EXPLANATORY NOTE
The    Philippine    General    Hospital    (PGH)    is    a    tertiary    state-owned    hospital
administered  and  operated  by  the  University  of  the  Philippines,   Manila.   It  is  the  largest
government  hospital  administered   by  the  university,   and   is  designated  as  the  National
University Hospital.  It is the  biggest hospital  in the  country with  a  1,500-bed  capacity.  It is a
mixed-use  hospital,  with  1,000  beds for indigent patients and  500  beds for private  patients,
and  offers some of the lowest rates for patients and  is generally known  as the  hospital for
indigent  patients.  On  an  average year,  about 600,000  patients  pass through the  hospital's
halls.
The emergency room is the hub of medical activities involving all clinical departments
of the hospital.  Emergency room  patients go to the hospital precisely to receive emergency
care. As is the normal practice, these emergency room patients do not go alone. They have
family or friends accompanying them and wait for them to  be treated,  their "bantays".  It is a
fact that as it is, the emergency room of the PGH does not have enough room to allow the
"bantays" to stay in the emergency room  aside from the fact that these "bantays"  may just
get in the way of the doctors. These "bantays' are already suffering and stressed enough as
it is while waiting,  and  making  them  stand  outside the  emergency room waiting  and  at the
mercy of the weather conditions simply aggravate their situation.  It js therefore important that
a "Bantay Antayan'', similar to the one in front of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital
be constructed. This ``Bantay Antayan" is where the "bantays" wait and where they can easily
be found by the doctors when the need arises.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS                  )
REPUBLIC OFTHE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                            )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
....       Introduced by R®prosonlati`r® Rutue B. Rodrlguee
House Bill No.  Ei98
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING IN THE PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL LOCATED IN  MANILA CITY,
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, A FACILITY TO BE KNOWN AS BANTAY ANTAYAN, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it en.ectpd by the Senate and the House Of Representatives Of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION  1.  There  shall  be  established  in  the  Philippine  General  Hospital  (PGH)
located in Manila City,  National Capital Region, a facility to be known as the Bantay Antayan
in the vicinity of the  Emergency  Department,  located  and designed  in  accordance with the
PGH Master Plan.
SEC. 2. The Bantay Antayan will be used by the relatives, friends, and companions or
"bantays"  of  patients  being  treated  in  the  Emergency  Department  of  PGH.   It  may  also
accommodate medical trainees coming from other provinces and regions.
SEC.  3,  The  amount  of  Two  hundred  million  pesos  (P200,000,000.00)  js  hereby
appropriated for the construction of the "Bantay Antayan" facility.
SEC. 4. All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations, inconsistent with
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC.  5. This Act shall take effect fifteen  (15) days after its publication  in the  Offr.ci.a/
Gaze#e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,