Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

18% Congress
First Regular Session

House Bil Nooo 4

EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that:

“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill
health consciousness among them (Article II, Section 15).”

“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 underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers”
(Article XIII, Section 11).

In addition, Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) of 2018 declares
that the State shall adopt:

“A health care model that provides all Filipinos access to a comprehensive set of
quality and cost-effective, promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and
palliative health services without causing financial hardship, and prioritizes the needs
of the population who cannot afford such services” (Sec. 2 (b), RA 11223).

Consistent with the above Constitutional and UHCA provisions, this proposed measure aims
to establish an apex or end-referral hospital to protect and promote the right to health of the
citizens of the Municipality of Rodriguez (Montalban) and its surrounding areas. The
catchment area for the proposed hospital will include not only Montalban, but also residents
of San Mateo, Rizal, parts of Quezon City, and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan who cannot
afford private hospital care.

The population of Rodriguez was already 370,000 based on the 2015 official census, and
currently estimated to be about 450,000 due to the continuing relocation of informal settlers
from different parts of Metro Manila. The surrounding catchments areas are also major sites
for government-relocated informal settlers as well as socialized housing communities. Based
‘on the standards of the Department of Health, there should at least be one public hospital bed
for every 1,000 population to serve the community, or about 400 beds. The existing 50-bed
level-1 provincial hospital, and the 20-bed municipal infirmary are very inadequate to support
the tertiary hospital needs of Rodriguez and its surrounding areas.

The UHCA seeks to guarantee that all citizens have access to an apex or end-referral hospital
within the provincial health system. However, the geographic location of Montalban makes
access to a province-based apex hospital quite difficult for citizens. The predominantly low-


income residents of Montalban and surrounding areas usually have to access specialized,
tertiary public hospital care from Amang Rodriguez Medical Center in Marikina City (at least
14 kilometers away); East Avenue Medical Center in East Avenue, Quezon City (at least 20
km, via Payatas); and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Katipunan Ave., Quezon City (at
least 20 km.). The distance, travel time, and transportation costs add unconscionable burdens
to the poor and discourage them to seek medical services. In addition, these referral hospitals
are already very congested and operating many times beyond their existing capacity, which
affects their ability to provide quality and competent health services to the poor.

This Bill is being submitted for the consideration of this Congress to promote and protect the

right to health of the poor communities of Rodriguez and San Mateo, Rizal; Payatas, Quezon
City; and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan

os PA ya fed
JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F, NOGRALES


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

18% Congress
First Regular Session

6524
House Bill No.

Introduced by: HON. JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NORTHERN TAGALOG REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF RODRIGUEZ (MONTALBAN), SECOND DISTRICT OF THE
PROVINCE OF RIZAL AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the 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 two hundred (200) bed capacity, Level-II hospital in the Municipality of Rodriguez
(Montalban), Second District of the Province of Rizal, to be known as the Northern Tagalog
Regional Hospital.

4907 ¢ )
SECTION 2. The Department of Health shall provide funding for the establishment and
operation of the Northern Tagalog Regional Hospital. The Secretary of Health shall include
in the Department's budget the appropriate capital outlay for the hospital construction and
equipment requirements, and adequate operating funds of the facility thereafter.

SECTION 3. Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this,
Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,