House Oks bill creating OFW Hospital

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives approved yesterday on third and final reading a proposed bill seeking to establish a special hospital dedicated to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.

The lawmakers voted 180-0 in favor of House Bill 9194, which shall establish the Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital.

The proposed OFW Hospital Act is principally authored by former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

HB 9194 provides for the establishment of the OFW Hospital that shall be under the full administrative and technical supervision of the Department of Health.

The bill mandates that the labor secretary as chairman of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) board will ensure that existing health benefits and medical assistance programs are strengthened to include, among others, subsidies on hospitalization and medical procedures for OFWs and their qualified dependents.

It also provides for the creation of a Joint Executive Oversight Committee on OFW Hospital to review and recommend hospital development plans and ensure implementation of the act.

In another development, voting 183-0, the House also approved on third and final reading yesterday the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection bill that aims to protect innocent victims and prevent human rights violations and abuses.

House Bill 9199 authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman got the overwhelming approval of the plenary.