Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1307
Introduced by Representative Stephen James T. Tan 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF MATUGUINAO RURAL 
HEALTH UNIT INTO A SUPER HEALTH CENTER IN MATUGUINAO, SAMAR, 
UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HEALTH, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution, in Section 15 Article III, declares that “the State 
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them”. Section 11, Article XIII thereof 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 a priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, 
disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to 
paupers.”  
Currently, Samar has seven (7) hospitals, three (3) infirmaries1, and 30 rural health 
units. The hospital bed-to-population ratio is 1:2,514 while the rural health units-to-
population ratio is 1:21,371.2 This is extremely problematic as per the Department of 
Health – to meet the health needs of the population, the current supply of hospital beds 
must increase to 2.7 per 1,000 population.3 Health stations, Rural Health Units (RHUs), 
and Health Centers (HCs) are supposedly the entry points of individuals, families, and 
communities into the health system. In practice, however, patients go directly to hospitals 
and other specialized clinics, resulting in large health system inefficiencies. 
Thus, this bill seeks to rehabilitate, upgrade and convert Matuguinao Rural Health 
Unit into a modern Super Health Center that will cater to the medical needs of the residents 
and its neighboring towns. This bill aims to provide a higher standard of care than a regular 
rural health center meant to address the demands of the community considering the ongoing 
public health issues, such as lack of access to better healthcare facilities, and prevent the 
rise in hospital occupancy in regional hospitals.  
STEPHEN JAMES T. TAN 
1 http://ro8.doh.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/HOSPITAL-and-INFIRMARY-REGION-8.pdf 
2 Province of Samar: Social Services. Samar News. https://samar.lgu-ph.com/socialservice.htm Accessed on 
25 October 2022 
3 Department of Health. (2020). Philippine Health Facility Development Plan 2020- 2040. Manila, Philippines: 
Department of Health. 
https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/DOH_PHILIPPINE%20HEALTH%20FACILITY%20DEVEL
OPMENT%20PLAN%202020_2040_0.pdf 
July 7, 2025
8:00 am


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1307 
Introduced by Representative Stephen James T. Tan 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF MATUGUINAO RURAL 
HEALTH UNIT INTO A SUPER HEALTH CENTER IN MATUGUINAO, SAMAR, 
UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL 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. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Matuguinao Super 
Health Center Act”. 
SECTION 2. State Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right 
to health of all Filipinos and instill health consciousness among them. Towards this 
end, the State shall adopt a people-oriented approach to the delivery of health services 
that are centered on people’s needs and well-being. 
SECTION 4. Facilities and Services. - The Super Health Center will have amenities 
and facilities that will cater to  basic tests and the primary care needs of the residents 
and its neighboring towns which include, among others, outpatient department, 
laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound, birthing services, dental, diagnostic, pharmacy, and 
emergency services. 
SECTION 5. Matuguinao Super Health Center. - The modernization project of 
Matuguinao Rural Health Unit into a Super Health Center shall be under the 
Department of Health's Health Facilities Enhancement Program. 
SECTION 6. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of 
the year of its enactment and every year thereafter. 
SECTION 7. Implementation. - The DOH, in consultation and coordination with other 
concerned agencies, shall formulate, identify, and promulgate the implementing 
guidelines, r,ules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazettr in a newspaper of general circulation.  
Approved,