Republic of the Philippines

House of Representative
‘Batasan Bills, Quezon City

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

snotist BRCNO. 73.17

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE
As provided in Section 11 Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution,

“t]he 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.”

‘This is further supported by the enactment of Republic Act No. 11223 or the “Universal Health

Care Act” (UHC Act), which aims to “ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access
to quality and affordable health care”.

Through the years of continuous government endeavors to improve quality health service
delivery, hospital bed capacity in the Philippines has remained a persistent challenge. The
saddening and horrific scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic is a true testament to this. One of
the indicators to determine the accessibility of health care, specifically inpatient care, is the
ratio of hospital beds to population. In the Philippines, our current population is of
approximately 110 million, the ratio is one (1) hospital bed for every 1,000 people.
Unfortunately, this is way below the ideal ratio set by the World Health Organization of 3 beds
for every 1,000 population (3:1000).

The Department of Health (DOH) directly supervises and controls the management and
operations of 66 hospitals. “In 2020, the total licensed beds of these hospitals amount to 22,
773 while implementing beds amount to 27,019. In 2019, the DOH hospitals recorded a total
of 1,115,064 inpatient days, 3,100,503 emergency room visits and 8,408, 166 outpatient visits.”
2 The overall bed occupancy rate of all hospitals is beyond the total licensed beds. The shortage
of hospital beds in the country became even more evident during the surge of COVID-19 cases

* Commission on Population, Philippine Population Clock
2 “DOH HOSPITALS PROFILE”, DOH-Health Facility Development Bureau, First Edition, October 30, 2020


during which some patients had to receive immediate care inside their vehicles in different
areas outside the emergency room or in the hospital parking lots.

Presently, a DOH hospital can only increase its bed capacity through legislation. As such,
adjusting the bed capacity will improve the capability of public hospitals to provide better
health care services for bigger number of patients, especially these indigents whose subsistence
purely depends on the effort they put on the day’s work.

This bill seeks to address the lack of beds in public hospitals by authorizing the DOH to
increase the bed capacity of its retained hospitals and allowing it to promulgate guidelines that
will be used in evaluating and approving changes in bed capacity. Moreover, Section 29 of
UHC Act states that the DOH “shall develop the framework and guidelines to determine the
appropriate bed capacity and the number of health care professionals of public health facilities
based on need.” By allowing the DOH to administratively set and approve the authorized bed

capacity of its hospitals, we remove one barrier that impedes the efficient delivery of health
service.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the bill and approval of the same is sought.

NaZ-mo *—

FLORENCIO GABRIEL “BEM” G. NOEL
Representative
An Waray Party-List

JOSEPHINE VERONIQI E” R. LACSON-NOEL

Rephesentative
Malabon City, Lone District

> Section 29, Universal Health Care Act (RA 11223)


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Batasan Wills, Quezon City

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

{HOUSE BILL? NO. * 73 17

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

AN ACT
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) TO SET AND
APPROVE THE BED CAPACITY AND SERVICE CAPABILITY OF ALL DOH
HOSPITALS

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

Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "DOH Hospital Bed Capacity and
Service Capability Rationalization Act"

Sec. 2. Purpose, Scope and Coverage. — This Act shall streamline the process for approving
changes in the authorized bed capacities and corresponding service capabilities of all
Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.

Sec. 3, Authority to Approve. — The DOH is hereby authorized to adjust and approve the
authorized bed capacities and corresponding service capabilities of its retained hospitals.
‘Thereafter, the DOH shall, through an administrative order, determine the bed capacities and
service capabilities of DOH government hospitals, subject to specific guidelines that shall be
issued and promulgated, within three (3) months after the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 4. Annual Report to Congress. — The DOH shall provide Congress, through the
Committee on Health of the House of Representatives and Committee on Health and
Demography of the Senate, an annual report of hospitals with approved bed capacity, along
with the necessary funding requirements.

Sec. 5. Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP). — The Secretary of Health
shall include in the Department’s programs the funding requirements for the increase in bed
capacity and service capability of each DOH hospital in accordance with the Philippine Health


Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) and the Modernization/Development Plan, the funding of
which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRA). — The DOH shall formulate the IRR of
this Act within ninety (90) days of its effectivity.

Sec. 7, Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette, or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,