Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17'") CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4949

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. Tricia Nicole Q. Velasco — Catera
and Hon. Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to re-nationalize the hospitals in the province of Marinduque, and place
the same under the direct control, management, and supervision of the Department of Health.

The Local Government Code of 1991 was promulgated with the laudable objective of
providing for more responsive and accountable services to the public, In pursuit thereof, health
services were devolved to the local government units. Thus, government hospitals in the
province of Marinduque were placed under the supervision and control of the provincial
government. *

It must be emphasized, however, that it is the national government, through the
Department of Health, which has the proven expertise to manage these hospitals and to
maximize the use of their resources for the benefit of patients served by such hospitals

The province of Marinduque currently has three (3) hospitals, namely the Torrijos
Municipal Hospital in the municipality of Torrijos, the Sta. Cruz District Hospital in the
municipality of Sta. Cruz, and the Dr. Damian J. Reyes Memorial Hospital in the Municipality of
Boac, Sadly, these hospitals lack the proper facilities to provide adequate or sufficient medical
services to the people of Marinduque. While hospitals throughout the country are being upgraded
and modernized, these hospitals, instead, were lamentably downgraded in recent years. The lack
or complete absence of sufficient diagnostic tools, competent personn alized medical
services brought about by the neglect and mismanagement of the responsible officials have
resulted in the failure of these hospitals to serve the needs of the people of Marinduque.

Most of the time, due to the inability of these hospitals to competently handle sensitive
and complicated cases, patients are routinely advised to seck medical attention outside
Marinduque. This is specially aggravated by the fact that Marinduque is an island province. Its
isolation is highlighted even more by the fact that there are no regular flights to and from the



province. Currently, the only way in and out of Marinduque is by Roll On-Roll Off (Ro-Ro)
Ships. It takes at least three (3) hours to get to the nearest government hospital which is the
Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City. Patients who are in critical condition are unnecessarily
placed in grave danger. Others choose to rather stay, plainly because they do not have the
financial means to travel.

Despite many attempts to lobby for improved medical facilities and services, these
hospitals have remained the same. The people of Marinduque have languished far too long
already. Hence, there is an immediate and pressing need to return the control, management, and
supervision of the aforementioned Marinduque hospitals to the Department of Health.

In view of the foregoing. immedi:

passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

a

LORD ALLANJJAY Q. VELASCO TRIGIA NICOLE Q. VELASCO-CATERA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESE!
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17'") CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo, 4949

Introduced by Hon. Tricia Nicole Q. Velasco — Catera
and Hon, Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

AN ACT RE-NATIONALIZING ALL HOSPITALS LOCATED IN THE
PROVINCE OF MARINDUQU LACING THE SAME UNDER THE
DIRECT CONTROL, MANAGEMENT, AND SUPERVISION OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOFR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOS!

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

SECTION 1. — All the hospitals located in the province of Marinduque, namely the
Torrijos Municipal Hospital in the municipality of Torrijos, the Sta. Cruz District Hospital in the
municipality of Sta. Cruz, and the Dr. Damian J. Reyes Memorial Hospital in the Municipality of
Boac, collectively referred to as the “Hospitals”, are hereby re-nationalized and placed under the
direct control, management, and supervision of the Department of Health.

SEC. 2. — All records, equipment, assets, liabilities, and personne! shall revert to the
National Government.

SEC. 3. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included
in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and thercafier.

The local government unit (LGU) concerned shall continue to provide funding for the
Hospitals until such time that their full funding is included in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 4, - The Department of Health shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations
for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC

’. 5. ~ If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder


of the law or the provisions not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 6.

All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent
with any provi s

ions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

. 7. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two
(2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,