Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Art. II, Sec. 15 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to “protect and promote the 
right to health of the people.” Moreover, Art. XII, Sec. 11 of the same calls on the State to 
“adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor 
to make essential goods, health and other services available to all the people at affordable cost.” 
Accordingly, the State should invest in establishing more healthcare facilities to ensure 
universal access to quality medical services. The need to build more hospitals and health 
centers has become more urgent amidst the emergence (and resurgence) of infectious diseases, 
and increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases. 
This bill thus seeks to establish a local government hospital in the City of Victorias, in 
the Province of Negros Occidental, to enhance the capacity of the city government to address 
the healthcare needs of its growing population. 
In the 2021 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, Victorias, a fourth class 
component city, has ranked 110th out of 113 component cities in health infrastructure. The 
nearest government hospital, the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital, which serves all 
cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental (including Bacolod City) or a total of 3.2 million 
people, is 18.243 kilometers away, and with its 300-bed capacity, may not be able to 
accommodate patients from Victorias City. This clearly indicates that the city needs all the help 
to improve its local health system. 
Considering the current state of local health infrastructure, the establishment of the 
Victorias City General Hospital is crucial in providing the people of Victorias wider access to 
affordable and quality healthcare – and saving lives from medical emergencies. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D. 
July 5, 2022
3:45 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A GENERAL HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF VICTORIAS, 
PROVINCE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE VICTORIAS 
CITY GENERAL HOSPITAL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be established a tertiary general hospital in the City of 
Victorias, Province of Negros Occidental to be known as the Victorias City General Hospital 
(VCGH). 
SEC. 2. The City Government of Victorias shall provide funding for the establishment, 
operation and maintenance of the VCGH. 
SEC. 3. The Chief of the Hospital of the VCGH shall submit to the Department of Health 
(DOH) a development plan to reflect the development goals of the hospital. The medical 
personnel, capital outlays and budgetary needs for the operation of the VCGH shall be based 
on the hospital development plan. 
SEC. 4. The amount of Five hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) is hereby 
appropriated for the implementation of this Act which shall be included and funded under the 
2023 General Appropriations Act under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) 
of the DOH. 
SEC. 5. The Secretary of Health, in consultation and coordination with local government 
officials concerned, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulation for the effective 
implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days from its effectivity. 
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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