saves

Republic ofthe Bbitippines ON TARE: 1p

House of Representatives - Pel.

Batasan Bills, Queson City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House BILL NO. 3492

Introduced by Representative Florencio Gabriel “Bem” G. Noel and Representative Josephine
‘Veronique “Jaye” Lacson-Noel

EXPLANATORY NOTE
ARTICLE XIII, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides:

“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 under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women,
‘and children.”

Eastern Visayas is among the poorest regions in the Philippines.’ Along with poverty,
it contends with lack of infrastructure and social services, including hospitals. Using an ideal
bed-to-population ratio, the region still needs an additional 2,850 hospital beds for its 4.44
million population (PSA, 2015). The region has a combined hospital bed capacity of 2,700
(PhilHealth).

‘This bill seeks to establish a satellite hospital under the Eastern Visayas Regional
Medical Center (EVRMC), which in turn is under the full and direct control, supervision and
management of the Department of Health. This is proposed to be located in the Municipality of
Catarman, Northern Samar.

‘The proposed EVRMC-Catarman will ensure that the region will be able to comply with
the mandate of the recently passed Universal Health Care Act. It will effectively help close the
‘gap in the region's hospital bed capacity as well as ensure wider access to affordable and quality
healthcare services particularly in Northern Samar and the northernmost portions of Samar and
Eastern Samar.

‘Clearly, there is much to be done. Inaccessibility of hospitals—both in costs and
distance—contributes to deaths and prolonged illnesses in the region. Climate-related health
risks can also lead to new challenges and emerging diseases. It is therefore crucial that Northern

* Meninano, Sarwell. 3 of 10 Families in Eastern Visayas Poor in 2021: Report” Philippine News Agency, 03 February
2022, hilps://sww.pna.gow.sh/asticles/ 1166951, Accessed 05 August 2022.

 EVRMC is currently co-establishing an extension facility in Villaba, Leyte while the establishment of a new Samar
Island Medical Center is also ongoing, Nevertheless, even with these upcoming hospitals, a new hospital in Northern
‘Samar will still be urgent in addressing the heaith requirements of the people in the region to conform to an ‘ideal’
‘atio of one hospital bed per 800 population (OOH). Actually, WHO recommends an even stricter ratio of 1 per 200
population (or 5 per 1,000} (DOH as cited in pwc, 2018).

‘i
RECEIVED AN
iG 10 ask, | ‘

|
gil
oy


Samar in particular and Eastern Visayas in general improve their healthcare services beginning
an increase in bed capacity.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is eamestly sought,

FLORENCIO GABRIEL “BEM” G. NOEL
Representative

‘An-Waray Party list

\

JOSEPHINE VERONIQUY “JAYE” LACSON-NOEL
Repfesentative
\, Lone District


Republi of the Philippines

House of Representatives

Batasan Bills, Queson City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

- 5
wouse Bi no, 3452

Introduced by Representative Florencio Gabriel “Bem” G. Noel and Representative Josephine
Veronique “Jaye” Lacson-Noel

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FIFTY (50)-BED SATELLITE HOSPITAL OF THE
EASTERN VISAYAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
CATARMAN, NORTHERN SAMAR, TO BE KNOWN AS THE EASTERN VISAYAS

REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CATARMAN SATELLITE HOSPITAL
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
Section 1. Satellite Hospital of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center

A fifty (50)-bed satellite hospital of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center shall
be established in the Municipality of Catarman, Northern Samar, to be known as the Eastern
Visayas Regional Medical Center-Catarman,

Sect

n 2. Supervision of the Department of Health

‘The Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center-Catarman shall be under direct
administrative and technical supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).

Section 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations

‘The DOH shall formulate the necessary guidelines or rules and regulations for its
operation as a Level 2 hospital. The DOH shall ensure funding for the acquisition of the land
‘on which the hospital will be established, the construction of the hospital buildings and other
complementary infrastructure, facilities and medical equipment, as well as for the costs of the
necessary maintenance and personnel services.

Section 4. Appropriations and Funding

‘The Secretary of Health shall immediately include the implementation of this Act in the
Department's programs, the funding of which shall be charged against the current year’s
unappropriated balance of the DOH. An appropriation of Two hundred million pesos
(P200,000,000.00) shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the year
sueceeding the implementation of this Act, and One hundred million pesos (P 100,000,000.00)
thereafter for four (4) years or until the provisions of this Act are fully implemented. Thereafter,
the amount necessary for the continued operation of the Eastem Visayas Regional Medical
Center-Catarman shall be included in the annual GAA.



Section 5, Separability Clause

If any part or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, other parts for
provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue to remain in full force and effect.

Section 6. Repealing Clause

All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent
with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity Clause

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following completion of its publicati
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,