19 CONGRESS ber. cp OY

First Regular Session RECEIVED | 2
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HOUSE BILL NO. *

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introduced by REP. ARJO ATAYDE

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING REGIONAL BRANCHES OF SPECIALTY HOSPITALS SUCH AS
THE PHILIPPINE HEART CENTER, NATIONAL KIDNEY AND TRANSPLANT
INSTITUTE, LUNG CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE CHILDREN'S
MEDICAL CENTER AND PHILIPPINE CANCER CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Pursuant to the mandate of the +987 Philippine Constitution for the State to adopt
an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, it is imperative for the
national government to guarantee equitable access to quality health facilities ang
specialized healthcare services for all Filipinos.

Despite the said Constitutional mandate, access to healthcare has been a
perennial issue that presents itself to all administrations. The inequality is glaring with at
least four specialty hospitals attached to the Department of Health (DOH) are all located
in Quezon City in Metro Manila, particularly, the Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine
Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and Philippine Children’s Medical
Center, Further, out of the 37 Level 3 hospitals controlled by the DOH, more than a third
are located in Metro Manila. In order to access these specialty hospitals. Filipinos from
other regions are burdened by additional costs such as transportation and
accommodations.

in the very first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R.
Marcos, Jr., committed the creation of regional specialty hospitals in order to decentralize
our healthcare system and to ensure that quality health care is delivered to all corners of
the country. Since we are ina public health crisis, this representation deems it necessary
to urgently heed to the Chief Executive's call to decentralize the delivery of healthcare

services,

FP RESESS.
{EP


Given the abovementioned circumstances. the immediate passage of this bill is
earnestly sought. (

REP, ARJO ATAYDE


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19" CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. 3081

Introduced by REP. ARJO ATAYDE

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING REGIONAL BRANCHES OF SPECIALTY HOSPITALS
SUCH AS THE PHILIPPINE HEART CENTER, NATIONAL KIDNEY AND
TRANSPLANT INSTITUTE, LUNG CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE
CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER AND PHILIPPINE CANCER CENTER,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Regional Specialty
Hospitals Act’.

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. -Article II, Section 15 of the Constitution states that:
"The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them." Towards this end, it shall be the policy of the State to
provide access to affordable and quality healthcare services to Filipinos, including the
provision of specialty hospitals in the different regions of the country

SEC. 3. Establishment of Regional Specialty Hospitals. - There shall be
branches of the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung
Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children's and Medical Center and Philippine Cancer
Center to be established in the different regions of the country. Within three (3) years
upon the enactment of this Act, there shall be at least one (1) specialty hospital from the
abovementioned specialty hospitals in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas,
Northern Mindanao, and Southern Mindanao. The Department of Health shall determine
the specialty hospital to be established in the different regions, taking into consideration
the prevalent illnesses in the area

SEC. 4, National Government Share. - The National Government shall constitute
the necessary land, building, equipment, and facilities, to the regional branches of the


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specialty hospital, and shall pay such obligations for real, personal, and mixed properties
arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within five (5)
years, at a preferred rate of interest.

SEC. 5. Property of the Regional Specialty Hospital. - The property of the
Regional Specialty Hospital shall consist of such real, personal, mixed, and other type of
property, now owned or reserved for, or may hereafter be given, donated, acquired,
transferred or conveyed to, the Regional Branch of the Philippine Heart Center, National
Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children's
Medical Center Visayas and Philippine Cancer Center as applicable, by the Philippine
Government, its branches and instrumentalities, any foreign government, as well as by
trust, foundations, corporations, or persons, alien or domestic, in order to carry out its
purposes and objectives as set forth herein.

SEC. 6. Purposes and Objectives. - The purposes and objectives of the Regional
Specialty Hospital are:

a. To construct, establish, operate and maintain regional branches of specialty
hospitals for the public welfare:

b. To promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention of
heart, kidney, liver, cancer and pulmonary diseases and the care and/or treatment
of such diseases and related activities, including sponsorship and conduct of
relevant congresses, conventions, seminars, and conferences;

c. To stimulate and/or underwrite scientific researches on the biological
demographic, social, economic, eugenic, physiological aspects of heart, kidney,
liver, cancer and pulmonary disorders and abnormalities and its control; and
gather, compile, and publish the findings of such researches for public
dissemination;

d. To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and
information on the prevention, treatment and control of heart, kidney, liver, cancer
and pulmonary diseases, to arouse, enhance and develop public interest on such
diseases and arouse consciousness or awareness on general health and physical
fitness;

e. To encourage and/or undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical
technicians, health officers and social workers on the practical and scientific
conduct and implementation of heart, kidney, liver, cancer and pulmonary services,
and related activities:


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f. To assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in their studies of heart,
kidney, liver, cancer and pulmonary anomalies, to encourage advanced training
‘on matters of, or affecting the heart, kidney, liver, cancer and lungs, and related
fields and to support educational programs of value to general health;

g. To encourage the formation of other organizations on the national, provincial, city,
municipal or barangay level and to coordinate their various efforts and activities for
the purpose of achieving a more effective programmatic approach on the common
problems relative to the objectives herein enumerated; and

h. To extend medical and heart, kidney, liver, cancer, and pulmonary services to the
general public, to help prevent, relieve or alleviate the innumerable heart, kidney,
liver, cancer and pulmonary afflictions and maladies of the people especially the
poor and less fortunate in life, without regard to race, creed, color or political belief

SEC. 7. Governing Board. - The Governing Board of the Regional Specialty
Hospitals shall be the Governing Board of their respective mother units: Provided, That
the medical director or chief of hospital of the Regional Branch shall be present or invited
to the Board meeting whenever matters concerning his/her Regional Branch are in the
agenda or for discussion of the Board

SEC. 8. Tax Exemptions and Privileges. - All existing tax exemptions and
privileges of the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Insitute, Lung
Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children's Hospital and Philippine Cancer Center
shall be availed of by their Regional Branches

SEC. 9. Transportation and Lodging Subsidy for Medical Specialists and
Experts. - To encourage the assignment and/or temporary practice of medical
specialists and experts in the Regional Branches of Specialty Hospitals, especially
during the initial stage of their establishment, the Regional Branches are allowed to
provide transportation and lodging subsidy and other necessary subsidies over and
above of their salary, professional fee and other emoluments.

SEC. 10. Assistance From Government Offices. - The Regional Specialty
Hospital may call upon any Department, Bureau, Office, agency or instrumentality of the
government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, particularly the
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, for such assistance it may need in the pursuit of
its purposes and objectives.

SEC. 11. Government Subsidy and Contributions. - The amount of Five Billion
Pesos (PS,000,000,000) is hereby appropriated as contribution of the National


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Government for the initial establishment, operations, and maintenance of the Regional
Specialty Hospitals, for the year 2023. Thereafter, the amount necessary to ensure the
continued operations and maintenance of the Regional Specialty Hospitals shall be duly
provided for, appropriated, and released from the General Appropriations Act. The
respective funds therefrom shall be administered by the respective Board of each
specialty hospital

SEC. 12. Annual Report. - Each Regional Specialty Hospital shall render to their
respective mother units, the Department of Health, the President of the Philippines, and
the Congress of the Philippines annual reports of its activities, accomplishments, and
recommendations.

SEC. 13. Effect of Dissolution of the Regional Specialty Hospital. - If for any
reason, the Regional Specialty Hospital is dissolved, its assets and properties remaining
at the time of dissolution, shall revert to the Philippine Government for disposition in
accordance with law.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the
Department of Health, in consultation with the Medical Director or Chief of Hospital of the
respective mother unit of the Specialty Hospital, shall issue such rules, regulations, and
other issuances as may be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 15, Separability Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that is dectared
unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions 0 provisions hereof
as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given effect in their entirety

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, other
issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,