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Republic of the Philippines gen oe
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1583

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Introduced by HON. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN of Anak Mindanao (AMIN)
Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Province of Sulu has no Level II hospital to serve its 824,731 (2015 census)
population spread all over its war-torn nineteen (19) island municipalities which has
only one Level I provincial hospital, five district hospitals and two municipal
hospitals. Sulu Sanitarium, the only Department of Health (DOH) retained hospital
in the province of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, can address this need once upgraded to
Level II hospital to be known as Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital. This is in
line with the Philippine Health Agenda wherein DOH Hospitals including Sanitaria
are identified to become tertiary government hospitals within the context of a
functional Service Delivery Network of the FOURmula One Plus For Health
Strategic Framework.

Sulu Sanitarium currently is performing dual expanded role of providing health
services to the general public and custodial care to its leprosy patients per DOH
‘Administrative Order No. 2005-0013. This is because that for the past twenty years
the national prevalence rate of leprosy in the Philippines has consistently been less
than one per 10,000 population reaching the WHO elimination target criteria for
leprosy as public health problem. This necessitated the reassessment of the functions
of all Sanitaria. Realizing the inevitable role of the Sanitaria in providing the much
needed health services of the rapidly growing population, the Department of Health
issued Administrative Order No. 2005-0013 expanding the role of the eight (8)
Sanitaria, including Sulu Sanitarium, to “make available initially the following five major
Service Department, namely: Medical, Surgical, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family
Medicine and Pediatrics” not merely to leprosy patients but to the general public.

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The expanded dual role of providing health care to the general public and custodial
care to its leprosy patients take a toll on the limited resources of SuluSanitarium as to
finance, facilities and manpower. It is essential that the legal mandate of Sulu
Sanitarium, being the only DOH-retained hospital in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, be
upgraded to ensure efficient delivery of health services to the Province of Sulu with
a population of 824,731 (2015 census) spread all over its nineteen (19) island
municipalities which has only one level I provincial hospital, five district hospitals
and two municipal hospitals. It has no Level II hospital to address its health needs
including the emergency medical attention of the military and police in this war-torn
province. Sulu Sanitarium, currently has about 150% Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR)
from its 25 implementing bed capacity for general service and 50% BOR for its
approved 120 Authorized Bed Capacity as sanitarium.

Unfortunately, with its 2018 annual budget of only Php 8.153M for MOOE and Php
38.405M for Personnel services it cannot cope up with its twin functions. Sulu
Sanitarium has about 150% Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) from its 25 implementing
bed capacity for general service and 50% BOR for its approved 120 Authorized Bed
Capacity as sanitarium. It is expected to rise with the increasing health needs of its
growing population and the hospital improvement it has for the past four years.

This bill mandates the expansion of Sulu Sanitarium into a Sulu Sanitarium and
General Hospital of at least Level 2 capability to be able to provide general hospital
services while upholding its original mandate for leprosy prevention, treatment,
control and rehabilitation. This is consistent with the thrust of the Philippine Health
Agenda wherein DOH Hospitals including Sanitaria are identified to become
tertiary government hospitals within the context of a functional Service Delivery
Network of the FOURmula One Plus for Health Strategic Framework.

‘The passage of this bill is fervently called forth.



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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, __1583

Introduced by HON. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN of Anak Mindanao (AMIN)
Party-List

AN ACT EXPANDING THE MANDATE OF SULU SANITARIUM IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF JOLO, PROVINCE OF SULU, TO BECOME THE SULU
SANITARIUM AND GENERAL HOSPITAL WITH AT LEAST LEVEL 2
CAPABILITY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SEC. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Sulu Sanitarium and General
Hospital Expansion and Development Act.”

SEC. 2. Sanitaria Expansion. Sulu Sanitarium, the only Department of Health retained
hospital in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi is hereby expanded to a sanitarium and general
service care to be known as Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital.

SEC. 3. Continued Service and Assistance to Leprosy Patients. The primary mandate of
Sulu Sanitarium for leprosy treatment, management, control and prevention shall be
retained being the only Leprosy Referral Center for Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

SEC. 4. Expansion Committee. There shall be an Expansion Committee, hereinafter
referred to as Committee, which shall be constituted by the Department of Health
(DOF) in coordination with the Regional Health Office IX (RHOIX), the department
of Budget and Management (DBM), Sulu Sanitarium Chief of Hospital and Sulu
Sanitarium Union President or its duly authorized representative which shall
promulgate the following:


a) Expansion Plan. The Committee shall come up with an expansion and
development scheme which shall among others include the human resources,
infrastructure and facilities, equipment, land acquisition and improvement.
Organizational and Staffing Pattern, The Organizational structure and staffing
pattern of Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital shall be determined by the
Committee subject to evaluation by the Health Human Resource
Development Bureau of the Department of Health, the Civil Service
Commission and the Department of Budget and Management.
SEC. 5. Expansion and Upgrading of Health Service Facilities. The Committee shall
support the expansion and upgrading of Sulu Sanitarium And General Hospital as
to funds, human resource, hospital infrastructure, equipment, facilities and land
acquisition towards the attainment of its mandate as Sulu Sanitarium And General
Hospital of at least Level II capability.

b)

SEC. 6. Transfer of Assets and Liabilities. Facilities, land and buildings, equipment
and human resources, including, but not limited to, its documents, medical and non-
medical records, other assets, liabilities and obligations of Sulu Sanitarium shall be
transferred in full to Sulu Sanitarium And General Hospital.

SEC. 7. Security of Tenure. The position, seniority, security and other rights of tenure
of all medical and non-medical personnel of the Sulu Sanitarium shall continue to be
honored under this Sulu Sanitarium And General Hospital Expansion and
Development Act.

SEC. 8. Implementation. Implementation of this Act shall not be more than three 3
years from its approval.

SEC. 9. Appropriations. The Department of Health shall immediately include in the
Department's programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall
be included in its next year annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). Sub-
Allotment Advice (SAA) shall likewise be provided as the case may be in the
implementation of some specific programs.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations inconsistent with
this Act shall be deemed amended or repealed accordingly

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. If any part, or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected shall
remain in full and effect.

SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.