Bongbong Marcos approves Regional Specialty Centers Act

FILE PHOTO: An ambulance enters the main gates of the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila on February 2, 2020. San Lazaro Hospital is among hospitals supervised and controlled by the Department of Health. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which mandates the Department of Health (DOH) to establish specialty centers in its hospitals in every region.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced this on Tuesday, noting the new law is “part of the administration’s efforts to establish and institutionalize healthcare centers in the region.” It also said Marcos signed the new law last week.

Aside from hospitals supervised and controlled by the DOH, the Regional Specialty Centers Act also mandates the establishment of specialty centers in government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) hospitals.

DOH-run hospitals are East Avenue Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, National Center for Mental Health, National Children’s Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center, and Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, among others.

GOCC hospitals, on the other hand, are Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, and Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved on Thursday last week Republic Act No. 11959, or the ‘Regional Specialty Centers Act’ as part of the administration’s efforts to establish and institutionalize healthcare centers in the region, ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare services for all,” the PCO said in a statement.

Under the Regional Specialty Centers Act, the following specialty care will be prioritized:

• Cancer care
• Cardiovascular care
• Lung care
• Renal care
• Kidney transplant
• Brain and spine care
• Trauma care
• Burn care
• Orthopedic care
• Physical rehabilitation medicine
• Infectious disease and tropical medicine
• Toxicology
• Mental health
• Geriatric care
• Neonatal car
• Dermatology
• Eye care
• Ear, nose, and throat care

“The law also mandates the DOH to categorize the level of service capability of the specialty centers as National Specialty Centers, Advanced Comprehensive Specialty Centers, and Basic Comprehensive Specialty Centers  pursuant to the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan,” the PCO added.

The law is the consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2212 and House Bill No. 7751. It shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

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