The House of Representatives’ Committee on Health on Tuesday approved a proposed measure that seeks to convert the Candijay Community Hospital into a district hospital.

House Bill 4723, authored by Third District Rep. Alexie Tutor, will increase the hospital’s bed capacity to 50 from 10 and improve its facilities through additional funding.

If passed into law, the measure will place the hospital under the administration of the Department of Health instead of the provincial government.

“Not only will it unload the operation expenses of the provincial government but the essence of this conversion is that under the supervision of the Deparment of Health, we can guarantee a fast upgrade of the hospital’s facilities and health care professionals,” Tutor said.

Tutor, who is vice chair of the health committee, filed the bill at the House of Representatives in September last year.

The first-term congresswoman expressed optimism that the measure will also gain support in the Senate if approved by the lower chamber.

“I also have the strong support of Sen. Sonny Angara that this House Bill be passed on the Senate level,” she said.

She is also expecting the provincial government to back the proposal through an endorsement by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which she was a member of from 2016 to 2019.  

“Tersero Distrito we all need a DOH Hospital and I am positive that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bohol will unanimously pass a favorable endorsement on this purpose,” she added.

Tutor sees the upgrade to benefit “the poor and marginalized families” not just in Candijay but in neighboring towns of the third district. (RT)