Duterte signs 13 bills to expand hospitals

by Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday signed 13 measures to boost the capacity of various hospitals to provide quality care and services especially amid an ongoing global health crisis.

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate committee on health, sponsored the bills in the Senate the previous month. He committed to fight for the interest and welfare of the people, especially the poor.

House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez on Friday thanked the President for signing into law two measures that would improve the capacity of two hospitals in their province.

“We extend our sincerest gratitude to President Duterte for signing these vital bills into law. We also thank our colleagues from the House of Representatives and the Senate for working on these measures that would surely uplift the health care capacity in our province,” the Romualdez couple, who principally authored House Bills 6971 and 6972, said.

“The passage of these measures exemplifies our never-ending commitment to our constituents, who truly deserve quality health care and facilities,” the Romualdezes said.

In a speech delivered during the signing ceremony, Duterte congratulated both Houses of Congress for the passage of the measures.

He assured the medical community that his administration would continue to work with legislators and other stakeholders to address their concerns and equip them with their needs to fulfill their duty.

“Thirteen of these laws are health-related and are very crucial in strengthening the capacity of our health care system as we continue to overcome the current pandemic,” said Duterte.

“Indeed, the establishment of new hospitals would make quality medical services more accessible to our people, especially those in far-flung areas. Increasing the bed capacities of our existing public hospitals will likewise augment our inventory of hospital beds that we badly need as we deal with the pandemic,” the President continued.

Go said the newly-signed laws include measures that will establish new medical facilities, increase the bed capacities, and upgrade the capabilities of select hospitals in various provinces throughout the country. They are:

1. Republic Act (RA) No. 11559, or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Naguilian District Hospital in the Municipality of Naguilan, Province of La Union.

2. R.A. No. 11562 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Rosario District Hospital in the Municipality of Rosario, Province of La Union.

3. R.A. No. 1156 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Sinait District Hospital in Sinait, Ilocos Sur.

4. R.A. No. 11564 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the City of Bacolod, Province of Negros Occidental to be known as the Bacolod City General Hospital.

5. R.A. No. 11563 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in the Province of Misamis Occidental.

6. R.A. No. 11565 or An Act Converting the Medina Extension Hospital in the Municipality of Medina, Province of Misamis Oriental into a General Hospital to be known as the First Misamis Oriental General Hospital.

7. R.A. No. 11566 or An Act Converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a General Hospital to be known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center.

8. R.A. No. 11567 or An Act Renaming the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in the City of Tacloban, Province of Leyte into the Eastern Visayas Medical Center.

9. R.A. No. 11568 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in Barangay Lacaron, in the Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental to be known as the Davao Occidental General Hospital.

10. R.A. No. 11558 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the Municipality of Rosales, Province of Pangasinan to be known as the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center.

11. R.A. No. 11561 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the East Avenue Medical Center in Brgy. Diliman, Quezon City.

12. R.A. No. 11557 or An Act Establishing a 300-bed Capacity Tertiary Training and General Hospital in Barangay Mauway, City of Mandaluyong to be known as the Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital; and

13. R.A. No. 11556 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the lying-in clinic in the Municipality of Rizal, Province of Palawan.

During the ceremony, the President also signed other measures that Go supported, namely bills that seek to convert the Basilan State College into the Basilan State University, reapportion Bataan province into three legislative districts, and renew the franchise of the Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation, which Go also co-sponsored.

RA 11566 converts the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a general Hospital to be known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center. 

It also increases the hospital’s bed capacity from 25 to 100, upgrades its professional health care services and facilities, and authorizes the increase of its medical personnel.

RA 11567, meanwhile, renames the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City into Eastern Visayas Medical Center. It also increases the hospital’s bed capacity from 500 to 1,500 beds and appropriating funds therefor.

Other principal sponsors and authors of both measures were Sens. Bong Go and Imee Marcos and Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, chairperson of the House Committee on Health, and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Martin Romualdez, Go, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Health Sec. Francisco Duque III, and other lawmakers witnessed the ceremonial signing.

Both measures were transmitted to the President just last Wednesday, June 23, and approved during the ceremonial signing in Malacañang on Thursday.

“These measures are much-need in Palo and Tacloban especially now that we are still in a pandemic. Rest assured that we will continue to work hard for relevant measures like these for our kababayans,” the Romualdez couple said.

https://manilastandard.net/news/national/358092/duterte-signs-13-bills-to-expand-hospitals.html