Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16) CONGRESS

First Regular Session

1075

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE NANCY A. CATAMCO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

That the State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and
instill health consciousness among them is a State policy enshrined in our Constitution
Our Constitution likewise declares 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 a priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly,
disabled, women and children. The State shakk endeavor to provide free medical care
to paupers.

In furtherance of these Constitutional guarantees, government hospitals have
been created and maintained to adequately provide healthcare needs to Filipinos
especially those with lesser means.

In the province of North Cotabato, there exists a North Cotabato Provincial
Hospital (NCPH) which, through the years, has tried to provide affordable services to
the residents of the province. However being the only one of its kind in the area, it has
also been the only hospital that caters to the needs of residents from nearby provinces
such as Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Lanao
del Norte and other neighboring provinces and cities. Because of this, the meager
equipments and resources of NCPH as well as its already undermanned personnel are
further thinly spread among its numerous patients.


It is therefore imperative that assistance be extended to NCPH so that it may fully
address the needs of its patients whose number is speedily increasing. The
undersigned posits that there is a need to upgrade the capacity and the corresponding
complement and equipments of the said hospital

This proposed legislation aims to convert the now existing NCPH into NORTH
COTABATO REGIONAL HOSPITAL (NCRH) and accordingly increase its bed capacity
to a minimum of three hundred (300) beds as well as the corresponding personnel and
medical equipments. With this, it is hoped to be able to create a more responsive
medical institution that will effectively address the medical needs of the poor and
marginalized not only in the province of North Cotabato but in the entire region.

The immediate passage of this bill is therefore earnestly requested.

NANCY A, ‘AMCO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SIXTEENTH (16™) CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __1075

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE NANCY A, CATAMCO.

AN ACT CONVERTING THE COTABATO PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL IN
KIDAPAWAN CITY, NORTH COTABATO INTO NORTH COTABATO REGIONAL
HOSPITAL UNDER THE SUPERVISION, CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect and promote the
tight to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Towards this
end, the State shall give primary, secondary and tertiary health services adequate,
accessible and affordable to all the citizens.

SECTION 2. To provide easy accessibility to health care for less fortunate
Filipinos from North Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Bukidnon,
Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and its neighboring provinces and cities, who have no
place to go except government hospitals.

SECTION 3. The Cotabato Provincial Hospital in the City of Kidapawan,
Province of North Cotabato is hereby converted into a Regional Hospital to be known as
NORTH COTABATO REGIONAL HOSPITAL, increasing therefore its bed capacity into
three hundred (300).

SECTION 4. North Cotabato Regional Hospital shall be under the full
administrative and technical supervision, control and management of the Department of


Health. The Department of Health shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary
for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 5. The amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (Php 100 M) is hereby
appropriated for the construction of additional buildings, repair and rehabilitation of
existing buildings and purchase of medical equipment. Funds necessary for its
operation and maintenance, as well as for medical staff and personnel services, shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act in the following year after the enactment of
this Act and every year thereafter.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved.