House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is hopeful the bill establishing a Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital will soon be enacted.
This emerged after Arroyo received a PCG memento from the Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Elson Hermogino during his courtesy visit at the House of Representatives last Thursday.
On behalf of the PCG, Hermogino thanked Arroyo and the House for spearheading the filing and approval of House Bill 8833, seeking to establish and construct a Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital that will cater to the medical needs of PCG personnel, employees, their dependents, and retired uniformed personnel.
Arroyo said the House passed HB 8833 last Jan. 29 and, subsequently, the Senate approved it on third and final reading without amendments last June 3.
The enrolled copy of HB 8833 will now be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval and signature.
Arroyo said the bill’s enactment will uplift the morale and welfare of the PCG personnel and enhance the PCG medical corps.
HB 8833 is principally authored by Rep. Federico Sandoval II of Malabon City.
The proposed hospital shall be known as the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital and shall be constructed and built in the Coast Guard Base, Taguig, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City.
The bill states the PCG General Hospital shall provide comprehensive and total health care services to all personnel and employees of the Philippine Coast Guard, their dependents and the retired uniformed personnel.
It also complements the existing package of services under the health care program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative programs.
The hospital targets to monitor the condition of patients and to generate relevant information and data in aid of policy information.
Another goal of the PCG General Hospital is to conduct medical examination of all the trainees of the PCG to ensure their physical and mental capability.
It shall be administered by a Board of Directors composed of the Secretary of Health as ex-officio chairperson; the Secretary of Transportation as ex-officio vice-chairperson; with the Commandant and Deputy Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard and Command Surgeon of the Philippine Coast Guard Medical Service as members.
The measure mandates the Board of Directors of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital to formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the objectives of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital and develop a program of patient care and hospital administration.
Similarly, it shall be the responsibility of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital Board of Directors to organize the structure of the said hospital in accordance with the staffing pattern approved by the Department of Budget and Management and provide training for all hospital personnel so that the highest professional level of patient care may be maintained in accordance with the requirements of the DOH, among others.