General Santos City — A major step toward accessible, modern, and equitable healthcare for the people of General Santos and the SOCCSKSARGEN region is on the horizon with the filing of House Bill No. 00271, seeking to convert the General Santos City Hospital into the Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Regional Medical Center, a Department of Health (DOH)-operated facility.
The proposed measure, if passed, will not only enhance healthcare infrastructure in the region but also ensure that no family has to travel far or endure long queues just to receive quality medical services.
Key Benefits of the Bill
✅ Hospital Capacity Tripled
The bill proposes to increase the hospital’s current capacity from 200 to 600 beds, effectively reducing congestion and waiting time for patients, especially during emergencies and disease outbreaks.
✅ ₱500 Million for Modernization
A substantial ₱500 million fund is earmarked to upgrade the hospital’s facilities and procure state-of-the-art medical equipment, aligning local healthcare services with national and even global standards.
✅ Free Healthcare Under ‘No Balance Billing’
The upgraded hospital will follow the DOH’s No Balance Billing Policy, ensuring that indigent and underprivileged patients receive free medical services without hidden charges.
✅ Specialized Medical Centers
Planned expansion includes the creation of dedicated centers for heart, lung, kidney, trauma, and burn care — critical areas often requiring expensive and highly specialized treatment currently only accessible in Metro Manila or Davao City.
✅ Employment Opportunities in the Medical Field
The hospital’s expansion is expected to generate new jobs for doctors, nurses, technicians, and other health professionals, helping address local unemployment and brain drain in the medical sector.
✅ Training Hospital for Future Doctors
Once upgraded, the facility will also serve as a training hospital for medical students from Mindanao State University–General Santos, strengthening local healthcare education and workforce development.
Local leaders behind the bill assert that this transformation is not just a name change but a strategic move to decentralize quality healthcare and make it accessible to the region’s growing population — especially the marginalized.
“This bill is about dignity, equity, and the right to health. We envision a future where every resident of General Santos and neighboring provinces can access world-class care without having to leave their community,” proponents said in a statement.
The call is now on Congress to show full support and prioritize the passage of this bill, which could transform healthcare delivery in SOCCSKSARGEN for generations to come.
With unified support and strong political will, General Santos is on track to becoming a regional healthcare hub, ushering in a healthier, more inclusive, and more humane future for every “General.”