A bill has been filed in the House of Representatives, authored by five congressmen from Pangasinan, proposing to rename the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) in Dagupan City after the late Speaker Jose C. De Venecia, Jr.
The proposed name, “Speaker Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. Memorial Medical Center”, was approved and passed during a congressional health commitee hearing
The bill, known as House Bill No. 8454, was introduced by Representatives Arthur Celeste of the First District, Mark Cojuangco of the Second District, Rachel Arenas of the Third District, Ramon Guico Jr. of the Fifth District, and Marlyn Primicias-Agabas of the Sixth District. It aims to honor the memory of the late Speaker De Venecia, who was instrumental in the establishment of R1MC, originally created from the former Don Teofilo Sison Memorial Provincial Hospital.
Notably, Speaker De Venecia played a significant role in rebuilding the hospital after it was damaged by the earthquake on July 16, 1990, which caused the buildings on Arellano Street to collapse, necessitating an evacuation to Bonuan Binloc.
R1MC is a critical government tertiary hospital that serves not only the people of Pangasinan but also the entire Ilocos Region and neighboring provinces in Northern Luzon.
According to the explanatory note of the bill, R1MC has been a lifeline for countless Filipinos seeking accessible, high-quality healthcare for decades.
House Bill No. 8454 highlights that during his tenure as Representative of the Fourth District of Pangasinan and as a five-time Speaker of the House of Representatives, Speaker De Venecia championed numerous initiatives that enhanced access to healthcare for many Filipinos. The establishment of R1MC is cited as one of the most tangible manifestations of that commitment.
The authors of the bill also acknowledge the ongoing support from the De Venecia family for R1MC’s growth. They noted that Rep. Ma. Georgina De Venecia, the late Speaker’s spouse, previously authored a bill that increased the hospital’s bed capacity from 300 to 600 beds.
Furthermore, during his term, Congressman Christopher “Toff” De Venecia, the son of the De Venecia couple, authored another bill that raised the hospital’s capacity from 600 to 1,500 beds.
These legislative measures have ensured that R1MC continues to evolve into a modern regional medical institution capable of addressing the growing healthcare needs of the Filipino people.
In recognition of the pivotal role played by Speaker Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. in authoring the original law that established the hospital and his decades of dedicated public service, this bill seeks to rename the Region 1 Medical Center to honor him. The authors of HB 8454 assert that this recognition will serve as a lasting tribute to a statesman whose legislative vision helped bring quality healthcare closer to millions of Filipinos. Leonardo Micua