EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.
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E-FILED
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Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A TERTIARY HOSPITAL UNDER THE CONTROL, 
SUPERVISION, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN 
THE CITY OF CALBAYOG, SAMAR TO BE KNOWN AS THE SAMAR ISLAND 
MEDICAL CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
FVPT.AN ATORY NOTE
The COVID-19 pandemic further revealed the gaps and challenges faced by the 
country's healthcare system. One of the most crucial challenges that needs to be 
addressed is the availability of hospitals beds. As of 2018, the ratio of government 
hospital beds to population stands at 1:2,228. This is a long way from the hospital bed to 
population ratio that the Department of Health has set as target under the Philippine 
Health Facility Development Plan 2017-2022 - one hospital bed for every 800 citizens 
(1:800). In the province of Samar, the ratio of government hospital beds to population 
stands at 1:2,174 as of 2018. This presents a great challenge as the hospital bed to 
population ratio is a good measure of availability, access, and distribution of healthcare 
services across the country.
To help address the gap, this bill seeks to establish a tertiary hospital in the city of 
Calbayog, Samar under the full and direct control, supervision, and management of the 
Department of Health, to be known as the Samar Island Medical Center. The 
establishment of a tertiary hospital in Samar will ensure that people in the province will 
have better and easier access to affordable and quality healthcare services and facilities 
without having to travel to another province for their healthcare needs.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
FRANIQIS^^ANGILINAN
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.
o) o'f
eCCEIVEOi-3 
*" rT" r_r^
E-FILED
] -yf &
jlii r>A TisT ■ Aug 26 202°. n 
lCf> 9:00 a-m-
SY
GIU
IWOEX
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A TERTIARY HOSPITAL UNDER THE CONTROL, 
SUPERVISION, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN 
THE CITY OF CALBAYOG, SAMAR TO BE KNOWN AS THE SAMAR ISLAND 
MEDICAL CENTER, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. There shall be established a tertiary general hospital, known as the Samar
2 
Island Medical Center, with a minimum capacity of one hundred (100) beds, to be located
3 
in the city of Calbayog.
4 
Sec. 2. The Samar Island Medical Center shall be under the direct administrative
5 
and technical supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).
6 
Sec. 3. The DOH shall formulate the necessary guidelines for its operation as a
7 
tertiary hospital and ensure funding for the acquisition of the land on which the hospital
8 
will be established, the construction of the hospital buildings and other complementary
9 
infrastructure, facilities, and medical equipment, as well as the costs for the necessary
10 
maintenance and personal services.
11 
Sec. 4. The Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the Department's
12 
programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be charged against
13 
the current year's unappropriated balance of the DOH. An appropriation of Two
14 
Hundred Million Pesos (Php 200,000,000.00) shall be included in the General
15 
Appropriations Act of the year succeeding the implementation of this Act, and One


1 
Hundred Million Pesos (Php 100,000,000.00) thereafter for four (4) years, or until the
2 
provisions of this Act are fully implemented, is hereby set aside for the purpose of this
3 
Act. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued operations of the Samar Island
4 
Medical Center shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
5 
Sec. 5. If any portion or provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the
6 
remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and
7 
effect.
8 
Sec. 6. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of
9 
instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
10 
repealed or modified accordingly.
11 
Sec. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the
12 
Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,