Militants slam bill turning hospitals into GOCCs

LUCENA CITY—A leader of a militant fisherman’s group on Wednesday assailed a Senate bill that seeks to convert nationally funded hospitals into government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

“The running objective of the bill is business for profits and not delivery of basic health service to the people,” said Fernando Hicap, head of the

Pamalakaya fisherman’s group and Anakpawis party list council member, in a statement.

He said the bill, authored by Sen. Franklin Drilon, “National Government Hospital Corporate Restructuring Act,” is deceitful.

“His bill is all about privatization of public hospitals and public health so the national government will stop extending budget to public hospitals and let hospital administrators look for money outside government sources,” Hicap said.

Under Senate Bill No. 3130, Drilon seeks to convert 26 national government hospitals being run by the Department of Health into GOCCs to enable them to engage in revenue-generating activities.

Under the bill, hospital administrators will be given a free hand to manage hospital resources, buy or sell assets, borrow money and accept donations.

Drilon said his bill, once passed, would provide the people, especially the poor, with a modern, affordable and efficient national hospital care delivery system.

But Hicap argued that Drilon’s bill would simply allow the proliferation of fast food chains inside hospital premises.

“Imagine a public hospital which is busy looking for companies willing to lease or invest money for fast food chains and other commercial undertakings inside and within the premises of hospitals,” Hicap said.