President Rodrigo Duterte finally signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11556 or the act allowing to increase the bed capacity of the Rizal Lying-In Clinic in the town of Rizal including the upgrading of its service facility and increase of its medical personnel this week.
The measure was first filed by former 2nd District Representative Frederick Fabello Abueg and was refiled by Rep. Cyrille Abueg-Zaldivar as House Bill No. 2582.
It was among the 13 bills sponsored by Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go and was approved by the Senate on May 31.
RA 11556, is known as “An Act Increasing the bed capacity of the Lying-In Clinic in the Municipality of Rizal, Province of Palawan from 10 to 20-bed capacity, upgrading Its service facilities and professional health care services, authorizing the increase of its medical personnel, and appropriating funds therefor.
“Mahaba ang pinagdaanan ng batas [na ito]. Ngayong 18th Congress, may mga challenges tayong dinaanan, ngunit ngayon ay ganap nang batas ang ating panukalang na unang isinulong ni Deputy Speaker Abueg,” Zaldivar said in her Facebook Post on Wednesday.
Zaldivar noted that most of the inhabitants of Rizal are farmers. Women who give birth need to traverse through mountainous roads to reach the health facility of the town.
“Sa pamamagitan ng R.A. No 11556, mas maseserbisyohan ang ating mga pamilya at nanay na manganganak, na minsan ay bulubundukin at ilog pa ang binabyahe at dinadaanan para lang makarating sa paanakan o sa ospital. Sa batas na ito ay may dagdag na pondo, kagamitan, hospital beds, at mga kawani sa Jose P. Rizal Lying-in Clinic sa munisipalidad ng Rizal, Palawan na maglilingkod sa atin pong mga kababayan,” she added.
She added that most of the families are financially constrained to travel or to transfer to a neighboring municipality or bigger health facility.
Those who can afford better medical service still need to travel an hour to reach Puerto Princesa City or other municipalities she said.
“The current capacity of this clinic can no longer support the burgeoning population and its medical needs. The upgrade into a 20-bed maternity facility intended for pregnant women is crucial to the community and its people,” Zaldivar said.
“Dapat patuloy natin palakasin ang ating healthcare capacity, magdagdag ng mga kama, magtatag ng mga dagdag na ospital at palakasin ang mga serbisyo na maaaring maibigay ng ating mga pampublikong ospital. Dahil sa totoo lang, ang mga mahihirap nating kababayan ang pumupunta sa mga pampublikong ospital, para ito sa kanila,” Go said in a statement posted in his Facebook page.
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