Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
THIRD REGULAR SESSION

9079

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY Rep. GREG G. GASATAYA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Art. II, Sec. 15 of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
them.” Furthermore, Art. XIII, Sec. 11 of the same further emphasizes 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 the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the under-
privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children. The State shall endeavor to
provide free medical care to paupers.” Pursuant to the provisions of the
Constitution, the government must continuously exert efforts in ensuring quality and
accessible healthcare for its people.

The City of Bacolod is one of the highest populated cities in the country which
serves as capital city of the province of Negros Occidental. With a population of
561,875 residents as per the 2015 census, it is the most populous city in the Western
Visayas and the second most populous in the entire Visayas, next to Cebu City.

Despite the existence of a good number of hospitals in the city, the state of
public healthcare has become one of the pertinent points of discussion among the
city’s residents and public officials as private hospital services are not as affordable
and there is only one hospital, the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional
Hospital (CLMMRH), that serves as the sole end referral hospital for poor and
indigent residents of Bacolod City. As the lone tertiary premiere government
hospital in the entire province of Negros Occidental, the CLMMRH, with a bed


capacity of only 400 and average daily census of 724, not only caters to the 561,875
residents of Bacolod City but also to the hundreds of thousands of residents of cities
and municipalities in the province.

This bill seeks to establish a government-owned district hospital in the City
of Bacolod, Province of Negros Occidental as a proactive measure to prevent the
overcrowding of the CLMMRH and to provide an avenue for public healthcare that
is exclusive to the Lone District of Bacolod.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill earnestly sought.

REP. GREG G. GASATAYA
Lone District of Bacolod


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
THIRD REGULAR SESSION

House Bill No._ 9979

INTRODUCED BY Rep. GREG G. GASATAYA.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A ONE HUNDRED-BED HOSPITAL IN
THE CITY OF BACOLOD, PROVINCE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, TO
BE KNOWN AS THE BACOLOD CITY DISTRICT HOSPITAL, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and 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 district hospital in the City of Bacolod, Province of Negros
Occidental to be known as the Bacolod City District Hospital.

SECTION 2. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be
charged against the appropriations authorized for the purpose under the fiscal year
2019 General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for
the operation and maintenance of the herein hospital shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. Before the construction of the hospital, the Secretary of Health shall
issue a written assurance that personnel of the hospital will be appointed and that
funds for its maintenance and operation have been appropriated.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,