SENATOR GUINGONA SEEKS TO SET HIGHER STANDARDS
FOR HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, has filed Senate Bill No. 2654 that seeks to strengthen the regulation of health facilities and services in the country.

"In the pursuit of the Universal Health Care agenda, aside from expanding health insurance coverage, it is also important to ensure that health facilities reach a standard of adequacy and that they deliver quality health services to those needing care," Sen. Guingona said.

Sen. Guingona noted that over the years, the country saw the emergence of new types of health care facilities such as diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative centers that no longer qualify under the regulatory mandate of the Department of Health (DOH).

Under Senate Bill No. 2654, otherwise known as the Health Facilities Regulation Act, the DOH's Bureau of Health Facilities and Services will be authorized to establish and prescribe rules and standards in all cases related to the issued certificate of license of health facilities, inspection and monitor facilities and services, implement a classification system,approve building plans and construction design, provide advise, and conduct administrative hearings and impose penalties.

"There is now a need to as establish and prescribe rules, regulations, protocols and standards for all health facilities and services, and harmonize all these within one regulatory body," Sen. Guingona added.

He said that it is not enough to just provide health care to Filipinos. "The more important matter is the quality of services that we provide for them. It is not enough that we build hospitals for our citizens; we must also ensure that these facilities are up to par to provide adequately for the needs of each and every Filipino needing health care services," Sen. Guingona said.