NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
'3 
\m21 P 2 :02
SENATE
S. No. 2954
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, UPGRADING ITS 
SERVICE FACILITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) is a government medical facility under 
the Department of Health tasked to provide health care delivery to patients with 
musculoskeletal disorder and related conditions. It is a 700-bed tertiary special 
hospital specializing in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and serves as a 
center for trauma and orthopedics. It also serves as a training center for orthopedic 
surgeons, anesthesiologists, physiatrists, pathologists and other paramedical 
personnel.
The POC needs to sustain the operations of the country's prime orthopedic 
center, especially with the upsurge in the cases of injuries in the country. There is an 
urgent need to modernize the POC by procuring state-of-the-art hospital facilities and 
equipment to be able to comply with the Universal Healthcare Law which provides that 
all Filipinos must be able to avail of affordable, accessible and quality medical care.
The proposed measure seeks to modernize and revitalize the country's prime 
orthopedic center through the repair, rehabilitation and construction of necessary 
facilities and the acquisition of the necessary hospital equipment to be able to operate 
effectively and efficiently. Towards this end, the modernization and upgrade of POC


would help in the performance of their mandate of providing cheap healthcare for 
indigent patients.
In this light, the immediate passage of this bill is recommended.
EJERCITO ESTRADA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. No. 2954
27 P 2 ;02
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, UPGRADING ITS 
SERVICE FACILITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title - This Act shali be known as the '''Philippine Orthopedic
2 
Center Modernization Act.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the poiicy of the State to
4 
modernize the health care delivery system to a levei where it can fuiiy and effectiveiy
5 
perform its constitutionai mandate to protect and promote the right to heaith of the
6 
people and instill health consciousness among them.
7 
Towards this end, the State shall undertake the modernization of the Phiiippine
8 
Orthopedic Center (POC), which is the country's oniy tertiary specialty hospital under
9 
the Department of Health tasked to provide quaiity orthopedic, rehabiiitation, and
10 
other services relating to muscuioskeietai disorder and reiated conditions.
11 
Sec. 3. POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council. - In order to properiy
12 
execute the modernization of POC, there is hereby created a POC Rehabilitation and
13 
Modernization Councii ("Councii") composed of the Secretary of Heaith as its Ex-Officio
14 
Chairman, the POC Medicai Center Chief as Co-Chairman and five (5) members
15 
consisting of representatives from academic and medicai communities in the field of
16 
orthopedic medicine as may be determined by the Secretary of Heaith.


1 
Sec. 4. POC Modernization Pian. - Within six (6) months from the effectivity of
2 
this Act, the Council shall establish a POC Modernization Plan ("Plan").
3 
The Plan shall principally be a re-tooling of POC with modern equipment and
4 
facilities, including but not limited to, procurement of the latest and most up-to-date
5 
medical instruments, tools and apparatus; repair major areas which need to be
6 
rehabilitated such as patient rooms and wards, operating rooms, lavatory areas and
7 
comfort rooms and other physical facilities; and repair and repainting of POC buildings
8 
and its environment.
9 
The Council must formulate the Plan, subject to the following considerations:
10 
a) It must undertake the repair and rehabilitation of the POC to be a premier
11 
tertiary specialty hospital, referral center, and training institute;
12 
b) It must upgrade, modernize, acquire and procure state-of the-art medical
13 
equipment, and the latest model of critical apparatus and instruments;
14 
c) It must involve renovation and modernization of its facilities and the
15 
application of new technologies to improve the hospital's capabilities in
16 
providing timely and reliable medical services for its patients; and
17 
d) It must render quality health and medical care services to indigent patients
18 
by maintaining seventy percent (70%) allocation of beds for government-
19 
sponsored patients.
20 
In addition to the Plan, the bed capacity of POC shall be increased from seven
21 
hundred (700) to one thousand (1,000) hospital beds.
22 
Sec. 5. POC Rehabiiitation and Modernization Fund. - There is hereby created
23 
the POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund which shall be used exclusively to fund
24 
the modernization plan provided under this Act.
25 
The initial amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos (PhP500,000,000) to comprise
26 
the said fund shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year
27 
immediately following the approval of this Act.
28 
The total amount allocated herein shall be used exclusively for the repair,
29 
rehabilitation, renovation of the POC, the procurement of hospital materials,
30 
equipment, furniture and fixtures pursuant to the program and guidelines as
31 
determined by the Council.


1 
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH shall, within ninety
2 
(90) days from effectivity of this Act, issue the ruies and reguiations necessary for the
3 
effective impiementation of this Act.
4 
Sec. 7. Annual Report. - The Council shall submit to the Office of the President
5 
and Congress, through the House and Senate Committees on Health, an annual report
6 
on the outcome and progress of its activities.
7 
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - Shouid any provision or part of this Act be
8 
deciared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions and parts hereof, insofar as
9 
they are separabie from the invaiid ones, shali remain in fuii force and effect.
10 
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. - Aii iaws, decrees, executive orders, prociamation,
11 
rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with
12 
this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingiy.
13 
Sec. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shail take effect fifteen (15) days after its
14 
pubiication in the Official Gazette or in at ieast two (2) newspapers of general
15 
circulation.
Approved,