zone.  
The Alabat Island District Hospital is a Level 1 hospital and has a bed capacity of twenty-
five (25) beds. This bill seeks to increase its bed capacity amidst its growing population of 
15,630 people based on the 2015 census.  
Alabat is a 5th class municipality and is politically subdivided into 19 barangays with a 
total land area of 57.61 km2 (22.24 sq mi). Like many district hospitals in the country, the 
Alabat Island District Hospital, currently the only available health facility in Alabat, lacks 
emergency medical equipment to treat complex diseases and illnesses. Most common illnesses 
in the municipality are acute respiratory infection, hypertension, gastritis, acute gastroenteritis, 
infected wounds, urinary tract infection, arthritis, and stroke. Approximately three (3) patients 
per month are admitted for stroke, and since there are no adequate facilities available at the 
Alabat Island District Hospital, the patients are required to cross the mainland to receive the 
appropriate treatment. 
Alabat is approximately 8.10 nautical miles from Atimonan and during emergency 
situations, patients are transported from the island to a secondary hospital or tertiary hospital 
by a hiring a small fishing boat or taking passenger vessel. Patients who require emergency 
treatment are transported from the island towards the mainland by a commercial vessel which 
runs once in an hour from 5:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Patients who need medical attention 
outside of this period are unable to receive treatment unless they are able to find other 
residents who are in possession of a fishing boat or ship or who are willing to transport the 
patients to the mainland. It would take about 1.5 hours to ship a patient to the mainland and 
emergency treatment may further be delayed if no commercial vessel or fishing boat is 
July 6, 2022
10:43 am
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available. It is unfortunate that if stroke occurs after the business hours of the commercial 
vessel, the possibility of death becomes higher1. 
In order to conform with the policy of the State in providing quality and efficient health 
care services consistent with the government’s universal health care agenda, the upgrading of 
the Alabat Island District Hospital into a level 3 general hospital is earnestly sought. 
  Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
 4th District, Quezon 
1 de la Torre, Gian Paolo, Tapan, Jerchel, Kathleen, Yoshida, Kaori, Cost-benefit Analysis of a Sea 
Ambulance Project in the Municipality of Alabat in Quezon Province, Philippines, Graduate School of 
Public Policy, University of Tokyo Economic Analysis of Public Policy 2015 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE ALABAT ISLAND DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ALABAT, 
PROVINCE OF QUEZON INTO A LEVEL III GENERAL HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE ALQUEREZ 
GENERAL HOSPITAL UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HEALTH, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. The Alabat Island District Hospital in the Municipality of Alabat, Province of 
Quezon is hereby upgraded into a Level III general hospital to be known as the Alquerez 
General Hospital, under the direct supervision and control of the Department of Health (DOH). 
The increase in the bed capacity of the Alquerez General Hospital in the Municipality of 
Alabat, Province of Quezon shall be implemented in accordance with the hospital development 
plan. 
SEC. 2. The existing service professional health care services and facilities are also 
hereby upgraded to conform with and be commensurate to the bed capacity increase as 
provided in Section 1 hereof. 
SEC. 3. The DOH, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and in consultation with the management of the 
hospital, shall determine the additional plantilla positions to be created and filled up in the 
workforce of the said hospital.   
SEC. 4. The chief of the hospital shall develop a hospital development plan to be 
submitted to the DOH to reflect the development goals of the hospital, consistent with the 
increase in bed capacity and service capability. Request for the staffing requirements, capital 
outlay investments and budgetary needs for operations shall be based on the hospital 
development plan. 
SEC. 5. The Secretary of Health shall include in the Department’s programs the 
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 6. Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
shall prepare the implementing rules and regulations upon consultation with the Provincial 
Government of Quezon and other stakeholders and shall be implemented consistent with the 
hospital development plan. 
SEC. 7. If any provision or part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the remaining 
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parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 8. All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,