HOUSE
RECEIVED

pare: Co UL 2018

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1783

RES'STRATION UNIT
BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REP. 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. The 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 priority for the needs of the
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to
paupers.

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

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

It is therefore imperative that immediate assistance is extended to the hospital so that it may fully address the
needs of its patients whose number is speedily increasing. Furthermore, the upgrade will lessen the need to go to other
regional hospitals outside of the province. The undersigned posits that there is a need to upgrade the capability of the said
hospital

This legislation aims to convert the now existing Cotabato Provincial Hospital into the North Cotabato Regional
Hospital and accordingly increase its bed capacity to at least three hundred (300) beds as well as the corresponding
personnel and medical equipment. With this, it is hoped that a more responsive health institution will address the pressing
medical needs of the poor and marginalized members of society.
The immediate passage of this bill is therefore requested.

- PRESENTATIVES



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House ato, 1783

INTRODUCED BY REP. NANCY A. CATAMCO

AN ACT CONVERTING THE COTABATO PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL IN KIDAPAWAN CITY, NORTH COTABATO
INTO THE NORTH COTABATO REGIONAL HOSPITAL UNDER THE SUPERVISION, CONTROL AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.

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 right 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.

SEC. 2. 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 to three hundred (300).

SEC. 3. The 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.

SEC. 4. The amount of Two Hundred Million Pesos (Php 200M) is hereby appropriated for the
construction of additional buildings, repair and rehabilitation of existing buildings and purchase of additional
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.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,