Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Shernee A. Tan-Tambut 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish a district hospital in the Municipality of Simunul 
in the Province of Tawi-Tawi. 
Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that: 
“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them.” 
Further, Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution also  provides 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.” 
The Municipality of Simunul is one of the coastal municipalities in the 
Province of Tawi-Tawi. The population of the Municipality of Simunul is estimated 
at 34,245 or 7.78 per cent of the total population of the Province of Tawi-Tawi 
May 10, 2023
1:15 pm
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The vast expanses of mountainous areas in the mainland provinces and the 
geographically isolated island provinces impose a big challenge in facilitating the 
health needs of its people.  
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic ordeal, the inadequacy of the rural 
health units in the Municipality of Simunul became more evident, and was 
compounded by the long distance that an emergency patient needs to traverse from 
the island-town of Simunul to the nearest hospital located in the provincial capital, 
which can only be reached by boat as its regular mode of transport. 
With the continuous growth of the population of the Municipality of Simunul 
and its neighboring island-towns, there is a need to improve the laborious delivery 
of the health services, health facilities, medicines, vaccines, essential goods and 
other social services.  To cover all these needs, the establishment of a district hospital 
in the Municipality of Simunul is crucially imperative. 
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
SHERNEE A. TAN-TAMBUT 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Shernee A. Tan-Tambut 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A DISTRICT HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF 
SIMUNUL, PROVINCE OF TAWI-TAWI, 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 a district hospital in the Municipality 
of Simunul, Province of Tawi-Tawi, to be known as the “Simunul District Hospital,” 
which shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health. 
SEC. 2.  The Department of Health shall, in consultation with the Province of 
Tawi-Tawi, prepare a hospital development plan that is aligned with the Philippine 
Health Facility Development Plan.  Any future increase in bed capacity, health care 
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facilities, service capability, and human resource complement shall be based on the 
hospital development plan. 
SEC. 3. The initial amount necessary for the construction of Simunul District 
Hospital shall be charged against the current appropriation of the Health Facilities 
Enhancement Program of the Department of Health. Thereafter, such sums as may 
be necessary for its construction and operation shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act.   
SEC. 4.  If any provision or part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the 
remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.   
SEC. 5. All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 5.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,