Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 5720)
Republic Act No. 5720 designates certain government hospitals under the Department of Health as National District Hospitals and prescribes provisions related to their classification, funding, equipment, and operation.
All provincial hospitals for their respective Representative Districts and specific emergency hospitals listed by locality are designated as National District Hospitals under RA 5720.
The bed capacity of new hospitals should be determined according to the population of the district but in no case shall be below twenty-five beds.
The national appropriation for the hospital shall be proportionately reduced in the discretion of the Secretary of Health but not by more than twenty-five percent.
They receive an allotment based on the authorized bed capacity and at the rate of twenty to twenty-five pesos per patient per day depending on the prevailing commodity prices in the locality.
They shall be automatically reclassified to the next higher bed capacity category and receive proportionate increases in allocations.
They get priority within their district for the allocation of national funds for construction, improvement, repairs, hospital equipment, supplies, medicines, and aids.
They must certify within thirty days that the standard table of equipment according to bed capacity has been met for their hospital.
Yes, upon full implementation of the Act, local contributions may be reallocated by the contributing local government to other hospitals within the district or used to improve the hospital’s facilities but not for salaries and wages.
No, the Act explicitly states that it shall not abolish any existing hospital within any representative district nor diminish its allocation of national funds for operation and maintenance.