PATIENTS in Negros Oriental and neighboring provinces may soon gain access to advanced specialty medical care closer to home under a new legislative proposal to convert the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) into a 500-bed regional specialty facility under the Department of Health (DOH).
House Bill No. 7608, authored by Negros Oriental 2nd District Rep. Ma. Isabel “Maisa” L. Sagarbarria, seeks to renationalize NOPH, doubling its authorized bed capacity from 250 to 500 and upgrading its capabilities as the new Negros Oriental Regional Hospital.
The bill was presented during the Visayas leg of “LegisHear” at Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), a public consultation initiative under House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III.
DOH Negros Island Region Regional Director Dr. Razel Nikka Hao discussed the bill alongside House Bill No. 9305, or the KALINGA Act.
Speaking at a press briefing, Rep. Sagarbarria emphasized that NOPH’s current capacity is severely strained by rising healthcare demands.
The lawmaker noted that upgrading the provincial facility is critical to ensuring local access to quality healthcare without forcing patients to undertake costly trips to Cebu or Metro Manila.
Beyond serving Negros Oriental, the expanded facility is designed to cater to patients from nearby Negros Occidental and Siquijor, bolstering healthcare access across the newly created Negros Island Region.
Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel “Chiquiting” T. Sagarbarria highlighted that the transition to the DOH could introduce up to 17 specialized medical services locally.
Complex procedures, including open-heart surgeries and kidney transplants, could eventually be performed directly in Dumaguete.
The bill also shifts NOPH’s financial burden from the provincial government to the national government.
Mayor Sagarbarria estimated that national operational funding could reach at least ₱1 billion annually once implemented, freeing up substantial provincial funds for other local public services.
Under HB 7608, initial implementation costs will be drawn from the DOH’s current budget, with subsequent funding integrated into the annual General Appropriations Act.
