Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
19th Congress 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that: 
“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill 
health consciousness among them (Article II, Section 15).” 
“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 underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State 
shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers” (Article XIII, Section 11). 
In addition, Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) of 2018 declares that 
the State shall adopt:  
“A health care model that provides all Filipinos access to a comprehensive set of quality 
and cost-effective, promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health 
services without causing financial hardship, and prioritizes the needs of the population 
who cannot afford such services” (Sec. 2 (b), RA 11223). 
Consistent with the above Constitutional and UHCA provisions, this proposed measure aims to 
establish an apex or end-referral hospital to protect and promote the right to health of the citizens 
of the Municipality of Rodriguez (Montalban) and its surrounding areas. The catchment area for 
the proposed hospital will include not only Montalban, but also residents of San Mateo, Rizal, 
parts of Quezon City, and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan who cannot afford private hospital care.  
The population of Rodriguez was already 370,000 based on the 2015 official census, and 
currently estimated to be about 450,000 due to the continuing relocation of informal settlers from 
different parts of Metro Manila. The surrounding catchments areas are also major sites for 
government-relocated informal settlers as well as socialized housing communities. Based on the 
standards of the Department of Health, there should at least be one public hospital bed for every 
1,000 population to serve the community, or about 400 beds. The existing 50-bed level-1 
provincial hospital, and the 20-bed municipal infirmary are very inadequate to support the 
tertiary hospital needs of Rodriguez and its surrounding areas.  
The UHCA seeks to guarantee that all citizens have access to an apex or end-referral hospital 
within the provincial health system. However, the geographic location of Montalban makes 
access to a province-based apex hospital quite difficult for citizens. The predominantly low-
income residents of Montalban and surrounding areas usually have to access specialized, tertiary 
public hospital care from Amang Rodriguez Medical Center in Marikina City (at least 14 
kilometers away); East Avenue Medical Center in East Avenue, Quezon City (at least 20 km. via 
Payatas); and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Katipunan Ave., Quezon City (at least 20 
km.). The distance, travel time, and transportation costs add unconscionable burdens to the poor 
and discourage them to seek medical services. In addition, these referral hospitals are already 
very congested and operating many times beyond their existing capacity, which affects their 
ability to provide quality and competent health services to the poor.  
This Bill is being submitted for the consideration of this Congress to promote and protect the 
right to health of the poor communities of Rodriguez and San Mateo, Rizal; Payatas, Quezon 
City; and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.  
JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES 
July 1, 2022
4:43 pm
955


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
19th Congress 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____ 
Introduced by: HON. JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING THE NORTHERN TAGALOG  REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF RODRIGUEZ (MONTALBAN), FOURTH DISTRICT OF THE 
PROVINCE OF RIZAL AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision of the Department of 
Health, a two hundred (200) bed capacity, Level-II hospital in the Municipality of Rodriguez 
(Montalban), Fourth District of the Province of Rizal, to be known as the Northern Tagalog 
Regional Hospital. 
SECTION 2. The Department of Health shall provide funding for the establishment and 
operation of the Northern Tagalog Regional Hospital. The Secretary of Health shall include in 
the Department’s budget the appropriate capital outlay for the hospital construction and 
equipment requirements, and adequate operating funds of the facility thereafter. 
SECTION 3. Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health shall 
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
Approved, 
955