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MARCH 3, 2014

NR # 3394B

Committee on Health approves proposed creation of National Center for Geriatric Health
The House Committee on Health has approved proposals to create the National Center for Geriatric Health, which shall provide a full range of healthcare services, including primary care, wellness services and behavioral healthcare to senior citizens and other older members of the countrys population. ep. !ufranio !riguel, ".#. $%nd #istrict, &a 'nion(, committee chairman, directed the committee secretariat to consolidate the approved measures, namely House )ill %*+, authored by him and H) %+-. filed by ep. osenda /nn 0campo $1th #istrict, "anila(. !riguel said the approval was a great move on the part of the panel and e2pressed hope the proposal will be enacted into law during the 31 th Congress. 45ts wonderful. 6ho is not e2cited about it7,8 he said. epresentatives from the #epartment of Health $#0H(, #epartment of 9ocial 6elfare and #evelopment $#96#(, :hilippine "edical /ssociation $:"/(, :hilippine College of Geriatric "edicine, :hilippine Charity 9weepsta;es 0ffice $:C90(, :hilippine /musement and Gaming Corporation $:/GC0 ( and senior citizens e2pressed their support for the proposal during the committee hearing. !riguel said the proposed creation of the National Center for Geriatric Health $NCGH( is in line with the mandate of the 9tate to protect and promote the right to health of every <ilipino by ma;ing =uality and ade=uate health care available and accessible to everyone, especially to the underprivileged senior citizens and older persons. 4The NCGH shall focus on the medical needs of senior citizens and older persons, and shall be the first of its ;ind in the :hilippines. 5t will ensure the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging members of the population, as well as improve research and studies on the diseases of older persons. This facility will enable senior citizens and older persons who are most vulnerable to diseases to avail of much needed specialized health care,8 !riguel said. He further said the proposal encourages the active involvement of the private sector and other members of the public sector to help in the fulfillment of this mission. 0campo said as a tribute to the countrys elderly citizens, having served and contributed to the society in the prime of their life, it is only fitting to establish a hospital which primarily provides geriatric health services.

0campo cited that 9ection 33, /rticle >555 of the Constitution provides that the 49tate shall adopt an integral and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to ma;e essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sic;, elderly, disabled, women, and children.8 The proposed NCGH, a government?owned?and@controlled corporation shall be established for the primary benefit of senior citizens or older persons. 5t shall provide the following servicesA Hospital?based services with its wards divided into dementia, long? term care, palliative care, respite care and other units as may be deemed necessaryB Community?based integrated geriatric health services and training for the social functioning of senior citizens and their families, utilizing the multi?disciplinary team approachesB !ducation programs, including post?graduate training and short?term courses for medical doctors and allied medical professionals in the specialized field of geriatrics and other related fieldsB and :rogram development and research to combat diseases of old age, provide consultancy advice, technical assistance and standard setting to geriatric wards, nursing homes and residential centers for senior citizens. The NCGH be located in 9an "iguel, "anila and shall have a bed capacity of at least -C. The NCGH shall be administered by a )oard of Trustees with the #0H 9ecretary as chairperson and #96# 9ecretary as vice?chairperson. !riguel proposed that the NCGH shall be headed by a Chief !2ecutive 0fficer $C!0( who shall be appointed by the #0H 9ecretary while 0campo proposed it to be headed by an !2ecutive #irector who shall be appointed by the :resident of the :hilippines upon the recommendation of the )oard of Trustees. The )oard of Trustees shall ensure the NCGH shall adopt and enforce a program for indigents. The number of beds allocated for indigent patients shall not be less than ,C percent of the total number of hospital beds according to the bills. The NCGH shall be e2empt from all income and other internal revenue ta2es, tariff and customs duties and all other ;inds of ta2es, fees, charges, and assessments levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. 5t may re=uest and received assistance from the different agencies, bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government, including the :C90 and the :/GC0 , in pursuit of its purposes and obDectives. <or the initial operation and maintenance of the NCGH, an appropriation of :%-C million has been proposed. $+C( rbb

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