Press Release
August 7, 2018

Senate approves bills increasing bed capacity in various public hospitals

The Senate today approved on third and final reading three bills seeking to increase the bed capacity of three government hospitals in Zamboanga City, Surigao del Sur and Mt. Province, respectively.

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said the passage of House Bill Nos. (HBN) 6114, 6742 and 6621 would increase the bed capacity in the aforementioned hospitals and improve their facilities to better serve the people in these areas. "We are at a time when Filipinos have become more aware and conscious about their health situation. Our people have slowly learned the true value of our government health system," he said.

"As our people adapt to the modern times and needs in the aspect of their health, so should our government hospitals. They must be well-equipped and able to cater to the influx of patients who have entrusted their well-being to our healthcare system," Ejercito said.

HBN 6114 would increase the bed capacity of Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko, Mt. Province to two-hundred (200) beds from its one hundred (100) beds, while HBN 6742 would increase the bed capacity of Zamboanga City Medical Center in Zamboanga City at eight hundred beds (800) beds from its current five hundred (500) beds.

Likewise, HBN 6621 would incrementally increase the bed capacity of Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur for a period of five years as determined by the DOH.

Ejercito said that the increase in hospital bed capacity "is an increase in the trust of our people in our public hospitals."

"Our people have embraced the idea of integrating themselves and their families in the protection and care of our government," he said. Let us repay the people for their confidence in the government by giving them good service," he said.

Ejercito noted that the Philippines needs an additional 42,856 hospital beds to achieve its target number of hospital beds, since the country now only has 88,394, or 67 percent, of the 131, 250 beds required to achieve the ideal ratio between hospital beds and the population.

"Because of the shortage in facilities and space, it appears that going to public hospitals have resulted to the worsening health, and even death, of some people. It is a truly lamentable situation, and urgent action is needed to help our countrymen," he said.

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