Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7708

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to upgrade the facilities of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
by increasing its bed capacity from 400 to 600.

The Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (“CRMC”) is the only tertiary hospital in
Region XII and serves as the end referral hospital for all cases that require a higher level of
treatment in the region. Initially established in 1916 as a 12-bed civilian hospital known as
the Cotabato Regional Hospital, the hospital was eventually upgraded into a 400-bed capacity
medical known as the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center by virtue of Republic Act No.
8316, enacted on June 30, 1997,

Several infrastructure projects were undertaken, such as the construction of the Annex
Building which housed facilities the Operating Room, Delivery Room, Payward, Radiology,
Emergency Room and Ortho Wards. In the ensuing years, several more hospital facilities
were added, such as the Cancer Care Center, Mental Health Unit, Sewage Treatment Plant,
and an Oxygen Plant. In terms of medical equipment, CRMC has acquired various state of
the art machines and equipment and is capable of rendering services from MRI, CT scan,
digital X-Ray, 3D Ultrasound, Genexpert Machine and EEG, Bronchoscopy, Colonoscopy,
Gastrocopy, Laparoscopy, VATS, and Hysteroscopy, among others. These state of the art
medical equipment and facilities, coupled with a highly trained and specialized workforce,
has made the CRMC one of the most competitive medical centers in the country in terms of
delivery of healthcare services.

In the last five (5) years, the CRMC has experienced an average of 9.5% yearly
increase in bed occupancy rate. From an average of 227 occupied beds in 2011, the number
rose to 325 in 2015. In 2016, the daily occupancy has increased to 375 and has already reached
its full bed capacity in 2017.

With this upward trend in patients, an increase in the bed capacity of the Cotabato
Regional and Medical Center is necessary for it to be able to serve all patients who seek
medical care.

Wherefore, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

AND L. HERN, EZ.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7708

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

AN ACT INCREASING THE BED CAPACITY OF THE COTABATO REGIONAL
AND MEDICAL CENTER IN COTABATO CITY, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8316, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Section 1, Republic Act No. 8316 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 1. The Cotabato Regional Hospital in Cotabato City is hereby upgraded into
a medical center, correspondingly increasing its bed capacity to six hundred (600) beds, under
the supervision of the Department of Health, to be known as the “Cotabato Regional and
Medical Center.””

SECTION 2. Section 3 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 3. The number of medical personnel, the budget for personnel services and
maintenance and other operating expenses of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center shall
correspondingly be increased. The Department of Health, in coordination with the
Department of Budget and Management, shall determine the additional plantilla positions to
be created pursuant to this Act.”

SECTION 3. There is hereby added a new Section 4 to read as follows:

“Section 4. The increase in bed capacity of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
from four hundred (400) to six hundred (600) beds shall be implemented immediately upon
approval of this Act.”

SECTION 4. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section 5 and amended to
read as follows:

“Section 5, The Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the Departments
programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.”


SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.