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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider More hospital beds needed? PM Vargas bill gives DOH power to call the shots

More hospital beds needed? PM Vargas bill gives DOH power to call the shots

Published Aug 22, 2025 11:36 pm

At A Glance

  • House Deputy Majority Leader Quezon City 5th district Rep. PM Vargas has filed a measure that, if enacted, would save future lawmakers a lot of time and effort when it comes to adjusting the bed capacity of local public hospitals.
Quezon City 5th district Rep. PM Vargas (Facebook)
Quezon City 5th district Rep. PM Vargas (Facebook)


House Deputy Majority Leader Quezon City 5th district Rep. PM Vargas has filed a measure that, if enacted, would save future lawmakers a lot of time and effort when it comes to adjusting the bed capacity of local public hospitals.
More importantly, Vargas' House Bill (HB) No.3776 or the “DOH Hospital Bed Capacity Rationalization Act”--filed in the current 20th Congress--would be a boon to healthcare.
The measures seeks to empower the Department of Health (DOH) to set and approve the bed capacity of its retained hospitals.
The proposed bill empowers the DOH to issue administrative orders to increase, decrease, or maintain hospital bed capacity without the need for new legislation.
“By giving DOH the power to act, we allow government hospitals to respond more efficiently to real-time health care demands and deliver timely services to patients,” explained Vargas, a second-termer.
Government hospitals nationwide are currently operating beyond capacity, with an alarming bed occupancy rate of 131 percent. This far exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended 80 to 85 percent occupancy rate.
The legislator from Quezon City underscored that requiring Congress to pass a law every time hospital capacity needs to be increased only delays solutions and aggravates the situation to the detriment of the public.
“Our people cannot wait years for a new law each time we need to expand hospital capacity. This measure ensures that DOH has the flexibility to act faster, based on actual needs on the ground," he stressed.
The deputy majority leader noted that the HB No.3776 continues his older brother former Congressman Alfred Vargas' legislative efforts, while pushing forward his own commitment to stronger health services.
“Kalusugan (Health) is the heart of this bill. When we invest in health, we invest in the future of our people,” he concluded.
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