TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 JUL 15 A9:36 First Regular Session RECEN' SENATE Senate Bill No. _ 594 Introduced by Senator Erwin T. Tulfo AN ACT MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, ENHANCING ITS HEALTH CARE SERVICES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders has placed significant demand on the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) - the country's sole tertiary specialty hospital dedicated to orthopedic and rehabilitation services. Presently, it is a 700-bed tertiary hospital tasked to provide quality orthopedic and rehabilitation services. It also serves as a training center for orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare professionals. Despite its critical role in providing specialized care, the POC faces challenges in delivering modern, efficient, and accessible health services due to outdated facilities, limited bed capacity, and insufficient medical equipment. This measure proposes to modernize and revitalize our Philippine Orthopedic Center through the repair, rehabilitation and construction
of necessary facilities and the acquisition of the necessary hospital equipment. Some of the key provisions of this measure include: a. Establishment of a POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council to oversee the implementation of the modernization plan; b. Increase in bed capacity from 700 to 1,000 beds to accommodate more patients; c. Allocation of funds for the repair, rehabilitation, and procurement of modern medical equipment; and d. Mandatory annual reporting to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of funds and the progress of modernization efforts. For these reasons, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. ERWIN T. TULFO
throtthe TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES JUL 15 A9:36 First Regular Session ) RECEIVEL SENATE Senate Bill No. 5S4 Introduced by Senator Erwin T. Tulfo AN ACT MODERNIZING THE PHILIPPINE ORTHOPEDIC CENTER, ENHANCING ITS HEALTH CARE SERVICES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the
2 "Philippine Orthopedic Center Modernization Act"
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy
5 of the State to modernize the health care delivery system to a level 6 where it can fully and effectively perform its Constitutional mandate to 7 protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. Towards this end, the State shall undertake the modernization and rehabilitation of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), which is the country's only tertiary specialty hospital under the Department of 13 Health tasked to provide quality orthopedic, rehabilitation, and other 14 services relating to musculoskeletal disorder and related conditions.
SEC. 3. POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council. - In
order to properly execute the modernization of POC, there is hereby created a POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Council ("Council") composed of the following: a. Secretary of Health as its Ex-Officio Chairman; b. POC Medical Center Chief as Co-Chairman; and c. Five (5) members consisting of representatives from academic and medical communities in the field of orthopedic medicine as may be determined by the Secretary of Health. The Council shall meet quarterly to review progress and address any challenges in the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 4. POC Modernization Plan. - Within six (6) months from
the effectivity of this Act, the Council shall establish a POC Modernization Plan ("Plan") The Plan shall principally be a re-tooling of POC with modern equipment and facilities, including but not limited to the following: a. Procurement of the latest and most up-to-date medical instruments, tools and apparatus; b. Rehabilitation of major areas which need to be rehabilitated such as patient rooms and wards, operating rooms, lavatory areas and comfort rooms and other physical facilities; c. Integration of new technologies to enhance the hospital's capabilities in delivering timely and reliable medical services. The Council shall formulate the Plan, guided by the following considerations: a) It must undertake the repair and rehabilitation of the POC to be a premier tertiary specialty hospital, referral center, and training institute;
b) It must upgrade, modernize, acquire and procure state-of- the-art medical equipment, and the latest model of critical apparatus and instruments; c) It must involve renovation and modernization of its facilities and the application of new technologies to improve the hospital's capabilities in providing timely and reliable medical services for its patients; and d) It must render quality health and medical care services to indigent patients by maintaining seventy percent (70%) allocation of beds for government-sponsored patients. In addition to the Plan, the bed capacity of POC shall be increased from seven hundred (700) to one thousand (1,000) hospital beds.
SEC. 5. POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund. - There is
hereby created the POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund which shall be used exclusively to fund the modernization plan provided under this Act. The initial amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos (PhP500,000,000) to comprise the said fund shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year immediately following the approval of this Act. The total amount allocated herein shall be used exclusively for the repair, rehabilitation, renovation of the POC, the procurement of hospital materials, equipment, furniture and fixtures pursuant to the program and guidelines as determined by the Council.
SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOH shall,
within sixty (60) days from effectivity of this Act, issue the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 7. Annual Report. -
a. The Council shall submit an annual financial report to the Commission on Audit (COA), detailing the allocation,
utilization, and management of the POC Rehabilitation and Modernization Fund. b. The Council shall also submit to the Office of the President and Congress, through the House and Senate Committees on Health, an annual comprehensive report on the progress, outcomes, and challenges of the POC modernization activities, including operations, patient outcomes, and recommendations for improvement. Provided, that both reports shall be made publicly accessible through the official websites of the Department of Health (DOH) and 12 the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC).
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - Should any provision or part of
this Act be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions and parts hereof, insofar as they are separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances,
20 rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this 21 Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10. Effectivity. - 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,