Short answer. No. Under Article 1046 of the Civil Code, public official establishments cannot accept or repudiate an inheritance without government approval. A government hospital falls within this rule. The acceptance is not effective on its own — it requires authorization from the appropriate government authority before it has legal effect.
What the law says
Public official establishments can neither accept nor repudiate an inheritance without the approval of the government.
Civil Code, Article 1046 — Public Establishments. Read the full provision →
Why government approval is required
Article 1046 of the Civil Code imposes a constraint that applies to public official establishments — government hospitals, public schools, state agencies, and similar entities that operate as part of the public administration. These entities cannot independently decide to accept or turn down an inheritance. The requirement of government approval reflects the fact that public institutions hold and manage public assets; adding or refusing assets from a private estate is a decision that must go through official channels, not one the institution's administrators can make on their own.
Both acceptance and repudiation require approval
The rule cuts both ways. Not only can the institution not accept without approval — it also cannot repudiate without approval. This means a government hospital cannot unilaterally decline a legacy any more than it can quietly accept one. If, for example, the legacy came with conditions the hospital found burdensome, it could not simply refuse without going through the proper process. The government approval requirement applies to either direction of the decision.
What 'government approval' means in practice
The Civil Code does not define which government body must approve. For a government hospital, the appropriate approval channel will depend on what type of institution it is — a national government hospital under the Department of Health operates differently from a local government-run health center. The approval typically comes from the supervising department, agency, or body that has jurisdiction over the institution's assets and operations. Practically speaking, the hospital's legal or administrative office should handle this process, but as a testator's heir or executor, it is worth confirming that the required approval has actually been sought and obtained before the estate is settled.
What this means for settling the estate
If your father's will names a government hospital as a beneficiary, the estate settlement process will need to account for the time required for the hospital to obtain government approval. An acceptance made without approval has no legal effect under Article 1046. As the heir, executor, or administrator of the estate, you should request written confirmation from the hospital that it has received the necessary authorization before releasing the legacy. If approval is delayed or denied, you will need legal advice on what happens to the bequeathed portion of the estate.