Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has filed legislation calling for the establishment of a MIMAROPA Regional Hospital in Oriental Mindoro.

Senate Bill No. 1289 seeks to create the regional medical facility to serve the healthcare needs of MIMAROPA region.

The proposed hospital would address healthcare needs in Oriental Mindoro, where residents often travel to Metro Manila or other provinces for specialized medical treatment due to limited healthcare facilities.

The Senate bill is a parallel measure to House Bill No. 136 filed by First District Rep. Arnan Panaligan, which seeks to convert the existing Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital into a regional Hospital.

Panaligan’s measure is a refiled version of House Bill No. 2116 from the previous 19th Congress, which failed to pass the Senate due to opposition from Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor.

At present, Oriental Mindoro has no Department of Health-managed hospital, depriving residents of access to the zero billing policy for government hospitals announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

Go filed the measure Monday with 11 other bills covering overseas Filipino worker protection, agricultural insurance, and professional regulation reforms.

“This bill reflects our vision for a government that is more responsive to the needs of vulnerable sectors,” Go said in a statement.

Go’s other healthcare-focused measure in the current batch seeks to expand the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center in Bohol.

If approved, the Oriental Mindoro facility would join the network of DOH-retained hospitals nationwide, providing specialized services currently unavailable in the province.