14* CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1st Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, JY, 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The most important role of hospitals and health institutions is to provide 
adequate and competent medical services to the people. The reality however, is 
that it is difficult to secure medical services from big private hospitals that often 
charge medical fees that the ordinary Filipino cannot afford, leaving him no other 
option but to rely on the medical services provided by government hospitals. This 
is especially true with patients afflicted with cancer, serious skin diseases and those 
in need of surgery where the medical procedure required involves a great amount 
of money. Sadly, perennial budgetary problems plague government hospitals and 
prevent them from filling this great void in the Filipinos' health care needs. 
The Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) is the flagship hospital 
of the Department of Health (DOH). Through the years, JRRMMC has tried to 
provide the public with affordable premium health care services. It caters not only 
to patients from Metro Manila, but also to patients referred by other medical 
institutions from various provinces. 
Statistics show that the daily admission of JRRMMC for emergency consultation 
and treatment, medical cases involving cancer causing diseases and dermatology 
related problems, have increased through the years. JRRMMC has efficiently 
responded to this call despite its limited resources. However, the steady growth of 
medical cases, particularly in the fields of trauma, cancer and dermatology, 
necessitates the need for the government to review JRRMMC's policies. 
There is an imperative need to upgrade the status of the JRRMMC to a national 
medical center for trauma, cancer and dermatology of the Department of Health. 
To realize this goal, the improvement of this premier government hospital is 
necessary. This bill aims to provide the JRRMMC two new buildings for its 
patients, increase its bed capacity, and equip it with state-of-the-art laboratory 
facilities. 
This legislation aims to create a more responsive health institution that will 
address the pressing medical needs of the people, more particularly the poor and 
the marginalized of society. The immediate passage of this bill k,therefore 
requested. 
A&JILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR. 


14"' CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
1st Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING THE JOSE R. REYES MEMORIAL MEDICAL 
CENTER (JRRMMC) INTO A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) 
NATIONAL 
CENTER 
FOR 
TRAUMA, 
CANCER 
AND 
DERMATOLOGY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
SECTION 1. The Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC), 
hereinafter referred to as the Center, located along Rizal Avenue in Manila, shall 
be upgraded into a Department of Health National Center for trauma, cancer and 
dermatology. 
SECTION 2. To enable the Center to effectively carry out its functions as a 
national center for trauma, cancer and dermatology, a modern twelve-story main 
building with a heliport for emergency operations shall be constructed within the 
JRRMMC compound. 
SECTION 3. The Center, manned by an adequate number of competent 
personnel, shalI be equipped with modern facilities to be housed in the main 
building, particularized as follows: 
(a) A one thousand five hundred (1,500) bed capacity for in-patients. 
(b) Emergency facilities for at least seven hundred (700) cases per day. 
(c) Fully-equipped special care units such as, but not limited to, the Medical 


Intensive Care Unit (MICU), the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Neonatal 
Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SKU) and the Burns, 
Stroke, Spine, Renal and Pulmonary Care Units. 
(d) State-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and modalities. 
(e) Modern training and research laboratory facilities. 
(f) Complete sectionalized laboratory and blood banking system. 
(g) Computer-based Integrated Hospital Information System. 
(h) Other facilities and amenities necessary for a premier teaching-training 
medical center. 
SECTION 4. A four-story complex shall also be constructed within the 
JRRMMC compound to house service facilities with departmentalized clinics for 
two thousand out-patients. 
SECTION 5. The execution of the project plan for the physical plant of the 
Center shall be undertaken by the Department of Health (DOH) in consultation 
with the Deparhnent of Public Works and Highways. 
SECTION 6. Such amounts as may be necessary for the implementation of 
this Act shall be taken from the budget of the Department of Health for Fiscal Year 
2002. Thereafter, the budgetary requirement for the Center's operation shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 7. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,