BONTOC, Mountain Province – The laboratory test fees at the Bontoc Rural Health Unit have increased with the approval by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Municipal Ordinance No. 398, S. 2024, “An Ordinance Increasing the Laboratory Test Rates At The Bontoc Rural Health Care Unit Commensurate Within The Current.”
The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) deemed it necessary to amend the municipality’s existing laboratory test rates to attune to the present inflationary cost.
Per the record from the Municipal Health Office (MHO), the current prices of the reagents used at the RHU do not accurately reflect the market cap and the cost associated with the procurement and usage. In response, the SB diligently conducted a comprehensive review, assessment, and thorough consultations with reputable suppliers who could provide the necessary input to correct the situation. Thus, an adjustment of reasonable laboratory fees was approved which corresponds with the prevailing costs of medicines in the market.
The SB deemed it imperative to maintain the quality and consistency of laboratory tests at the RHU to ensure the provision of efficient and effective healthcare services for the clients, thus, the need to adjust the laboratory test rates to be proportionate with the actual costs of reagents. The adjusted laboratory test rates now match the rates charged by the Bontoc General Hospital.
The following adjusted laboratory tests fees are as follows: Complete Blood Count (CBC) from PhP120 to PhP200; urinalysis from PhP60 to PhP180; Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from PhP200 to PhP400; Typhidot Test which has been availed of by clients for free is now charged at PhP700 while the Minimal User Fee for Inoculation and Specimen Extraction which the municipal government provides to clients for free is now charged at PhP50. The Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test which is now included in the laboratory services of the municipal government is to be paid by the clients at PhP800.
The power of local governments to levy taxes, and fees is provided in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Under Section 5, Article X, the Constitution provides: “Section 5. Each local government unit shall have the power to create its sources of revenues and to levy taxes, and fees subject to such guidelines and limitations as the Congress may provide, consistent with the basic policy of local autonomy. Such taxes, fees shall accrue exclusively to the local governments.” By Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay
