Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Powers and duties of the licensing agency. The Bureau of Medical Services, or the licensing agency shall have the following powers and duties:

a. To conduct an ocular survey of all existing hospitals in the Philippines, government or private, with a view to determine their fitness to operate considering their facilities and physical plant.

b. To prescribe standard plans for government hospital plants in consultation with the Division of Architecture, Bureau of Public Works.

c. To approve plans for hospital plants, government or private, and to issue permits or authority to construct hospitals in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

d. To keep a permanent register of approved hospitals or those issued licenses to operate indicating the name of the hospital, address or location, type of hospital, name of the director or administrator, ownership, number of authorized beds and bassinets and such other pertinent data as may be necessary.

e. To grant licenses for the operation and maintenance of hospitals or revoke the same in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

f. To make periodic inspection of all hospitals so as to check compliance with rules and regulations legally promulgated or with the provisions of this Act and to make recommendations to directors or administrators of hospitals for the correction of defects found during such inspections.

g. To publish yearly a list of all approved hospitals indicating the name, location, type, authorized beds, and name of the director or administrator.

h. To submit yearly reports to the Secretary of Health, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate and the chairmen and members of the Committees on Health of both Houses of Congress, such reports to include a list of approved hospitals indicating the name of the hospital, location, bed capacity and name of the director or administrator and make recommendations on hospital needs or requirements for hospital service in certain communities that do not enjoy such hospital services.