President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the government’s zero-billing program in public hospitals is running smoothly, ensuring patients receive treatment without additional charges while easing pressure on medical staff.
During an inspection at East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, Marcos said the initiative, rolled out after his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, is gaining traction both among health workers and patients.
“This is our continuous inspection and assurance that our zero-billing program is, first of all, being implemented by all our hospitals, our staff, our doctors, our nurses, and that all our medical services understand what the program is and how medical services can be availed,” the president said.
“I’m happy to be able to report that the zero-billing program is proceeding well,” he added.
The President said the program combines support from PhilHealth contributions and Department of Health (DOH) resources, which ultimately results in zero out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
Since his SONA, more than 12,000 patients in Eastern Visayas have benefited from the program, while East Avenue Medical Center has already served about 2,000 patients under the scheme, according to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
Nationwide, some 2,907 patients across 83 hospitals have availed of the zero-billing program.
President Marcos credited the success of the initiative to health workers, praising their dedication and service even beyond their regular duties.
“We must thank our healthcare workers. They are always there when needed, even outside of their duty hours. That is the heroism we saw during COVID, and we continue to see it today,” he said, adding that he himself was a beneficiary of medical workers’ service during the pandemic.
He urged Filipinos to spread the word about the program so more patients would feel confident seeking treatment.
“Let’s spread the word, let’s instill it in everyone so they won’t hesitate to get checked, get treatment, and get well,” he said.
The President also recalled that East Avenue Medical Center, first opened in 1978 under his parents’ administration, has since been upgraded into a modern hospital under the DOH.
