Legislator pushes for tertiary hospital in each Philippine province

TACLOBAN CITY — A group of lawmakers is advancing a bill that would place tertiary hospitals in every province across the Philippines, with the goal of bringing specialized healthcare services to rural and underserved communities.

Representative Christopher Sheen Gonzales of Eastern Samar is among five authors of House Bill 11349, known as the proposed "Tertiary Hospital in Every Province Act." The measure seeks to establish at least one Department of Health tertiary facility in each province to address gaps in medical service delivery outside major metropolitan areas.

Tertiary hospitals provide advanced medical treatments and specialized services typically available only in larger urban centers. By distributing these facilities across provinces, the proposed legislation aims to reduce patient travel time and improve health outcomes for residents in remote and less-developed regions.

The bill reflects growing concerns about healthcare disparities between urban and provincial areas in the Philippines. Advocates argue that accessible tertiary facilities would enable local populations to receive complex medical interventions without bearing the financial and logistical burdens of traveling to distant medical centers.

The measure now awaits further deliberation in the House of Representatives as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country's healthcare infrastructure and improve service delivery nationwide.