Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Segsion
720
House Bill No.

introduced by REPRESENTATIVE HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE BAGUMBAYAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
BAGUMBAYAN, 2%° DISTRICT OF THE PROVINCE OF SULTAN KUDARAT AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15, Article Il of the 1987 Philippine Constitution (the “Constitution’) provides as a state
policy that

“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instil health
‘consciousness among ther.”

Further, Section 11, Article Xi!I of the Constitution states as a national health policy that

“The State shail 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 prionty for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderty,
disabled, women, and children. The State shail endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers."

The 2" District of the province of Sultan Kudarat (the District’) lacks sufficient facility to provide
the Constitutional mandates of social justice for the underprivileged sick, The District is composed of 6
municipalities with a total population of 408,389. However, only 3 government hospitals are found in the
District - 3 municipal hospitals in Kalamansig, Lebak and Senator Ninoy Aquino, At present, there is no
‘operational district hospital in the District. A district hospital (KALEPA District Hospital) is being constructed
in Lebak, but itis only intended to cater to 3 municipalities: Kalamansig, Lebak and Palimbang. Lebak is 3
to 5 hours away from Bagumbayan, Esperanza and Senator Ninoy Aquino, which makes the KALEPA
District Hospital inaccessible to constituents from the latter 3 municipalities. Furthermore, only the
municipal hospital in Senator Ninoy Aquino, which has a bed capacity of 10, is the government hospital
accessible to the approximately 180,000 population of Bagumbayan, Esperanza and Senator Ninoy
‘Aquino. The Department of Health recommends a ratio of at least 1 hospital bed for every 1,000 population
(this ratio also follows the new indicator of the World Health Organization). As such, the present facilities of
the District clearly cannot adequately provide the health needs of the constituents, The need for affordable
quality government health care facilities is further magnified by the fact that approximately 45% of all
barangays in the District (49% of barangays in Bagumbayan, Esperanza and Senator Ninoy Aquino) have
been identified as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA). Furthermore, Sultan Kudarat
has been identified as one of the 20 provinces in the Philippines with the highest poverty incidence at
56.2% and 6 of the 6 municipalities in the District (Including Bagumbayan, Esperanza and Senator Ninoy
Aquino) have been identified as one of the poorest in Region XIl. Thus, this proposed Bill will go a long way
‘in providing the people of Sultan Kudarat, especially the indigent, access to affordable quality health care.

In view thereof, the government must expend efforts to address the existing and impending
shortage of health care facilities, Immediate approval of this Bill is eamestly sought

HORACIO SUANSING, JR.
2" District, Sultan Kudarat


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3725

House Bill No, 8229

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING THE BAGUMBAYAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
BAGUMBAYAN, 2"° DISTRICT OF THE PROVINCE OF SULTAN KUDARAT AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision of the Provincial

Government of Sultan Kudarat, a twenty-five (25) bed capacity district hospital in the Municipality of

Bagumbayan, 2™ District of the Province of Sultan Kudarat, to be known as the Bagumbayan District
Hospital.

SECTION 2. The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act in the year following its enactment into law. Thereafter, the
Secretary of Health shall include in the Department's subsidy program, budgetary support for the
Continuing operations of the hospital.

SECTION 3. The Secretary of Health, in coordination with the concerned local government
officials, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this
Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,