President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12210, authorizing the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to increase its bed capacity.
Under the new law, PGH will receive an additional 866 beds, expanding its current capacity from 1,334 to 2,200 beds.
To accommodate the increase, the law mandates that PGH also expand its workforce, facilities, and medical equipment.
"The existing hospital facilities and professional health care services of the PGH shall be upgraded to conform and be commensurate with the increase in its bed capacity. The workforce of the PGH shall be increased correspondingly," the law states.
Funding for the expansion will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
RA 12210 will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
In addition to PGH, hospitals in Cavite and Lanao del Sur will also benefit from increased bed capacity.
In Bacoor City, the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital will receive 200 additional beds, tripling its current capacity from 100 to 300 beds.
Healthcare services and facilities of the hospital shall also be upgraded "to conform with and be commensurate to the increase in bed capacity."
The number of doctors, nurses, and support staff will increase, as determined by the Secretary of Health in coordination with the Medical Chief of the hospital, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Civil Service Commission.
Meanwhile, Wao District Hospital in Lanao del Sur will double its capacity, increasing from 50 to 100 beds.
The increase will align with a development plan to be prepared by the Chief of Hospital and submitted to the Ministry of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Bangsamoro government will cover operational and human resource costs, while the Department of Health is directed to include support for capital outlay in its subsidy program.