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BillSBN-142920th Congress

Soccsksargen Regional and Medical Center (South Cotabato)

In committee Filed Sep 30, 2025
◷ Where it standsIn Committee
FiledCommittee2nd Reading3rd ReadingBicamEnacted

Filed on September 30, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Rules; transferred to the Committee on Health and Demography on May 4, 2026, where it is currently pending.

Should you care?
Relevance to you
Broad

The bill addresses the growing healthcare needs of a rapidly increasing population in South Cotabato.

South Cotabato residentsHealthcare professionalsDepartment of Health
Timeliness
Timely

The population of South Cotabato has surpassed one million, necessitating improved healthcare facilities.

Affects you ifResidents of South CotabatoPatients needing medical careHealthcare workersLocal government officials
Impact assessment
AI read — verify with source
Overall impact
5.5/ 10
Long title

Soccsksargen Regional and Medical Center (South Cotabato)

Plain-language summary
AI Summary

This bill aims to upgrade the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital in Surallah, South Cotabato, into a Level III hospital, increasing its bed capacity from 100 to 1,500 and enhancing its healthcare services.

What this bill actually requires
RequiresUpgrade SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital to Level III status.
RequiresIncrease bed capacity to 1,500 within three years.
RequiresUpgrade healthcare services and facilities.
FundsFunding to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
DeadlineThree years from the approval of this Act for bed capacity increase.
DeadlineFifteen days after publication for the Act to take effect.
ⓘ AI-generated — verify with the source.↗ Official Senate PDF
What changes from current law

Compared with current law:

Today

SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital has 100 beds.

This bill

SOCCSKSARGEN Regional and Medical Center will have 1,500 beds.

Today

Current healthcare services are limited.

This bill

Healthcare services will be upgraded and expanded.

Today

No additional staff positions are defined.

This bill

New positions will be created for medical and support staff.

ⓘ AI-generated comparison — verify against the bill and the cited law.
Ask this bill

The current bed capacity is 100 beds.

Source · full text
Issue areas
HealthSocial WelfareSouth Cotabato residentsDepartment of HealthSOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital

✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.

Legislative history
Sep 30, 2025Senate
Introduced by Senator JV EJERCITO;
Oct 1, 2025Senate
Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee on RULES;
May 4, 2026Senate
Transferred from the Committee on Rules to the Committee on HEALTH AND DEMOGRAPHY;
✦ AI insight

Stalled: has sat in the Committee on Health and Demography for several months with no recorded action since May 4, 2026.

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Floor activity

No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.

Full text
SBN-1429 — verbatim textAs filed

Senate Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) 25 SEP 30 P1:15 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 1429 Introduced by Senator JV Ejercito AN ACT UPGRADING THE SOCCSKSARGEN GENERAL HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SURALLAH, PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, INTO A LEVEL III HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE SOCCSKSARGEN REGIONAL AND MEDICAL CENTER, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE As of July 2024, the province of South Cotabato surpassed the one-million-mark population with 1,010,009 residents. Meanwhile, Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) where the South Cotabato belongs places the total population at 4,901,486. ' Such a sizeable constituency would require a higher level of healthcare and medical facility that can accommodate patients without sacrificing the quality of treatment. As the population in the South Cotabato as well as the SOCCSKSARGEN region grows, it is necessary to keeping hospitals well-equipped, upgraded and prepared for the influx of patients. The SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital SGH which was established from then existing Upper Valley Community Hospital in the Municipality of Surallah, Province of Cotabato, has served as a vital healthcare facility in Region XI. ' https://psa.gov.ph/content/highlights-region-xii-soccsksargen-population-2020-census-population-and- housing-2020-cph

However, at present, the bed capacity of the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital (SGH) in Surallah, South Cotabato is only one hundred (100) beds. Clearly, the number no longer complement the needs of the increasing population of the in habitants of the area. Thus, this bill aims to convert the SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital into the SOCCSKSARGEN Regional and Medical Center and increase its bed capacity to one thousand five hundred (1,500). Further, we recognize and propose the upgrading of its professional health care services and facilities. In addition, we find the necessity to create additional plantilla positions for medical and support staff that will be charged to the General Appropriations Act. The Philippine Development Plan stated that increasing infrastructure investments is needed to achieve an improved quality, and efficiency of health care. In line with this, the upgrading SGH to SOCCSKSARGEN Regional and Medical Center is towards this strategy and will serve as a long-term investment in the health and productivity of the region. In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this measure is sought. 00=. JV EJERCITO

Senate Ollie of the Gecterp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 SEP 30 P1:15 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 1429 Introduced by Senator JV Ejercito AN ACT UPGRADING THE SOCCSKSARGEN GENERAL HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SURALLAH, PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, INTO A LEVEL III HOSPITAL TO BE KNOWN AS THE SOCCSKSARGEN REGIONAL AND MEDICAL CENTER, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION. 1. The SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital SGH in the Municipality of

2 Surallah, Province of South Cotabato, is hereby upgraded into a Level III hospital to known as the SOCCSKSARGEN Regional and Medical Center (SRMC) which shall be 4 under the direct control and supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).

SEC. 2. The authorized bed capacity of the SRMC shall be increased from (100)

to one thousand five hundred (1,500) beds to be implemented over a period of not more than three (3) years from the approval of this Act.

SEC. 3. The existing professional health care services and facilities of the SRMC

shall also be upgraded and expanded to conform with, and be commensurate to its upgrading as a Level III hospital and the increase in bed capacity as provided for in Sections 1 and 2 of this Act.

SEC. 4. The existing workforce of the SRMC shall be increased correspondingly.

The Secretary of Health shall, after consultation with the Medical Center Chief 3 of the SRMC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Budget and Management and the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, determine the additional new positions to be created.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of Health shall immediately include in the Department's

program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. =

SEC. 6. If any provision or part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the

remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 7. All laws, executive orders, issuances, and rules and regulations, or parts

thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the

Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,

Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.