EPRESS
K REPRESS D

he
(RECEIVED %
F aed 17 209

ay.

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2244

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

—_

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The purpose of this Bill is to modernize the facilities, equipment and manpower
complement of the Bicol Medical Center (BMC).

The present bed-capacity of the BMC Main Facilities located in Naga City is only
three hundred (300) beds while the hospital attached thereto, the Don Susano V.
Rodriguez Memorial Mental Hospital, located outside Naga City, in the Municipality
of Pili, Province of Camarines Sur has a bed-capacity of two hundred (200) beds
which are exclusively and strictly concentrated on mental and psychiatric cases.

The bed-capacity of only 300 beds in the main facilities of the BMC is the smallest
bed-capacity for a medical center in the Philippines. It is overcrowded and
inadequate to serve the patients covering various medical areas.

The bed-capacity of the BMC main facilities in Naga City is being proposed to be
increased from the present 300 beds to 1,000 beds which increase, as proposed in
this Bill, is still relatively moderate compared to the bed-capacity of the other
government medical centers in various regions of the country.

The effective actual bed requirement of the BMC in Naga City is much more than the
present bed-capacity with patients particularly in the OB-Gyne and Pediatrics area,
in many cases, two (2) babies or smalll children are put in one bed inside the ward,
while others are put along the hallways, which, to say the least, is unhealthy.

There are also beds for patients with contagious diseases which must be set apart
from patients with non-contagious ailments. There are also additional bed

requirements for patients with chronic diseases.

While improvements have been provided from time to time, such improvements are


still very inadequate. The BMC does not only need additional bed-capacity but it
also needs a budget for renovation of old buildings or the re-arranging of the situs of
various service departments to have a more efficient flow of services.

The BMC holds a strategic position, not only in terms of its geographic location at the
heart of the Bicol Region but also a sociopolitical referral system from the different
cities and municipalities of the region, including some towns in the adjoining
Province of Quezon

The BMC’s occupancy rate that ranges from 140% - 160% for the past five (5) years
attest to the urgent need of increasing its bed-capacities, equipment and manpower.
Indeed, BMC has to stretch its financial resources, personnel and inadequate
equipment to serve its growing number of patients which cannot be easily refused
admission since it is a government-owned and controlled medical center and should
be committed to render, by whatever ways and means feasible, optimum public
service.

It has to be re-emphasized that the clientele of the BMC in Naga City covers not only
the six (6) provinces of the Bicol Region but also some towns in Quezon Province.

The proposed increase in bed-capacity in the main buildings of the BMC to ensure
the mainstream services of a medical center has reached a critical threshold and
should be accorded priority consideration.

Considering the merits of this Bill, approval hereof is earnestly requested

LUI MUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2244

————

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO MODERNIZE THE FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER
COMPLEMENT OF THE BICOL MEDICAL CENTER (BMC) IN NAGA CITY,
PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Bicol Medical Center
Modernization (BMC) Act of 2019”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the state to
modernize the facilities, equipment and manpower complement of medical centers in
the Philippines to ensure that adequate services are provided in an efficient manner
to their constituents and clientele according to a healthcare model established by the
Department of Health of the national government that provides a set of quality and
cost-effective health services to the people that are being served.

SECTION 3. Implementation of State Policy. — In furtherance of the State Policy
herein stated, the bed-capacity of the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) located in Naga
City shall be increased and expanded exclusive of the present bed-capacity of the
Don Susano V. Rodriguez Memorial Mental Hospital located in the Municipality of
Pili, Province of Camarines Sur, an attached hospital to the BMC from the current
three hundred (300) bed-capacity to one thousand (1,000) bed-capacity.


Complementary to the construction of the buildings to accommodate the additional
bed-capacity mentioned in the preceding paragraph, are the provisions of the
necessary medical equipment and manpower support and other operating expenses
required to be appropriated to implement such measures as they are hereby
authorized to be appropriated.

SECTION 4. Appropriation Provisions. - The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the lump sum appropriation
earmarked for the modernization of public hospitals under the expanded value-
added tax (EVAT) law and/or to such appropriations authorized for the purpose
under the current General Appropriations Act.

Thereafter, such sums, as may be necessary for the operations and maintenance of
the BMC, shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in

the Philippines.

Approved,