Bill filed vs privatization of public hospitals

By: 10 years ago

The Philippine Orthopedic Center INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Alarmed by the planned privatization of major public hospitals in Metro Manila, two Mindanao solons filed a bill preventing the Department of Health (DOH) to privatize or sell government hospitals.

Cagayan de Oro city Representative Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. filed House Bill 3994, titled “Government Hospitals’ Privatization Prohibition Act.”

“The Secretary is hereby prohibited to privatize, sell, or offer for sale all government hospitals,” the bill read.

The solons filed the bill to ensure that health services remain affordable in state-run hospitals.

“One argument in favor of privatization is that it will allow investors to infuse additional capital to modernize and upgrade the facilities and equipment of these government hospitals…” the solons said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“While it is true that the government is experiencing difficulty in infusing the much needed funds to continually upgrade and acquire sophisticated and advanced medical equipment, it is a reality that majority of the people rely on these government hospitals for their medical and health needs,” the lawmakers added.

The proposed measure is pending before the House committee on health.

The solons filed the bill amid plans that the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) and the Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital would be placed under the Public-Private Partnership Program (PPP), the Aquino government’s flagship program to engage the private sector in public services.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona. AFP File Photo

The health department had approved POC’s privatization and awarded the project to Megawide Construction Corp. and World Citi Inc.

Assistant Health Secretary Enrique Tayag had maintained that the POC would remain a “government” hospital since the Aquino administration is just entering into the PPP to upgrade the facility.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona had said all 72 DOH hospitals were candidates under PPP, but only to modernize the state hospitals.

POC’s privatization was hit before the Supreme Court as a petition was filed by party-list groups, health workers and several patients saying the privatization violates the constitutionally guaranteed rights to health care and equitable access to health services.

In the lower house, a third of its 289 members signed a petition initiated by the Makabayan bloc opposing the “creeping privatization” of state-owned hospitals.