Sixteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5153

Introduced by Honorable Douglas S. Hagedorn

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to convert the Ospital Ng Palawan in the City of Puerto
Princesa, Province of Palawan into a 400-bed capacity tertiary hospital to be
known as the Palawan Medical Center under the supervision and control of the
Department of Health.

Section 1, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution provides:

“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.”

‘A 150-bed capacity tertiary level hospital, the Ospital Ng Palawan was
established on February 24, 1998 by virtue of Republic Act No. 8549. The
hospital was envisioned to provide health services to 11 mainland and 12 island
municipalities, | city and 432 barangays. On January 1, 2004, it was transferred to
the National Government. Due to budgetary constraints, however, upgrading of
the hospital has not yet been implemented,

Stretching 650 kilometers from end to end of the mainland, and composed of
more than 1,700 islands, the Province of Palawan is one area in the country where
medical services and facilities are grossly inadequate. This situation is most
apparent in the City of Puerto Princesa where there is a large concentration of
people, many within the poverty level. Compounding the situation is the fact that
the ill and the afflicted constituents in the other parts of the province are usually
brought to Puerto Princesa City by their relatives, thinking that they can get better
hospital care in its medical facilities.

28 0cr ah ©


The Ospital Ng Palawan is always overcrowded and lacks the necessary
medical facilities and personnel, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rate in
the province. However, the shortage in nursing and other manpower was resolved
by hiring members of the staff on a job order basis, Fortunately, the hospital
provides a good training ground for fresh graduates, hence, there are many
applicants despite the low compensation.

Known as the “Last Frontier" and the “Cleanest and Greenest City and
Province,” Palawan is a paradise with a very bright future and promise, a land
truly blessed. It has become a major tourism area. As such, there is a yearly
increase in the number of tourists who go to Palawan to enjoy its natural
attractions. Puerto Princesa serves as the gateway from where people travel to see
the many attractions all over the province.

The influx of tourists creates a heavy demand for medical services that
conform to acceptable international standards. Converting the Ospital Ng Palawan
into a tertiary hospital with an increased bed capacity will deliver this demand for
medical services. It will also greatly benefit the people of Palawan and will better
address the health needs of the most marginalized sector of the community, making
the hospital more pro-active and responsive to the thrust of the Department of
Health for “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan.”

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

Gan

DOUGLAS S. HAGEDORN



Sixteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,___ 5153

Introduced by Douglas $. Hagedorn

AN ACT

CONVERTING THE OSPITAL NG PALAWAN IN THE CITY OF
PUERTO PRINCESA, PROVINCE OF PALAWAN INTO A TERTIARY
HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE PALAWAN MEDICAL CENTER
UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL SUPERVISION OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. The Ospital Ng Palawan in the City of Puerto Princesa,
Province of Palawan is hereby converted into a tertiary hospital to be known as the
Palawan Medical Center.

SEC. 2. The hospital shall have the capabilities of a tertiary hospital
increasing its bed capacity to four hundred (400) beds. The Palawan Medical

Center shall be under the direct administrative and technical supervision of the

Department of Health.

The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act of the year following

its enactment into law and thereafter.


SEC.4. Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the
Secretary of Health shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,