Hontiveros, Pia Cayetano clash over anti-hospital detention bill changes

MANILA, Philippines – The special session heated up when Sens. Pia Cayetano and Risa Hontiveros engaged in an intense debate on the amendments to the Anti-Hospital Detention Law.

In the afternoon portion of the plenary on Wednesday, Cayetano, who wrote the original law, questioned the amendments put forward by Hontiveros.

Under Hontiveros’ provisions, indigent patients endorsed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development will be exempt from executing a promissory note required to release deceased or discharged patients who fail to pay hospital fees.

Upon the execution of a promissory note, the patients’ bills would be covered by the government.

“How much impact will this have on our private hospitals that no longer have promissory notes?” the senator asked, speaking Filipino, citing that there are areas with no public hospitals.

In response, Hontiveros explained that the promissory note will be replaced by a mortgage, a guarantee of the co-maker, a deed of assignment, or a guarantee letter, either from the DWSD or the Department of Health.

“At least in the interim, between when the indigent patient should be discharged even if he still has a balance on the bill and the time the hospital is actually compensated, these are the substitutes that are seen as promissory notes or guarantees,” Hontiveros noted, speaking in a mix of Filipino and English.

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However, an impassioned Cayetano pushed back, saying the mechanisms Hontiveros mentioned were not specified in the bill, which instead states that such items may be used to secure a promissory note.

“Should we suspend? Because what her honor is saying is not written in the bill. So I don’t know if her honor would like me to approach and try to explain. Because I understand what her honor is trying to say. What I’m saying is it’s not written in the bill,” Cayetano stressed.

After a few more exchanges, Hontiveros yielded, saying the term “guarantee note” would be used in place of “promissory note” to avoid the confusion.

Cayetano then raised the issue of expenses for private hospitals, asking whether private health institutions were invited to the hearing on the bill.

It must be noted that the anticipated expense for patients ranges from P50,000 to P1,000,000.

“We have to find out where we will get this amount to support these private hospitals. Otherwise, this is a disaster because what will happen is, they will just pile up in Malacanang, begging them not to pass this,” Cayetano emphasized.

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Hontiveros then rejected the use of the term “disaster.”

“Definitely, this is not going to turn out to be a disaster. The whole point of the bill, as the gentle lady herself has said, is to amend and update the original law,” she said. 

But Cayetano explained her use of the word, speaking in Filipino, “The small private hospitals have practically bent, kneeled down in front of us, begging us for support. So if we bear this burden, and we don’t consider the burden on them, then it’s a disaster for them.”

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian jumped in, suggesting that the amendments’ language be reviewed once more, particularly to clarify that indigents would be paid through the DSWD, while non-indigents would still need promissory notes.

Hontiveros conceded and welcomed the suggestions. /jpv