Conversion of Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital into Bicol Medical Center

June 15, 1995 *

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8053

AN ACT CONVERTING THE BICOL REGIONAL TRAINING AND TEACHING HOSPITAL INTO BICOL MEDICAL CENTER, DEFINING ITS FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, POWERS AND AUTHORITY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

SECTION 1. The Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in Naga City is hereby converted and its name changed to Bicol Medical Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center.

SECTION 2. All patients requiring hospitalization and/or special medical services coming from the different provinces and cities of the Bicol Region, who cannot be given such adequate services in their local hospitals shall be referred by the latter to, and attended by the Center. It shall continue its teaching/training and research programs and admit interns as its facilities may permit.

SECTION 3. The Bicol Medical Center is hereby authorized to operate on a 300-bed capacity excluded of the 200-bed capacity of Don Susano V. Rodriguez Memorial Mental Hospital at Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur, which is under its jurisdiction, supervision and control. Any increase in the bed capacity shall be made or demanded by the exigencies of the services upon prior approval thereof by the Secretary of Health.

SECTION 4. Patients who can afford to pay the cost of hospitalization and/or medical treatment extended to them shall be required to do so. Indigents who are not members of any health insurance program shall not be required to pay the cost of hospitalization and/or medical services rendered: Provided, That the Center shall ensure that they are subsequently enrolled in the national health insurance program. The patient's capacity to pay or their indigency shall be determined by the Center.

SECTION 5. The regional director upon prior authority of the Secretary of Health may negotiate and/or accept donations or grants from any person, natural or juridical domestic or foreign, for the use of the Center for the improvement of, or addition to its facilities geared at modernization.

SECTION 6. All assets, fixed and movable, personnel and records of the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in Naga City as well as liabilities or obligations are hereby transferred to the Center: Provided, however, That the position, rights and security of tenure of personnel therein employed prior to absorption by the Center are not impaired.

SECTION 7. In addition to the amount already appropriated to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act which shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

* Lapsed into law on June 15, 1995, without the signature of the President, on accordance with Article VI, Section (1) of the Constitution.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 91 No. 37 page 5908 on September 11, 1995.