Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10614 
Introduced by Hon. WILTER YAP PALMA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish a multi-specialty hospital in the Municipality of Imelda, Province of 
Zamboanga Sibugay to be known as the Imelda General Hospital. This is under the Constitutional 
mandate of the State as stated by Republic Act No. 11959 also known as the “Regional Specialty 
Centers Act” to “adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development by 
providing specialized health services to the general public through the establishment and 
institutionalization of specialty healthcare centers in all regions of the Philippines.” 
Moreover, Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution further provides: “The State shall protect 
and promote the right to health consciousness among them”. Moreover, Article XIII, Section 11, 
states that “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 people at affordable cost. There shall be a priority for the needs of the 
underdeveloped, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to 
provide free medical care to paupers.” 
As it stands, it is a harsh reality that the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay has an inadequate 
amount of healthcare facilities and medical programs, and the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic 
has even further greatly accosted the capability of our facilities to provide accessible and 
sufficient medical services to the Sibugaynons. As such, the rapid rise of patients within the 
province together with the lack of resources for the procurement of diagnostic tools, competent 
personnel, and bed capacities have pushed the province to its absolute limit. In extreme cases, 
patients as well as those who are in desperate need of immediate medical attention have no 
choice but to endure dreadful travel conditions to other nearby facilities while suffering from 
intense pain and in extreme cases, death. 
Consequently, it is also evident that there is an urgent need for specialty hospitals within the 
region. These specialized facilities would address critical healthcare needs and ensure that 
patients receive timely and appropriate care without the added burden of long and difficult 
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journeys. Specialty hospitals would have advanced diagnostic tools, highly trained medical 
personnel, and sufficient bed capacities to handle the province's healthcare demands effectively. 
Establishing these hospitals is imperative to improve healthcare outcomes and save lives not just 
in Zamboanga Sibugay but for the entirety of Region IX. 
As such, it is evident that there is a pressing need to strengthen our healthcare system to align 
with the provisions of the Universal Healthcare Law and the Regional Specialty Centers Act. 
Acknowledging this, the establishment of a multi-specialty hospital is vital to achieving a much 
more refined and self-reliant healthcare system not just within Zamboanga Sibugay, but for 
Region IX. By its creation, the aforementioned hospital would in turn aid the decongestion of the 
various healthcare facilities in the region as patients within the geographically isolated and 
disadvantaged areas would finally have another available, reachable, and affordable healthcare 
institution that they could run to.  
Finally, it is noteworthy to mention that the physical infrastructure required for the 
establishment of the proposed multi-specialty hospital is already in place. What remains is the 
acquisition of necessary medical equipment and the recruitment of qualified personnel to 
operationalize the facility. This streamlined process makes it easier to move forward with the 
operationalization of the Imelda General Hospital. 
Given the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 WILTER YAP PALMA  
  Representative 
 1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Philippines 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10614 
Introduced by HON. WILTER YAP PALMA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A MULTI-SPECIALTY HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF IMELDA, 
PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY TO BE KNOWN AS THE IMELDA GENERAL 
HOSPITAL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Imelda General 
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Hospital Act.” 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared policy of the State 
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to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
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consciousness among them. Further, the state shall adopt an integrated and 
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comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make 
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essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at 
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affordable cost. 
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SECTION 3. Establishment of the Imelda General Hospital. -  There is hereby 
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established a Multi-Specialty Hospital in the Municipality of Imelda, Province of 
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Zamboanga Sibugay to be known as the Imelda General Hospital operated and 
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managed by the Department of Health. Subject to the provisions of Republic Act 
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No. 11959, the following specialties shall be prioritized: cancer care, cardiovascular 
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care, lung care, renal care and kidney transplant, brain and spine care, trauma care, 
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burn care, orthopedic care, physical rehabilitation medicine, infectious disease and 
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tropical medicine, toxicology, mental health, geriatric care, neonatal care, 
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dermatology, eye care, and ear, nose and throat care. 
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The Department of Health (DOH) shall provide all of the appropriate 
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specialized equipment needed along with the funding for capital outlay investment 
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through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and other fund sources. 
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Moreover, the DOH in collaboration with Professional Regulation Commission 
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(PRC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Civil Service Commission 
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(CSC), concerned accredited professional organizations and specialty and 
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subspecialty associations, and other relevant government agencies and 
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stakeholders, shall ensure the sustainability of the staffing of the Imelda General 
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Hospital, subject to the evaluation and approval of the DBM and in accordance with 
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existing civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
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SECTION 4. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
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implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s 
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appropriation of the DOH. Thereafter, such sum needed for the establishment, 
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operationalization, and maintenance of the Imelda General Hospital shall be 
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included in the budget of the DOH under the General Appropriations Act. 
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SECTION 5.  Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is 
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declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected 
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thereby shall remain in force and   effect. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause – All laws, executive orders, decrees, issuances, 
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rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
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are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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