NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
Senate
of t!ic er.Tft.'ir.i)
)
•22 JUL ~7 P2 22
SENATE
S.B. No. 92
RECElVrOSV:
Introduced by SENATOR SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A HOSPITAL IN STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 
OFFERING MEDICAL DEGREES NATIONWIDE, AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exposed several weaknesses in 
our country's capability to handle and solve public health emergencies - the most 
glaring one being the lack of health care institutions and medical professionals 
especially in areas outside of urban centers. In fact, the Department of Health 
(DOH), in order to augment the existing manpower of medical professionals, has 
constantly been recruiting healthcare workers through its emergency hiring for 
Human Resources for Health (HRH).
However, it is clear that our healthcare system is already at a disadvantage 
even before this health crisis. According to a 2020 study conducted by the University 
of the Philippines (UP) COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team entitled "Estimating 
Local Healthcare Capacity to Deal with COVID-19 Case Surge: Analysis and 
Recommendations," there are only 3.7 doctors per 10,000 population in the 
Philippines - below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 10 
doctors per 10,000 population. In fact, only the National Capital Region (NCR) has 
achieved the WHO recommendation while other regions, such as Region IV-B with 
only 1.8 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) 
with only 0.8 doctor per 10,000 population, are barely able to fill the recommended 
ratio.


While 2017 data from the WHO stated that there are 6 physicians per 10,000 
Filipinos, this is still below the recommended ratio and when compared to our 
Southeast Asian neighbors such as Vietnam (8:10,000 in 2016) and Thailand 
(9:10,000 in 2019).
Furthermore, the UP study also cited that the country's hospital bed per 
10,000 population is only at 6.1 with the NCR having the highest ratio at 13.5 and 
Region IV-B with only 1 - contrary to the data from DOH which shows the ratio is at 
9.4 hospital beds per 10,000 population. Hence, the data reported that six out of ten 
Filipinos die without seeing a medical professional is not surprising, but is certainly 
alarming. This dilemma has even become more evident recently, when over 80 
medical societies issued a strong position stressing that the country's healthcare 
system has been overwhelmed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, to strengthen the country's capability to cater to the health 
services needs of Filipinos, the proposed measure seeks to create new hospitals 
which will be attached to state colleges and universities (SUCs) offering medical 
degree programs. In addition, these hospitals to be created within the SUCs will 
enable its medical students to have the proper training ground for them to fully 
acquire the needed skills, knowledge and experience.
With more healthcare institutions and healthcare workers to support the full 
implementation of Republic Act No. 11223 of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, 
more Filipinos - especially the underprivileged - will be able to access the needed 
healthcare services so as not to succumb to preventable, diagnosable, and treatable 
illnesses. In addition, the establishment of more hospitals will help prevent the high 
attrition rate of our very capable healthcare workers as there will be more hospitals 
to employ them. It is the goal of this measure to help achieve the prescribed ratio of 
medical professionals to the population as well as increase the ratio of hospital beds 
to the population. Thus, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
^jPNNY ANGARA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S.B. No.
SENATE
92
® ^cn?£c
'22 JUL-7 P2:22 
\
miCHTCDK:' (
Introduced by SENATOR SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A HOSPITAL IN STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 
OFFERING MEDICAL DEGREES NATIONWIDE, AND PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the
2 
Healthcare Facility Augmentation Act"
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The 1987 Constitution guarantees the
4 
right to health of the people and mandates the State to make health services
5 
available to all the people at affordable cost. Towards this endr the State shall
6 
empower the state colleges and universities (SUCs) in the country to contribute in
7 
providing health care services to the community as well as enabling its medical
8 
students to have the appropriate training ground.
9 
SEC. 3. Establishment of Hospitals in State Colleges and Universities.
10 
- There is hereby established a hospital, with a bed capacity of not less than 50
11 
beds, in every state university and college (SUC) offering a medical degree. The
12 
Department of Health (DOH), through its nearest regional hospital, and in
13 
coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the concerned
14 
SUCs, shall provide the necessary technical assistance on the construction of said
15 
hospitals to ensure conformity with the standards set by the department.
16 
The management and operations of the hospital including the hiring of
17 
required medical personnel shall be with the concerned SUCs: Provided, That to
18 
ensure proper coordination with existing policies and programs of the DOH, the


1 
concerned SUCs shall elect or appoint the DOH Regional Director in the governing
2 
boards of the hospital: Provided further/ That any income derived from the operation
3 
of the hospital shall be retained by the concerned SUCs to answer for expenses and
4 
upgrading cost of their hospitals: Provided finally, That hospitals established under
5 
this Act as well as those already existing in SUCs shall remain operational during
6 
public health emergencies including, but not limited to, outbreaks, epidemics and
7 
pandemics.
8 
SEC. 4. Construction and Site of the Hospital - After a period of
9 
planning not exceeding one (1) year upon the effectivity of this Act, the hospital and
10 
the necessary equipment for its operations shall be established and put in place
11 
within the grounds of the concerned SUC: Provided, That the construction of the
12 
hospital shall be completed within five (5) years after the period of planning as
13 
stated under this Section.
14 
SEC. 5. Training for Medical Students - Hospitals established under this
15 
Act as well as those already existing in SUCs shall serve as the training ground for
16 
medical students in the concerned SUCs: Provided, That graduates of the medical
17 
degree programs In the concerned SUCs who availed of a government scholarship
18 
program shall be required to render their return service in accordance with the
19 
provisions of Republic Act No. 11509 otherwise known as theDoktor Para sa Bayan
20 
Acf
21 
SEC. 6. Reportoriai Requirements. - The concerned SUCs shall submit
22 
through CHED, on an annual basis, a detailed report on the progress of the
23 
implementation of this Act to the Senate Committees on Higher, Technical and
24 
Vocational Education and Health and Demography, and the House Committees on
25 
Higher and Technical Education and Health.
26 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
27 
of this Act shall automatically be included in the annual appropriations of the SUCs
28 
for the next five years upon the implementation of this Act.
29 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
30 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to
31 
be in full force and effect.


SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of the general 
circulation.
Approved,